Cup of Nations II

[Michael McBride]

[center][size="5"][u][b]MATCH DAY 1[/b][/u][/size][/center]

[b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] v. China 2-1
In the first game of the tournament, the Republic of Tahoe faced newcomer China. For a little while, it looked as if we would have our first major upset of the tournament as a Chinese striker put his team up 1-0 in the 55th minute after a scoreless first half of play, beating Goslan Bourkia with a laser from the penalty area. The Tahoe team, showing their experience from the previous Cup of Nations, rallied back, tightening their defense and going on the counter-attack. Bouaziz Hanouf headed in an excellent cross from Alae al Hasnaoui in the 63rd minute and then in stoppage time Gersom Salem put on an absolute show with what may be the play of the tournament in the very first game. With the score level, Tahoe got a corner kick. The ball was placed near the top of the penalty area, where Salem launched himself into a bicycle kick, sending the ball streaking into the upper 90 on the left side of the net in a practically unsavable shot. Time ran out just minutes after that, leaving Tahoe to walk away with a crucial three points from their opening game.

United States of America v. [b]Republic of Labrador[/b] 0-2
In the second game of the tournament, the first major upset of the tournament did occur. The Republic of Labrador, ranked 29th in the world, came in and dominated the United States of America, ranked 14th. Labrador keeper Thomas Howard dealt with a furious USA onslaught early in the match, and his performance inspired the rest of his team. Late in the first half, a sustained Labrador attack finally broke through the USA defense. Norman Keller hit Wesley Gates as he streaked into the penalty area having shaken his marker, and Gates blasted the ball with ease past Brad Garthwaite. While there were worries that halftime would allow the United States to regroup, the team from Canada put an end to any of those thoughts as they scored just minutes into the second half as Andrew Owings curled a freekick from 27meters just inside the right post for a 2-0 lead. After that goal, Labrador simply put the clamps on, stifling any USA attack for the rest of the game to get their three points.

[b]Kingdom of Cochin[/b] v. Amerikanisches Reich 2-0
This game pitted the veteran Kingdom of Cochin team against newcomers Amerikanisches Reich. The AR team was nervous from the beginning, and it showed when they allowed Vipin Das to get a breakaway in only the 3rd minute off an excellent pass from Clifford Miranda. Das streaked in on goal and pounded the ball past AR keeper David Bakos. It was only a few more minutes before Anthony Pereira fed Rithu KS in the penalty area where he was all alone, having slipped his marker. KS put a fancy fake on Bakos before tapping the ball into the far corner of the net for an easy goal. The Cochin side seemed to back off after that, simply shutting down every attempt by the AR side to get any offense going while simply controlling play. Experience won out in this game, and hopefully the Reich can get the ship righted before their next game.

[b]Empire of France[/b] v. Articuno Islands 1-0
Last year’s Cinderella story faced off against another newcomer, the Articuno Islands. The Islands actually put up a bit of a fight in this game, scaring the number eight team in the world as two consecutive chances in the first half, one but Zhang Lu and the other by Jackie Chan, rang off the post, saving the French side from an early 1-0 deficit. The French slowly started to regain control of the game, sustaining a long attack in the Articuno zone before Lionel Aubry finally broke through with a long distance shot that simply beat the keeper for a 1-0 French lead. A late Articuno chance ricocheted off the crossbar, but a shot was never able to find the back of the net for the newcomers and they fell 1-0 after a valiant effort.

[b]United Isocoles[/b] v. Imperium of Canada 3-0
This wasn’t expected to be a difficult game for United Isocoles, facing the worst team in the world, and it wasn’t. A fast start in the 4th minute put UI ahead as Makin Labon put a number of fancy moves on the Canadian defense before firing a laser of a pass to Adal Ackmel who headed the ball past the Imperium’s keeper. A goal from Labon himself followed in the 25th minute off a breakaway chance, and Omar Ramzi got into the mix in the 75th minute, maneuvering around three Canadian players before firing a shot into the upper corner of the net. One can only hope that the Imperium performs better in their next game against the Republic of Vietnam.

Athenian Federation v. [b]Republic of Vietnam[/b] 0-1
In another Match Day 1 upset, though this one appreciably more minor than the USA’s loss, the Republic of Vietnam upset a veteran Athenian Federation squad 1-0. The game’s lone goal came after a turnover by the Athenians in the Vietnam zone that was followed by a three on none breakaway by the Vietnamese attack. Kostas Chalkias never really had a chance for the Athenians as Pham Van Quyen, Nguyen Hong Son, and Le Cong Vinh expertly passed the ball between them, a final pass leaving Quyen with a wide open net to shoot at which he took full advantage of. The Athenians never really recovered, nor did they ever mount a substantial attack after that goal, and Vietnam walked away with a 1-0 win.

