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[ OOC: Inconsistent?! I only lost once, y'know.  ]
Myr-tamed by the Blue Foxes
d'Amantano returns and slams home a hat trick in Pacitalian victory
NEW OSTERIA, KRYTENIA (PSN) -- The Blue Foxes were well aware they needed a big win to qualify, and that their fate was in their own hands.
So they came out and took the Myrtannians to task in the last matchup of the group stage, scoring early and often to down the Dryads 5-0 in regulation. Veranace d'Amantano returned from a bout of the flu which cost Pacitalia a loss to Lamoni on day 3 and a draw to D&S on MD4, and scored a hat trick to lead Pacitalia to the victory and qualification, locking up third spot in Group D.
Rachell Gabino almost opened the scoring in the 7th minute for a surprisingly young Myrtannian squad, one that with the subtraction of a few players, would be eligible to play in the U21 World Cup. But Cristianu Raduvani was there, unwilling to let the Dryads take an early advantage, and knocked the ball back to the left. Deeann Massetti tried to keep the ball in but it bounced off her knee uncontrolled and past the line for a goal kick, ending that offensive play.
Andreos Charisteas reversed the situation in the 14th, with the Pacitalians moving to hard offence. Alleruzzo, Boyenga and Nedina crumbled under the pressure of four striking forwards and Charisteas calmly flicked the ball to the captain d'Amantano, who deked and sliced left for an early goal and a 1-0 lead.
And the goals kept coming.
d'Amantano returned the favour 11 minutes later, passing forward to a streaking Charisteas who ran past a confounded defence line and slammed the ball home past Suellen Kiili for a 2-0 lead. d'Amantano notched his second on a penalty shot three minutes later and set up Ambrosino Giurimano for his second of AOCAF13 for an outstanding 4-0 lead on the Dryads at halftime.
In the second half, Pacitalia was playing purely defensive, stopping all but three of the Myrtannian charges. The three charges that broke through were calmly saved by Raduvani.
But to add the icing to the cake, d'Amantano earned his hat trick on an excellent play... by the Myrtannians. The Dryads were showing some good skill, bringing it all the way to the box, until Gabino attempted to pass back to defender Alleruzzo in order to seal the offensive wall. But, she was intercepted by d'Amantano, who ran the ball the rest of the way back and knocked it home for a hat-trick and the 5-0 lead.
Pacitalia has qualified for the AOCAF knockouts for a second-straight time and will face Nojika in the second round. You'll notice most bookkeepers are picking Nojika for the win, and we can't blame them. But Pacitalia has definitely earned its way into the "postseason", and they will be playing at 100%, says the team captain.
"We are not giving up now," d'Amantano remarked post-match. "This was just too big and too definitive a win for us to now sit back and let Nojika roll over us. We want to win and we're going to try our best."
From Krytenia -
Pacitalia 5 : 0 Myrtannia
PAC: d'Amantano 14', 28', 79'; Charisteas 25', Giurimano 42' |
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The best place on earth. |
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OOC: Actually, Rachell Gabino was injured v. Lamoni, so it would've been her replacement Deeann Massetti. Just bein' nit-picky. |
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7 points and entry into the 2nd round of the AOCAF was as much as the Bazalopes could go with a defeat against Lowland Clans in their 2nd round match. Lucious Page scored both goals, in a rapid succession in the 35th and 41st minutes. It was then when the Bazalope defense managed to shut down any further attempts. This was due to an agressive defense lead by Andrew "The Bandit" Creek. He earned himself a yellow card, and nearly earned himself a red card, as he tackled Kevin Naign, The Lowland Clan Stars protested and claimed that it was red-card worthy from the referee. The Bandit made his case and the referee sidded with The Bandit. Steve Conne also managed to get a yellow card. |
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Bazalonia |
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Eating A Bazalope Burger |
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Hawks have fun with Spruitland
While there was only one goal scored in the match against Spruitland, the Hawks seemed to be having a lot of fun as they showed Spruitland what AOCAF football was all about. Lamoni held the ball for most of the match, and that was reflected in the fact that Spruitland only have five shots on goal the entire match. Compare that to Lamoni's thirty, and you can see that not only did Lamoni dominate the match, but also that Spruitland's goalkeeper is pretty good.
