AO Forum :: -> A O C A F I I

AO Forum :: -> Atlantian Oceania -> Sporting Events -> AOCAF - The AO Regional Soccer Tournament

A O C A F I I :: Rp Thread

Posted: Aug 18 2004, 11:01 PM

Vilita Issue Sarzonia Warning

------------- The Vilita Jungle Cats will be determined to take something out of the second AOCAF Tournament, after a dissapointing Penalty Shootout defeat at the hands of rivals Crystilakere. The Jungle Cats have met up with the stars only once in the past, in the Semi Final round of AOCAF I. Vilita came out on top that day in extra time before losing to NEWI Cefn Druids in the Final. The Druids have once again made it to the final, but it will be the Jungle Cats rival, Crystilakere, meeting up with them at the Tivali Ring Stadium for the final. Vilita and Sarzonia will square off at the brand new Lirai Asku Castle in Yeaddin, the first Major competition to be held at the Castle.

..............Coach Baron O' Toole has left himself out of the squad for the third placed playoff, and also made a few surprising choices in his roster. Goalkeeper Bryan 'Pop' Duiker returns from injury to take his place in the starting 11, with the experienced Rory Issah on the bench. David Leacock makes his first international appearance since Under21 World Cup III, and he is joined by inexperienced Christos Tchami from Turori's Non-League Cedniavella. Under-18 Prospects Teariki Mané from Makosile and Sublé Tonic from FC Almintora are selected in midfield. No Surprises, however, with Hluali Mijatos and Serge DuPont, Vilitas top scorers so far in the competition, selected up front.

..............After Being questioned on his reasoning of fielding such an inexperienced side, O'Toole expressed that while Sarzonia were certainly an improving team on the international stage, even their best lineup on any given day could not compete with a third-string Jungle Cat roster. The Vilitan Regional side, hit hard by players such as Goalkeeper Jimmy Kater committed to Under-21 competition, and most of the Senior Squad now staying in Rejistania throughout the World Cup Finals, now contains no less than 3 players who are currently contracted to clubs in the Vilitan Non-League system. O'Toole is sure of Victory however, stating that not only did he expect his inexperienced side to come out on top, but he did not even expect it to be close, already preparing his half time substitutions as he feels the match will be long over by that point.

Goalkeepers :: Bryan 'Pop' Duiker & Rory Issah
Defenders :: Sibusiso Azaïez, David Leacock, Christos Tchami & Emarka Laniora
Midfielders :: Nicoló Alicicco, Malovar Stokks, Teariki Mané, Alexander Östling, Sublé Tonic, Umberto Melli, Jeremie Emeka & Calaesa Mitaroka
Forwards :: Hluali Mijatos, Serge DuPont, Lorenzo Mumamba & Carmine Mbidzo

Vilita

Founder

Posts: 1300

Posted: Aug 19 2004, 08:51 AM

Stars turn angry, training ramps up

A match that was originally going to be merely another third place match for the Sarzonian national team against a Vilitan side that was sending many of its third-string players took on a much darker tone when the team was informed of Coach Baron O'Toole's comments about the team.

"Even [Sarzonia's] best lineup on any given day could not compete with a third-string Jungle Cat roster," Toole was quoted as saying in a Vilitan newspaper.

"Excuse me," midfielder Jeff Conley asked when informed of the comment. "We faced a first-choice Vilitan side during the first AOCAF tourament and took them to golden goal overtime. Now they have the nerve to say that about us?"

Coach Bryan Marshall said that the day's training session was "on a par with the session before the Bullet Wounds' match.

"I didn't think we'd ever be as angry against any opponent as we were against Xile. This at least matches it. The lads were really intense out there."

Forward Brian Wilson, still nursing what has been diagnosed as a hamstring strain, was held out of the training session. He was subsituted for after 30 minutes of the Cup of Harmony match against Kerla, partly to protect him from further injury and partly to ready him for the match against Vilita.

"We're considering giving Barry Alphonso a start there," coach Dave Wilson said before O'Toole's comments were made public. "Bri may come in during the second half."

Wilson came back from the trainer's table after Marshall's address to the team following the O'Toole comments and was informed after the rest of the team went out to begin stretching. After the training session, Marshall said Wilson would start.

"I told him about the comments and he immediately said he wanted to start and play the full 90," Marshall said. I told him I wanted him to be fresh for the Cup of Harmony, but he said, 'no way.' He will definitely be ready to start unless he suffers a last-minute injury."