Slavic Federation v. [b]Denmark[/b] 0-1
Denmark opened its title defense against the Slavic Federation, a team wrought with disappointment after their failure to make the knockout stage last year. This was a very exciting, evenly played match that saw a number of good chances on both sides be stopped by superb goalkeeping. In the 43rd minute, the Denmark side picked up a corner, and Joen Del Tomasson curled the corner into the back of the net all by himself. Though the Slavs put up a concerted counterattack effort in the second half, they never really could figure out the Danish defense and fell 1-0 to the defending champs.

[b]Rebel Army[/b] v. Greater Japanese Empire 2-1
No one really knew what to expect in this game between two newcomers to the international stage, though oddsmakers favored Rebel Army before the match simply because of their far-reaching empire and the talent they could draw from there. Nir Golan and Iván Domínguez both scored for RA, which prompted an expected “It’s a GOAL for GOLAN” from play-by-play man Michael Patterson. The Greater Japanese Empire struck back in the 58th minute, however, as Yuke Abi fed Keiji Tamada on a nice cross for a sliding goal. The Japanese side never threatened again, however, as the Rebel Army team tightened their defense, and won their first international game 2-1.

[b]Isara Alliance[/b] v. Louisiana 2-1
In another game between a newcomer and a veteran side, the newcomer once again prevailed. Louisiana scored first when Gregg Harriem fed Rich Byrd in the 38th with an excellent low cross which Byrd turned on and fired into the back of the net before Georgi Konev had a chance to react. The second half seemed like it was going to be all Louisiana as a sustained attack resulted in a corner for the Pelicans. Off the corner kick, Konev punched the ball away all the way out to Niels Klein who was able to get past his Louisianan marker and streak in on goal unmolested where he fired his shot past Paul Doucet. A mistake by the Louisiana defense and Doucet allowed Isara’s second goal late in the second half. Isara midfielder Vladimir Ivanov was setting up for a corner and saw there was confusion and miscommunication going on between Doucet and his team, which left Radi Jaeger unmarked in the penalty area. A low powerful pass reached Jaeger, who turned without molestation and put the ball past Doucet to give Isara the lead. Louisiana wasn’t able to get the ball past Konev for the rest of the game and the Isara Alliance walked away with a 2-1 upset victory.

[b]Vereinigte Deutsche Länder[/b] v. Sicilian League 1-0
In a hotly anticipated game, the German side met the Italian side for this year’s Cup. Though it was the Italian’s first time on the world stage, they hung with a powerful German side, beating the Germans in terms of time of possession and shots on goal in the first half. However, as the second half wore on, the Germans’ superior skill and conditioning started wearing down the Sicilian side and Toni Kroos capitalized on a misstep by the Sicilian defense in the 67th minute, finding Miroslav Klose behind them for a goal. The goal seemed to stun the Sicilians who never again mounted a serious threat against the vaunted German defense, and lost 1-0.

Koryo Confederation v. [b]Republic of York[/b] 0-2
The home side was given a hero’s welcome before their game, and the faithful packed the stadium, waving black and crimson flags throughout the crowd. The players were all smiles before their home fans, and it showed in their play on the field. They controlled the game from start to finish, and their much-acclaimed scoring attack lived up to the hype. Zachary McCarthy got things started in the 10th minute, stealing the ball from a Koryo defender and taking it all the way himself, catching the Koryo defense moving too far forward in attack. The Koryo side was not able to catch his blazing speed, and McCarthy chipped the ball over a charging keeper for an early 1-0 lead. David Axelrod showed his touch on the ball after a pass from Benjamin Avery. Axelrod held the ball for a half second, allowing Chip Watson to plow through the zone, drawing defenders and giving Axelrod the small window he needed to slip the ball inside the left post. York keeper Thomas Archer didn’t see much action at all in the game, only needing to stop a single shot on goal for his clean sheet as York won 2-0.