This was like a practice match for Lamoni, and indeed; the games only goal came from reserve forward Mathew Lovering at seventy five minutes in. The Lamonian forwards had bombarded him with shots on goal, and that was when the Spruitland goalkeeper choked as the ball hit the upper crossbar and went in. The entire stadium was filled with Lamonian fans, and they cheered full heartedly when the goal was scored. Lamonian flags waved, people started the wave, and a general good feeling ensued.
The Hawks face Bettia next. Given the Bettia is two AOCAF ranks ahead of Lamoni at the moment, this should be a more even match for both sides. We have never faced Bettia in the AOCAF knockouts before, so we have no real idea what to expect from this match other than that it will be a good one. The winner of the Lamoni-Bettia match will go on to face Starblaydia. Starblaydia is a team that Lamoni knows only too well, normally loosing to them, but managing to achieve a 2-2 draw in the group stages of this AOCAF. Will this be Lamoni's cup winning AOCAF? We shall see.
Lamoni - 1 Mathew Lovering (75)
Spruitland - 0
This post has been edited by Lamoni on Apr 15 2006, 10:13 PM |
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Lamoni |
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Democratic Maniac |
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AOCAF XIII Update from AIR 4 - Myrtannia's Sports Leader
In a relatively low scoring day in the opening round of AOCAF knockouts, there were some surprises. The final tallies were as follows:
MATCH E: The Lowland Clans 2, Bazalonia 0
As expected, not even the moxie and energy of the upstart Bazalopes could make up for the experience and talent of the Clans. Three cheers for Bazalonia for having made it this far, though!
MATCH F: FMJPhoenix 0 (5 on pens), Vilita 0 (3 on pens)
The upset of the opening round of action. Longtime powerhouse Vilita went down in the longest match of AOCAF XIII's second round. Unfortunately for FMJPhoenix, they draw Starblaydia next.
MATCH G: Pacitalia 2, Nojika 1
In a match that could've gone either way, the Pacitalians were a goal better than the Nojikans.
MATCH H: Lamoni 1, Spruitland 0
Lamoni toyed with Spruitland the whole match before finally scoring in the 75th minute to send themselves to the Quarts.
Quarter Finals Matchups & AIR 4 Predictions
MATCH I: Krytenia v Pacitalia
Pacitalia has played well recently, beating Nojika 2-1 in the opening KO round. We think Krytenia will knock Pacitalia out this time, though, being that they have homefield advantage. Projected Winner: Krytenia
MATCH J: Bettia v Lamoni
A seesaw battle-to-be for certain; these teams have never played each other in the knockout phase. Bettia is coming off a group win and looks good going into this game. However, the Hawks are flying high after finishing undefeated in the group stage, and knocking out Spruitland in the first round. Call us crazy, but we like the underdog this time.
Projected Winner: Lamoni
MATCH K: Nedalia v The Lowland Clans
The Clans enter the Quarts coming off a 2-0 shutout of a surprising Bazalonia squad, which was no surprise in the end result. Nedalia have momentum too, winners of their group and looking solid and strong coming into the match. They're more rested than the Clans, and that will be the deciding factor here.
Projected Winner: Nedalia
MATCH L: Starblaydia v FMJPhoenix
FMJPhoneix is the definite Cinderella of AOCAF XIII. They've already snuck into the knockouts, and eliminated Vilita in a hotly contested match on penalties. However, this may leave them tired, and their opponent is simply too powerful for them to stand a chance. Expect Cinderella to have her coach turn into a pumpkin, and to be sent home in rags with a lump over the head courtesy of Starblaydia.
Projected Winner: Starblaydia |
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Hello from me, Huw Thomas, and welcome back to exclusive AOCAF action on the Sonastra Sports Network. We're just moments away from Bettia's crunch quarter-final matchup against Lamoni here in Mellion Lane, Davisham. As usual I'm joined in the studio by Sukatra Tigers' director of football Bryn Bloomford, and former Bettian international defender Musa Williams. We'll turn first to Musa - your thoughts on today's opponents?