Wilson declined to address the O'Toole comments directly, but gave reporters a steely glare and said, quietly but with determination adding edge to his voice, "we'll see."

Sarzonia

It's all about the Navy.

Posts: 577

Posted: Aug 20 2004, 06:33 AM

Crystils Inspired by Reserve Performances.

The Crystilakere National team who is currently in Alikki-Corra, Vilita preparing for their first ever Cup Final in the AOCAF II Championship match will be able to take some inspiration from the performance of their understudies who have been thrown into the spotlight in both the Under 21 World Cup and The Cup of Harmony due to the intense focus the Crystils have put on getting their first trophy.

The Crystils were at near-full force for their first Under-21 Matchup against Carthage and Troy. Only attacker Toader Pold was still with the AOCAF side in Vilita. Oussent Non made a big impression during the match, scoring the game winning goal to send the Crystils to a flying start in the final Under 21 group, before Non himself was called to Vilita for the AOCAF Final. Crystilakere 1-0 Carthage and Troy

The next match, against another new team, the Eystrck "Force", would be the first that the Crystils would attempt with their depleted roster. The lack of depth in the Crystilakere youth side was visible from the start, however they worked hard and left the inspired Force dissapointed to not win, but still pleased with their first points. The Crystils would fall off the top of the table due to this result, still having the matchup with Top-Ranked Rejistania to go. Crystilakere 2-2 Eystrck

The 3rd Crystils match in the Under 21 would be a real impressive match for the second-string youngsters. Coming up against Tanah Burung they knew a loss there could put them in bad shape for the next round. Fortunately for the Crystils they were able to step it up, firing in a late goal to break the deadlock and put the Crystils back in a tie for first place with Rejistania. Crystilakere 2-1 Tanah Burung

As for the Cup of Harmony, the Crystilakere FA really was short on options, wanting to keep their Under 21 prowess in tact yet still field a formidable team for the match. So it was all left on the shoulders of 22 year old Michael Baker, starting alone up front in a 5-4-1 altered formation which saw many unknown's in the lineup.

Luckily, the Crystils had a somewhat easy match first time out against one of the worst teams in the Cup, Ebon Hawk. The Crystils all remember when they met the Hawks in the last Under 21 Cup, Baker especially who was a Crystili hero after sending his side to the next round. It was Baker again who downed the Hawks in a very impressive three-goal performance that he certainly will remember for a long while. Crystilakere 3-1 Ebon Hawk

Then, it was on to the toughest match of the competition, one that the Crystils would like to have seen how they performed with a full squad, but knowing that their first ever cup Final was more important, they again fielded the weakend 5-4-1 for the match against Giant Zucchini. After dropping a goal down early to a player whose name resembled the noise he made while his pinned nostrils begged to be freed, The Crystils fought back through Michael Baker and Sebastian Wolf to score an improbable victory. Crystilakere 2-1 Giant Zucchini

News of the improbable unbeaten run by the Crystili understudies has flown fast to the training grounds in Alikki-Corra where the Select squad training for the big final matchup with NEWI-Cefn Druids has been cheering them on. The inspiration that they are showing after each impressive overseas victory is un-measurable with each training session getting more and more impressive and the Crystils beginning to look like a team that is about to enter the final of the World Cup, and certainly are resembling more the look of the team that knocked Vilita out of the competition and not the one that embarrassingly lost to Xile.

Crystilakere

Royal Scribe

Posts: 117

Posted: Aug 20 2004, 08:23 AM

Stars fade to black in 3-0 loss

The Sarzonian national team was livid coming into the third place match against Vilita. Vilitan Coach Baron O'Toole disparaged the Sarzonians by saying a third choice Jungle Cats side could beat the best Sarzonia had to offer. Unfortnately, the Stars' anger took them off their game and O'Toole proved prophetic, as the Jungle Cats easily beat the Stars, 3-0.

Forward Serge DuPont again was a thorn in the Stars' sides, scoring two of the three goals. An "egregious" mistake by midfielder Antonio Bresco led to the own goal that completed the scoring for Vilita.

"We were hoping to be focused the way we were against Xile," Coach Bryan Marshall said. "Unfortunately, we let our anger get in the way of our football. We're going to have a long talk about playing our brand of football no matter what."

The Stars generated few chances against the Jungle Cats, with forward Brian Wilson getting the best looks on goal before being substituted for after halftime. The defense betrayed goalkeeper Troy Perkins repeatedly, and the young keeper made nine saves on 24 Vilitan shots.