Slavorussian Empire v. [b]Queendom of Australia[/b] 0-2
Following a disappointing run in last year’s Cup of Nations, the Queendom of Australia looked to come out firing against the Slavorussian Empire, looking to take out the frustration of the last Cup on these newcomers. Australia never even gave the Slavorussians a chance to get started in their first international match, scoring two goals before the 9th minute courtesy of Jai Newson and Jett Perry. The Slavorussians were visibly stunned, and only luck would prevent the game from being 4-0 before the half as Australia failed to capitalize on two excellent chances. Slavorussia seemed to regroup at halftime, playing the Aussies much more evenly in the second half, but never really managing any serious threats on goal. Australia walked away with a crucial three points, attempting to make the knockout stage after their monumental collapse last Cup.

[b]Imperial Hudson Reich[/b] v. Republic of Cascadia 2-1
The first game in the group everyone wanted to watch but no one really wanted to watch. Four teams, none ranked above 19 in the world, and none with any international experience. The two middle teams in the group met first, with Cascadia ranked 26th and the Reich ranked 28th. Despite their obvious lack of finesse possessed by the top flight international teams, the game was entertaining to watch as the Reich struck first, Alan Bennard feeding Nels Nelson for the game’s first goal in the 26th minute. Cascadia tied things up just before the half as Scott Johnson and Emmett Demirelli put together a pretty give and go to beat the Hudson defense and score. The game was tied deep into the second half until Frederick Star lived up to his name and launched a powerful right footed shot past the Cascadia keeper and into the back of the net. The Reich held on from there, winning their first international match by a score of 2-1.

[b]Arctica[/b] v. Funky Republic of Puerto Rico 2-0
Arctica was favored to win this group based solely on their world rank, but even the oddsmakers knew that everything about this group was basically a toss up, which could be seen as the odds for Arctica winning were only 4-to-1. However, the Arctica side looked to prove everyone wrong as they went out and simply dominated the Funky Republic of Puerto Rico (FRPR) 2-0. The Lemurs got goals from John Paul in the 18th and Guillaume Hoarau in the 35th. The FRPR never really got things going for themselves in their first international match, and one can only hope they get things together before their next match.

Marscurian Pakistan v. Hakaarian Empire 0-0
The final group featured two draws that very well could be considered upsets based on the teams. Marscurian Pakistan, heavily favored over the Hakaarian Empire, managed only a 0-0 draw in the face of a stout Hakaarian defense and the excellent play of Rich Bales in net. The Pakistanis were visibly frustrated by the “bend but don’t break” strategy employed by the inexperienced side throughout the game, and there were numerous complaints to officials about fouls not being called. On the other side, the Hakaarians seemed genuinely happy to grab a point from a much more experienced side.

Transvaal v. Minilla Islands 1-1
In the second upset in the group, a late goal gave the Minilla Islands a draw and allowed them to steal a point away from top-ranked Transvaal. Transvaal controlled the game early through physical play and broke through in the 40th minute when Stein van Buyten found his Springbok teammate Detlef Botha for a pretty goal to give the number one team in the world a 1-0 lead. The Minilla Islands side broke out of its defensive shell after the half though, moving much more aggressively against the Transvaal defense. A mistake by Carlton Drury cost the Springboks as the Minilla strikers seized the ball, rushing past the remaining two Transvaal defenders who were caught flat-footed for a two on none break. Thurston Alderton was still able to get a hand on the shot, but it merely deflected the ball to the other Minilla striker who buried it in the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1. That’s where it ended, Minilla celebrating their one point like it was three, and Transvaal walking off the field, wondering where they went wrong.

[center][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/That_Bum/CoN2Round1.png[/img][/center]

[Yawoo]

"An unfortunate loss today. Our opponents played extremely well, and we made silly mistakes that should never have happened. Hopefully this teaches the players not to over look a game because their opponents are newer to professional soccer than they are. We can only work to improving ourselves and hoping that the next time we play, the Pelicans come out victorious." stated Pelicans coach Renaldo Zeit.

[Jordosaur94]

It was a good game, the fans and the nation at large were shocked by the fact that the team defeated Cascadia in the team's first international match. The fans and team were thrilled by the victory, though they wonder how they will do in the Tournament at large.

[Kaede Alexeivich]

The Isaran Darkstars lead striker, Radi Jaeger, was quoted in a conference after their victory over Louisiana.
"The Louisiana team played very well, and we faced a good opponent in them. I believe we were able to win because the Louisiana team was slightly uncoordinated, especially defense wise. Nevertheless, it was a good game, and we hope the next game will be just as good."