Lamoni? Cor, they'll be tough. First of all they're unbeaten so far, something we're not. They've been strong throughout, gaining excellent draws against Bedistan and Starblaydia, and their strikers have been looking dangerous, especially Linwood and Kemble - our back three will have to be on top of their game to shut those guys out.
Excuse me? Are you suggesting that we... do some defending?
Erm, yes?
Look Musa, I know you're a defender yourself, but... WE DON'T DO DEFENCE, WE TRASH DEFENCE. That's the national motto - unofficially at least - and you can be sure that's what our boys will be sticking to.
But if we can keep a clean sheet...
Sod clean sheets, I don't care if Lamoni stick four past us, as long as we get one more than them, I'm happy, and more importantly the fans and the viewing public back home will be happy.
**laughing** Well, it seems we have a bit of controversy here in the studio. One thing's for sure though, this will be a tough matchup. Bettia have only met Lamoni once before back in the first round of AOCAF 9, and it was the Hawks who came away with a comfortable 2-0 victory. Of course, the Aroras have come on in leaps and bounds since then... now we're nobody's pushovers. But never mind what us pundits think, what do the fans think? Our roving reporter Jason Golding is live on the streets of Davisham gauging some opinions. Jason?
**cut to reporter surrounded, nay, overwhealmed by a throng of rather raucous Bettians, all decked out in the national kit complete with green and yellow face paint, flags, scarves, and various signs with semi-humourous slogans such as 'We're Bettia Than You'.**
Thanks Huw. The atmosphere down here is absolutely phenomonal - the colours, the noise, it's simply amazing, and, as befits the friendly nature of the tournament and our country's relationship with our friends from Lamoni, the atmosphere is very good-natured. Now if I could just turn to my new pals here... sir, what's your name and where are you from?
I'm Mike from Floraton. Whoooo! Hi Mum! Hi Dad!
Indeed... so what are your thoughts on today's match? Can Bettia get past Lamoni?
Of course they can! The HYH (Hunter, York and Hutton) will do the business for us, no probs. Bettia all the way baby! BETTIA! LA LA LA! BETTIA! LA LA LA!
(rest of crowd joins in - BETTIA! LA LA LA! BETTIA! LA LA LA! - shouting so loud it starts to play havoc with the mic)
Well, as you can see the mood down here is, shall we say, cautiously optimistic. Huw, it's back to you.
Thank you Jason. Now the players are in the tunnel so we'll cross over to our commentary team in the stands, James Morphy and first, Lee Delemere.
Thank you studio. That's right, we're almost ready, the players are indeed coming out onto the pitch, and just listen to that noise! I know we've seen it all before, the Bettian players are nearly always guaranteed a fantastic welcome, but we'll never tire of it, will we? Before they line up for the national anthems, let's just fill you in on some late team news. Ricardo DiTorino has unfortunately failed his fitness test - it seems that despite being the centre of national attention, his groin hasn't healed up from that strain in time, and so the giant Von Bietsch will start in goal for the Aroras. Apart from that it's an unchanged lineup, with Tyrno'r, McKinnon and Carew in defence, Warlow and Connick in midfield, Swain on the left wing, Abdullah on the right, and the HYH, Hunter, York and Hutton up front looking to cause some serious havoc in the Hawks defence.
**camera cuts to Lamoni squad as the Davisham's local marching band starts to play Lamoni, We Love Thee** (OOC: I'm guessing thats what it's called)
Clinton Linwood there, he's been on good form in this tournament... and yes, I do apologise to the folks back home, but Lamoni really ARE playing in plain red shirts... what a shame.
**expectation rises on the Bettian side of the stadium as the band strikes up Brothers of Bettia.**
And the camera panning along Bettian squad there - thankfully all of them are belting out the anthem with typical gusto, but not as much as the supporters - just listen to 'em... doing the Blessed Realm proud, they are.
**the noise reaches a crescendo as the anthem reaches it's climax... Cry out as one! BETTIA! BETTIA!**
Marvellous... never fails to bring a tear to the eye, does it? So now we're just about ready for AOCAF quarter-final action - Bettia vs Lamoni, live from Mellion Lane... LET'S GO!
This post has been edited by Bettia on Apr 16 2006, 11:11 AM |
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We don't do defence |
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"Is the fax to Bettia ready?" Stone asked.