"We can't leave any of our goalkeepers out to dry like that," defender Mike Coyle said. "We just can't."

The Stars focus their attention on the Cup of Harmony, where the team just got flattened 4-0 in the worst loss in national team history.

"We've got a long road to climb now," Marshall said.

Sarzonia

It's all about the Navy.

Posts: 577

Posted: Aug 21 2004, 10:57 AM

The Daily Druid

CRYSTILIZED
Björn-Trevor Frederiksson on NEWI Cefn Druids 3 Crystilakere 2

Another cup final, another late late show from the Druids, and another unfortunate team on the receiving end. This time, it was Crystilakere who were the unlucky ones, after keeping the Druids out for so long.

In the first half, the Druids didn't really look up for it, but took and early lead when Trevor Belmore latched onto a slack backpass from Rene Niljssen and slid an easy goal in through Addis' legs. However, it was the Crystils who dominated the first half, and by half time, the scoreline reflected this. Firstly, Filippo Ferraro, up from the back for a corner, caught the Druids defence unawares and popped a darting header past Reg Garth. Following that goal was a goal fit to grace any cup final from Darren Whelan. After taking on two Druidish defenders, he hit an absolute screamer past a hapless Garth, who didn't even move.

The second half saw the Druids have more of the play than the first, but the Crystils seemed more than capable of hoilding out. Effort after effort, cross after cross came in, but still Ferraro and Alaya were as solid as any defender in the world. But, in what seems to be typical Druids nowadays, it was a goal in the last five minutes that sent this one into extra time.

After Gessemschmitthaagen-Po had held the ball up for his team mates, only to be pushed over by Alaya, Toby Holmes swung a free kick into the Crystils' penalty area, only for Ferraro to clear yet again. This time though, it fell to Horace Orange on the edge of the penalty area, who hit a bullet that was heading towards the goal until Arrigoni blocked. The scramle that followed made it difficult to see the ball, but the ball somehow bobbled into the net, and Trevor Welsh was congratulated by his team mates, so we guess he scored.

Extra time it was, and by now, the Druids were becoming pretty damn difficult to live with. Gessemschmitthaagen-Po and Orange both hit the post before Trevor Belmore was brought down in the penalty area by Ferraro. Penalty to the Druids!?!?! Surely referee! But no, nothing. Ferraro cleared, but the dodgy decision the Druids received didn't matter anyway, as the clearance fell straight to full-back Trevor Griffiths, who, in his most significant mooment in football, hit a huge 45-yard lob over Addis. It hit the bar, but rebounded to the now back on his feet Belmore, who couldn't miss. The Druids held on, and the AOCAF Cup had been defended.

Final score:
NEWI Cefn Druids 3 [Belmore 11, 103, Welsh 89]
Crystilakere 2 [Ferraro 27, Whelan 39]
After Extra Time

NEWI Cefn Druids

Dedicated Scribe

Posts: 91

Posted: Aug 21 2004, 01:37 PM

Crystils train hard after AOCAF Defeat

The Crystilakere Cup Of Harmony and Under 21 Cup teams have now returned to full strength following the completion of the 2nd AOCAF Tournament in Vilita. The two teams had been playing with limited rosters with 23 Crystili players in full training in preperation for Crystilakere's first ever cup final against NEWI Cefn Druids.

The Full Strength Crystils showed their international potential by controlling much of the game, and leading 2-1 for much of the match. While NEWI Cefn Druids had taken an undeserved lead early in the match, Filippo Ferraro and Darren Whelan both scored for Crystilakere to put the underdogs ahead at half time. However, the Crystil dreams were postponed in the dying minutes of the match when NEWI Cefn Druids were able to score a messy goal after a large scramble in the box, with Trevor Welsh believed to have gotten the final touch to send the match to extra time. From there, NEWI Cefn Druids's opening goalscorer Trevor Belmore cracked the Crystil dreams with a rebound goal halfway through extra time, giving the 2nd AOCAF Trophy to NEWI Cefn Druids.

Filippo Ferraro will be ready to return to the AOCAF Campaign after being named man of the match in the final. The Crystils had an off day in the Cup of Harmony, allowing everyone to arrive in Raptor Claw and get used to the dangerous environment ahead of time. However, they will not be joined by Senior Under-21 players Oussent Non and Toader Pold, who have been flown to Total n Utter Insanity for the Quarter Finals of the Under 21 Cup, where the depleted under 21's escaped Audioslavia in the second round in penalty kicks after a goalless draw between the teams.