[king of cochin]

Cochin National Team Manager, Bhaichung Bhutia : "Yes, our team displayed their fighting form but we feel no reason to be complacent. Americanisches Reich played a good game but luck and skill favored us. We shall not however let our guard down, the tournament is far from over, and our team has much more left to prove. We hope we can exhibit similar skill and gain favorable luck in the forthcoming matches too."

[The Disco Commandant]

Fandom Across Puerto Rico is at highest and so is it's Soccer Hooliganry. Fans were still cheering wildly despite the loss.
"Look, papi! we are on TV!" one Puerto Rican Child was quoted saying after seeing his team on TV

[Shatner]

Interview with Labrador team captain Johnathan Hastings (Defender):

"The US put up a good fight for us there, but yeah I'm very proud of my fellow defenders, they were able to make some good stops and Howard made a top notch goalkeeping effort. Of course I mve gotta give credit to our boys up front. They got it down there and capitalized on their opportunities. I think this team played solid ball today and hopefully we can win another one tomorrow."

[Lynneth]

"A good first game, but this won't be the last, I'm sure. We have plans to reach the top this time."

Meanwhile, fans in the VDL celebrated Klose, star-player in the FC Bayern who'd had something of a 'down' period in the months previous to the CoN. Many regard the trainer's decision to include him in the roster as one made with great foresight.

[Sargun II]

[img]http://futbolita.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/84923763.jpg[/img]
[font="Georgia"][size="5"][b]GERSON SALEM A HERO[/b][/size][/font][font="Georgia"]

"My God, I have no words for this. I love it!"

Gerson Salem, the 24-year old starting striker, has often been criticized for being skilled but never in form compared to the more experienced Ibrahim Atik. His fellow striker, however, had nothing but praise for Salem. The kick, Salem reportedly said to a MediaCorp reporter, he learned from watching his favorite player - Pele - as he was a child. Back at home in Tahoe, millions of fans suddenly lost their edge against the "immigrant team" and public support for a waiver of immigration processes was boosted significantly. [/font]

[Franz Ferdinand]

[center][img]http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2840/70527809.jpg[/img]
"I am very pleased with how the team played and I do believe we can go all the way... if we get more corners. All our training in taking them has paid off, and therefore, we can't wait to face our next opponents!"[/center]

[Zoot Zoot]

The Canadian manager only had this to say:
"We obviously played a far better opponent today, it was a fair game and the players wernt playing at their best unfortunatly.
Not to fear though, I have a feeling we may come out ontop in the Vietnam match"

[Subtleknifewielder]

"There were never any doubt doubts about the win today...and any naysayers were proven dramatically wrong. However, we weren't playing in top form, and if we hope to beat the home team in the upcoming match, we better get ourselves into fighting fit and practice more."

~Coach W. J. Dorsey

[Otto Verteidiger]

Josef Mender, Minister of Foreign Affairs, commented saying, "We will chalk this one to butterflies in the stomach of our football players - they have never played in the international arena and they were not accustomed to what they played against. We will not say the other team did not play well, though, they played great and their win reflects it. We hope our team will do better next game."

Otto Verteidiger wished them luck in future games but expressed more hope in the national hockey team which has had experience in the international sports arena and did quite well last time. The Kaiser is a known hockey fan as well.

[Fizzydog]

The UI party was, well, loud and very joyous. With the win, United Isocoles newest president Leo Zeelan himself and VP Oceana will be attending the next game.


Coach announced he was most pleased by this game.

[Michael McBride]

[size="5"][center][u][b]MATCH DAY 2[/b][/u][/center][/size]

United States of America v. Republic of Tahoe 2-2
It was probably one of the most anticipated matches from the moment groups were announced: the United States versus Tahoe, on the pitch. There was talk before the game that wars should instead be settled here, it would just make life easier. Extra security was provided at the game to make certain the fans of the two nations would not get testy with each other. No incidents broke out inside the stadium, and the match provided great entertainment for all. Clint Slate of Team USA got the scoring started with a rocket that streaked past Goslan Bourkia, freezing him in place. The United States increased their lead to 2-0 on a turnover by Match Day 1 hero Gersom Salem that led to a breakaway for Edson Buchanan who pushed the ball under a diving Bourkia. The supporters for the USA were going nuts, especially when their team took the lead into the half. Whatever talk the Tahoe players got at the half worked, however, for they scored just two minutes into the second half, as Ibrahim Atik pounded a powerful header past Brad Garthwaite off a cross from Naim Daoudi. Just three minutes later, Salem took a beautiful forwarding pass from Ramzi El Ansri on a breakaway of his own that he chipped over Garthwaite. The United States were back on their heels and Tahoe had all the momentum until a crushing tackle by Samir Yapoi on Jozy Albers led to him getting red carded in the 63rd minute. Tahoe, being forced to play with ten men, never again mounted an attack, subbing in Hafid Souieb for Salem to shore up the defense. They held for the rest of the match, and it ended in a 2-2 draw.