"Yes sir," the aide answered.
"Well then send it!"
As the fax was being sent to Bettia, Stone reviewed the contents of the transmission one last time.
| CODE | From: President Stone
Lamoni
To: President Brooks
Bettia
Dear President Brooks,
As you know, our AOCAF teams will be facing each other for the right to play against regional powerhouse Starblaydia (we don't think that FMJ has a prayer of winning against Starblaydia). Therefore, I would like to propose the following wager. If Lamoni wins, we would like you to wear a Lamonian footballing uniform on live TV. If Bettia wins, I will be wearing a Bettian uniform on live TV. I'd also send you a case of Lamodka, but I have no desire to offend your sensibilities. May the best team win.
Respectfully,
President Stone
Free Republic of Lamoni |
(OOC: I'm not having Starblaydia redo the picture of my nation's footballing kit)
Finally remembering that the aide's name was Martyn, he asked him what the public mood was on the upcoming AOCAF match.
"Well Mr. President, our people are behind the Hawks, as you might suspect. Still, there wouldn't be any hard feelings if Bettia won. Not like what would happen if we were to lose to Starblaydia."
Stone nodded at the information. "If I wasn't leery about the prospect of going to an SAAS nation, I would even attend the match. Still, i'll be watching the match in the Chamber with the heads of the Senate and the Chamber. Why don't you come along? It certainly wouldn't hurt your career."
"Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. President. I think that i'll go with you."
"Good, it's settled then. Meet me here tommorow at the regular time."
"Yes Mr. President."
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Democratic Maniac |
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Nojika Fail in Second Round, Again
But in Dramatic Fashion
Fans present at the second round match today between Nojika and Pacitalia were treated to arguably the most exiting match in the history of the Atlantian Oceania Cup of Association Football. At the end of 90 minutes, Pacitalia's 2 goals were enough for them to prevail against a favored Nojikan side, who were only able to produce a single goal, and will battle cup host's Krytenia in the Quarter Finals.
The Panthers came out early with a goal in the 13th minute from experienced striker Shayne Follett after an ill timed tackle from Pacitalia's Nesta left Follett open to take on keeper Raduvani, which he did quite well. Not long after the first goal came did the game begin to take an interesting turn; and the next 50 minutes were plagued with red cards, injuries and poor calls from the referees.
The first sign of the bad things to come was in the 28th minute when Pacitalian midfielder Angio Fradelli went off with an injury after a collision with Nojikan striker Shayne Follett, whom would later be substituted for a groin injury induced from the collision.
The 36th minute saw Nojikan full back Erwin Stepter make a daring challenge from behind against Pacitalian forward substitute, Julio Barberini. A red card was shown within seconds to Stepter, and Barberini would go off on a stretcher. By now, both sides were beginning to feel crippled and the crowd in shock and awe.
Unsportsmanlike behavior in the 56th minute would send Nojikan midfielder Kendall Calderaro off with Nojika's second red card. The officials later said that "[Calderaro] was shown the card for verbal attacks against players and the officials." The card gave Pacitalia a prime opportunity to bring the game to a draw. And from just outside the box, the free kick taken by Zomanali would do just that. Moments later in the 62th minute, midfielder Geronimo Falgamanazzo of Pacitalia received a red card after being shown his second yellow card.
The pace of the game now began to slow as both sides had exausted all available substitutions and starters, if they were still on the pitch, were clearly worn out and ready to go home. However, the match could not end in a draw, and Pacitalia seemed to realize this more than the Nojikans. In the 81st minute, 30 year old Pacitalian striker Ambrosino Giurimano seemed to walk the ball into the Nojikan goal as a tired Krystof Kahn was unable to bend down to stop the ball as it rolled by him. And that goal was all Pacitalia needed to secure their appearance in the Quarter Finals.
Randy Mulder, head coach of the Nojikan squad said this about today's match against Pacitalia, "Clearly it was a battle which either side could have won. And as I am always pleased with our performance, I can not help but feel disappointment for both sides' sportsmanship today." When asked if he will be supporting Pacitalia when they go up against Krytenia, Mulder responded saying, "Absolutely. After seeing the heart they put into today's match, I have no doubt in Zentrescu's abilities to coach his side to the top.
"It would also be interesting to see how far cup host's Krytenia go before they are accused of bribing the officials," said Mulder jokingly before leaving the post-match press meeting and returning home to Nojika.
Final Score:
Nojika 1 - 2 Pacitalia
(Follett 13) - (Zomanali 57, Giurimano 81)
OOC: I wrote this fairly late, so if anything sounds a bit odd or is not worded correctly, ignore it. Pacitalia approved of the ideas used in this roleplay. However, if you, (Paci.) disapprove of anything specific, then ignore it.
This post has been edited by Nojika on Apr 17 2006, 02:33 AM |
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Senator in Training |
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Blue Foxes slide past Nojika in messy show
Injuries and cards galore as both sides expend all substitutes
DEREAPOLIS, KRYTENIA (PSN) -- Now let's never speak of that again.
That was the mood in the dressing room Saturday evening after Pacitalia's 2-1 victory over the Panthers in the second round. As Nojikan newspapers put it Sunday, "fans were treated to arguably the most exciting match in the history of the Atlantian Oceania Cup of Association Football". And while that may be true, and while fans may be happy with the result, it was also arguably the dirtiest match the senior Blue Foxes have ever played in. Pacitalia scored two late goals to win, and will battle the host Krytenians in the quarterfinal.
The Nojikans entered the game at a lion's pace, with veteran forward Shayne Follett receiving many early opportunities before Alessandro Nesta chose the wrong time to tackle Follett. The mistime allowed Follett to calmly jump over the sliding Nesta with the ball, and he promptly sent it into the top corner of the net past an outstretched and diving Cristianu Raduvani. The game was clean up to about then. Then the fouls and injuries began coming in droves.
In the 28th minute, Angio Fradelli received an injured left knee when he collided with Follett. Follett himself would later be substituted, for a groin injury he appears to have received during that collision. Eight minutes later, Panthers fullback Erwin Stepter made a precarious challenge on Julio Barberini, who was in for Cristoferi Zomanali (stomach pains) at RRF. Barberini and Stepter both went off and it was lucky for the Blue Foxes that Zomanali was feeling better and was able to return. Stepter was red-carded for the collision to the chagrin of Panther fans.
Kendall Calderaro was the next card casualty in the 56th, with Nojika's second red of the match. Officials explained post-match that "[Calderaro] was shown the card for verbal attacks against players and the on-pitch officials." The card gave Pacitalia an 11-9 advantage in players and an excellent opportunity to equalise. And it was none other than Zomanali who received a pass from Andreos Charisteas and sent the ball past Krystof Kahn for the draw score.
Pacitalia's discipline then seemed to take a turn for the worse, as in the 62th minute, midfielder substitute Geronimo Falgamanazzo received a red card after being shown his second yellow. He had attempted to knock the ball away from two separate Nojikan players and was both times unsuccessful, tackling the player and drawing the two yellows and thus a red.
Fans noted an enormous slow-down in the pace of the game as both sides had notably used all up substitutions and were playing almost blind. Both the Panthers and Blue Foxes appeared sluggish in the dying stages but in the 81st minute, Ambrosino Giurimano found a sudden opening and capitalised, kicking it low past Kahn for the winning score.
"I was surprised at the level of undisciplined play," manager Lindifeu Zentrescu said after the match. "But it was an excellent game and we could all tell it was keeping both teams' fans on the edge of their seats, which is, of course, the point. Now we can look cautiously forward to the quarterfinals."
Asked of Nojika's play in the game, he added, "We were just as bad in terms of discipline and missed chances, but I still think they played well. It was probably the most evenly-matched contest of the tournament so far."
Angio Fradelli was cleared for the next game but Zomanali may sit out the quarterfinals in case he develops the gastrointestinal problems again. Obviously, Falgamanazzo will not be participating in the quarterfinals due to his red card, but it appears the Blue Foxes still emerged relatively unscathed in time for Krytenia. The team will take in a light practice Monday morning before facing the powerhouse cyan-and-red tonight.
From Dereapolis:
Nojika 1 - 2 Pacitalia
NJK: Follett 13'
PAC: Zomanali 57', Giurimano 81'
[ OOC: Nope, worked fine for me.  ]
This post has been edited by Pacitalia on Apr 17 2006, 10:39 AM |
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The best place on earth. |
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It's a wonderful sunny day in downtown Pifton, a cosy little suberb nestled somewhere in the nation's capital Gabalfa. Not a creature is stirring on the streets here, nor indeed anywhere in the Blessed Realm, save for a comedy tumbleweed doing it's thing down the high street. Why? Because it's international matchday, with both the Aroras and the Young'Uns in quarter-final action.
As per usual the Pie and Pixie, that oh-so-popular sports cafe, is packed to the rafters with eager footy fans. The management have spared no expense, with not one but two big screens rented out from the local big screen rental shop, one showing the crunch AOCAF clash with Lamoni, the other showing the under-21s pitted against their Milchaman counterparts.
There's just five minutes to go in both matches, and - oh, what a surprise - here's George, the man with lousy timekeeping who has turned turning up late for football matches into an artform. I wonder what his excuse is this time? Let us listen in as he struggles through the crowded cafe to join his pals...
"Blimey lads, look who it isn't!"
"I don't believe it George! Two top matches on, and you're still late! What happened?"
"You're never gonna believe this... a couple of hours ago, I was just getting ready to get out here nice and early when the phone rings... being the mug that I am I pick it up."
"Yeah... and?"
"Some annoying bint's on the other end... 'Good afternoon sir, I'm calling from some software company or other'... I don't remember which... We're running a special offer on such-and-such product'... I don't remember which one neither... so I says 'Look love, I don't have a computer'. She goes, 'That's okay sir, think of this as an investment for when you do get a computer'. I says 'Look, I really don't need one right now, and I'm kinda in a hurry', so she says 'Sir, have you ever considered how you could organise your life more efficiently with a computer?', so I says 'Look love, I spend most of my time on the allotment, all my organising is done in a greenhouse', so she says..."
George is interrupted by a loud collective 'oh!' from the AOCAF side of the cafe - Laurie LeClerc has just hit the post direct from a corner.
"So anyway, she says... ah sod it, you get my gist."
"What, she said that? How unprofessional!"
"No, basically that stupid tart kept me on the phone for an hour and a half trying to flog my computers, DVD players, TVs, the works, so I ended up slamming the phone down... a guy's patience can only be tested so far. But as soon as I step outside the door, the phone rings again... 'Good afternoon sir...'. I'm right pissed off at this stage so I slam the phone down and walk out... but the phone rings again... 'Good afternoon sir...'. This carries on for another half an hour before I finally decide to ignore it and come here... so, how are we doing?"
"Right, well on AOCAF side we're 1-1 with about five minutes left, Lamoni scored first, that Linwood bloke from a penalty in the first half, but then we equalised straight away. A quality goal it was too, the HYH did their thing as only they know how, passing it around in the area before Hutton sticks it away. It's bene pretty tight since then, but we're having some good pressure right now."
"And what about the under-21s?"
"I dunno... hand on a minute... Geoff! Oi! Geoff! What's the score there mate?"
"It's 1-1 here mate. Devanallt scored in the second minute, then Keffer equalised just before half-time. I tell you though mate, we're lucky to be in this one... Milchama have been all over us this half."
Now it's Geoff's turn to be interrupted as the noise from the AOCAF side of the cafe get noticably louder.
"Go on Judson! Skin him, skin him! Yeah, that's it!" Ali shouts excitedly as Judson York jinks his way past Darren Heasley. "Hunter's open, give it to him, give it to him!"
Amazingly, York does as he's told and finds Hunter lurking near the penalty spot. Turning on a sixpence, he smacks the ball past Fleeman... GOAL! The cafe erupts as Hunter's 87th minute strike nesltes satisfyingly in the back of the net, and young Latif wheels away to salute the multitude of Bettians in the stadium who are all busy going absolutely mental in the stands. And so it stands Bettia 2-1 Lamoni with just a couple of minutes left to play, but just as the P&P's customers begin to settle down again, more excited cries erupt, this time from the half watching the under-21 match.
"Handball!" Geoff and the others shout at the screen. Obligingly, the referee gives the penalty... Egryn Vaughan is the young man chosen to take responsibility... this spot kick could propel Bettia into the semi-final. The atmosphere is tense... the noise from the Pie and Pixie is reduced to a quiet buzz of anticipation, everyone praying to dear god that this goes in. A hush falls upon them as Vaughan begins his run-up... disaster, the keepers saves it! But wait, he hasn't kept hold of the ball, and now a crowd of players are charging forward in an attempt to claim the scraps. Gwrlais Devanallt get there first, he toe-pokes it... GOOOOOALLL! The ball trickles over the line, sending the Bettian faithful into raptures. The fans who have made the journey to Total n'Utter Insanity are overjoyed, cheering and screaming. Could this be the Young'Uns year?
But no sooner as that particular bit of excitement has ended, attention is again focused on Mellion Lane stadium, as Chris Hutton is fouled just outside the area. As the Lamoni defence busy themselves into organising a defensive wall, the referee gives the nod for Bard Warlow to take full advantage of the situation, quickly bending the ball around the players and into the top corner to put the game beyond doubt.
As two full-time whistles blow almost similtaneously, the Pie & Pixie's patrons celebrate - Bettia have qualified for not one but two semi-finals. As the regulars dance around, being careful not to spill their cups of tea, George's mobile phone rings... 'Good afternoon sir, I'm calling from...' Not surprsingly, he's about to throw his phone into his drink when his attention is drawn to the big screen in front of him - a live feed from Lamoni is in progress.
"Hey... ain't that President Stone? Heh, green and gold really suits him!"
This post has been edited by Bettia on Apr 19 2006, 06:54 AM |
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We don't do defence |
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Fmjphoenix citizens in shock, Vikings wrecking havoc in AOCAF goes unnoticed
In an unbelievable turn of events, the citizens of Fmjphoenix are angered by FAF President Kira Lyonns as she sent the Fmjphoenix Vikings to AOCAF13 without any notification to press or anyone outside of the team. Citizens all across the nation were in an uproar when they found out that the AOCAF had been going on without them noticing. But the rioting sooned turned into a freverish party as the Vikings stunned the Atlantian Oceania but eliminating one of the top favorites in Starblaydia 2-1.
Playing at Walton Gardens in Simpson, you would not have known that Fmjphoenix was playing from the crown. It was a sea of purple, as the crowd was dominated by Starblaydi fans from all over. But when the match was over, it seemed that the sea had been calmed, all by Mike Nolan. Scoring both goals to tie match and win it in the final 10 minutes had to be infuriating to the Starblaydians and will probably just serve as an escalator in Fmjphoenix's rivalry with those people in purple. ()
With the unexpected upset and departure of Starblaydia, it garuntees that a new AOCAF champion will be crowned in what the newly informed Fmjphoenix citizens are dubbing ''Lucky 13'' in AOCAF XIII. Now the Vikings will head to Everton City to face off against Bettia in Oxley Park. You can be assured that there will be a ambiance of green and blue in the crowd for the next match, as many citizens have already left for Krytenia to see the next match. It has been rumored though that most citizens are not going to Krytenia for the match though, as they are looking for more of the magical coffee that many Fmjphonecians have grown a taste for. |
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Lions Advance to Finals for 2nd Time
Everton City, Krytenia - For the second time in its history, Nedalia advanced to the AOCAF Championship final match, defeating the hosts in a hotly contested semi-final encounter. The first time the Lions made the Finals, they were defeated by the more experienced team from Starblaydia, but this time around, things are proving a bit different.
"I do believe this is the very first time a full strength Lions team has participated in the AOCAF Cup," claimed manager Brent Vent. "Normally, its been a B-Squad team with a few A-Squad reserves, but due to our lack of participation in the Cup of Harmony, we have been able to focus all our energy on the most presitgious regional competition in the world."
After a 2-0 victory of The Lowland Clans in the quarter-finals, Nedalia upset its northern neighbors to the tune of a 2-1 victory, much to the joy of the countless Nedalian fans who had made the short trip to watch their squad in action. It wasnt an easy ride, however, and it took all of Nedalia's effort to gain the advantage and finally win the match.
The first half was a Krytenian affair, with almost 65% of the possession going to the host nation. That also led to a goal for them in the 34th minute, but only 5 minutes later, Krytenia based striker Tim James sent shockwaves through the country after a brilliant solo effort that surely has to rank as one of the goals of the tournament. Receiving the ball deep in the Nedalian half, he advanced down the center of the field, skipping past two Krytie defenders before playing it off to the left to Nene. A simple one-two play with the left winger broke James free from his marker, receiving the ball down the center-left. Immediately, though, he was surrounded by 3 Krytie players, but one fake pass, nutmeg, and circle dribble later, he found himself free and headed towards the goal. A simple chip over the oncoming keeper gave Nedalia the equalizer heading to the 2nd half, and shifted the momentum over to the Lions.
The 2nd half started with a Nedalian attack and that pretty much was the story throughout. All credit given to the Krytenian defence, who managed to shut down the Nedalian attacks effectively, but finally, in the 82nd minute, a counter-attack started by rightback Hans Lamm and ending with a wonder striker from right winger Constantine sealed the deal, sending the Nedalian fans into complete pandemonium and the Krytenian fans in complete silence.
With the Finals slated to be a Nedalia vs. Fmjphoenix matchup, Nedalians have been crossing the border into their northern neighbor in droves, ready to will their team to victory. Their opponents have been, arguably, the cinderella story of the AOCAF Cup, defeating Starblaydia in the quarter-finals and Bettia in the semi-finals, two of the strongest teams in the region. Now, they face a Lions squad that has only one goal in mind: the championship. Lets see if the Lions will finally look like kings of the jungle, or remain the underachieving cubs they have been. |
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Nedalia |
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Emperor in Training |
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'Lucky 13' taking effect, Fmjphoenix heads to AOCAF Finals for first time
This time with the match on the line, there were plenty of green and blue cheering for the Vikings. It was a rocky road, but somehow Fmjphoenix has defied the odds and crashed into the final round of AOCAF 13 not by winning in full time or extra time, but a narrow 4-3 penalty win.
Desmond Howard scored the only goal for the Vikings in normal time. They were down 1-0 in the 84th minute when Howard headed a rebound from Brian Dougood failed shot. Neither team could gain an advantage over the other in the remaining minutes, forcing extra time.
This time when extra time started, Dougood didn't miss his mark, nailing a good shot from twenty feet back. Alas, the Bettians returned fire quickly, forcing yet another stalemate between the teams. This did not bode well for the Vikings, as penalty shots has never been good for them.
Things didn't start too promising, as Ijanaeil failed to hit his first attempt and gain the lead. Afterwards, Andrew Jenkins, Laura Boyd and Brian Dougood each matched their Bettian counterparts at 3 each. Shock of all shocks, the Bettian forward failed to make their final shot and allowed the cool-headed Mike Nolan to slide in an shoot Fmjphoenix into the finals.
Now, Fmjphoenix must face a Nedalian squad looking to gain revenge for their first failed attempt to win the ACOAF. Either way you look at it, this should be an exciting matchup between two teams vying for their first taste of AOCAF gold.
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Many fans unhappy at failed chance for rivalry competition
Several fans visiting Krytenia were hyped up for a chance to face their coffee rivals. One clothing company located in Spraat has already started to produce tee shirts with 'AOCAF 13 - Coffee Gold' and 'Golden Cafetiere Wars' embroilled on them had to recall millions of tee shirts that had already been sent to retail outlets before they recieved notice that Krytenia had not defeated Nedalia and made it to the finals. Although it has not been confirmed, it has been reported that this has forced the owner to sell the company to recoup losses. |
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Its may not be the Golden Cafetiere, but it still has gold!!
Fmjphoenix takes home first AOCAF!!!
Noone expected to see Fmjphoenix get to the AOCAF finals, as they never had been any good in the regional play. But when the Vikings showed up, things changed quickly. Narrow wins after another lead them to the finals for the first time. Nedalia stuck first, but Fmjphoenix stuck back hard and fast. Andrew Jenkins, Laura Boyd and Brian Dougood all scored in the seconf half to lead Fmjphoenix to their first regional award defeating Nedalia 3-1 to win AOCAF 13.
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