[b]China[/b] v. Republic of Labrador 2-0
China entered needed at least a draw to remain in serious contention for advancing out of Group A, and their play showed it. The Chinese attack got off to a fast start, scoring in the 11th minute off a free kick from thirty meters out. The set piece resulted in a beautiful header that was pounded past the keeper for a goal. The insurance marker didn’t come until the 58th minute, but was the resulted of a sustained attack and possession inside the Labrador zone by the Chinese side. A pair of nifty passes between two Chinese midfielders set the stage for a devastating shot that had enough velocity on it to careen off the Labrador keeper’s hands and into the net. Labrador never really got their attack going in the game, and never threatened China’s two goal lead in their defeat.

Empire of France v. [b]Kingdom of Cochin[/b] 0-1
A very evenly played match between the two teams that seemed destined for a draw before a French mistake in stoppage time of the second half led to a breakaway by Cochin striker Sunil Chetri. The head official nearly blew his whistle to stop the game as the clock had just passed the threshold for the three minutes of added time, but thought better of it, allowing the play to continue. Cherti took the ball down the pitch, rocketing away from his French pursuers for a one-on-one with French keeper Arnaud Rocher. Cherti put a nice shoulder fake on Rocher to his right, to which Rocher overcommitted, allowing Cherti an almost clear shot at the left side of the net, where he buried the ball. The match was stopped just after the next kickoff and Cochin walked away with a thrilling 1-0 victory.

Amerikanisches Reich v. [b]Articuno Islands[/b] 0-1
The North American team fought well in this game, registering a number of chances, but an early defensive lapse cost them the game. In the 13th minute, midfielder Gao Lin sliced through the Amerikansches Reich defense and blasted the ball through keeper David Bakos’ legs. Even though the North American side controlled the ball, and the tempo, for the rest of the match, they were never able to get any solid chances on goal because of a stout Articuno Islands defense.

[b]Athenian Federation[/b] v. United Isocoles 3-1
This game had extra security due to the fact that it was a United Isocoles game and the fact that the president of United Isocoles was going to be there. While the president was supposed to inspire his home side, it instead seemed to intimidate them and push the Athenian side even harder for victory. The Athenian side scored twice in the first half, in the 24th and 38th minutes, off strikes from Giorgos Karagounis and Erjon Bogdani respectively. The halftime pep talk didn’t seem to help the UI side any, as the Athenian Federation scored in the 49th minute as well off a freekick by Vangelis Moras. United Isocoles finally scored in the 83rd minute, off a corner kick that was headed in, but at that point it didn’t matter. The Athenian side walked off in celebration, knowing they had thoroughly dominated the Isocoles side.

Imperium of Canada v. [b]Republic of Vietnam[/b] 0-2
The Republic of Vietnam easily handled its opponent in its second game in the Imperium of Canada, controlling play for most of the first half before scoring just before the break off a nice crossing pass to Su Per Fly in the penalty area in the 44th minute. Immediately after the break, Vietnam scored again, this time Pham Van Long hitting the mark from just outside the penalty area on a dagger of a shot. The Imperium once again never got things rolling, falling 2-0.

Rebel Army v. [b]Slavic Federation[/b] 1-2
An important match for both teams if they wanted to advance. Rebel Army struck first in the 37th minute, Ali Al Nawateer finding his range on a long shot from about 30 meters that just curled inside the right post. The Slavic Federation nailed a nice shot right before the halftime whistle, however, as Anton Wolodymyr chipped the ball over a charging Rebel Army keeper to level the score at the break. Both teams played evenly throughout the second half until the Slavic Federation broke through late, as Cosmin Theodor and Zhenya Vova linked up on an exceptional give and go weave through the Rebel Army defense that resulted in Vova ramming the ball past the keeper for the game winner.

[b]Denmark[/b] v. Greater Japanese Empire 3-1
In a game nearly identical to the Athenian Federation/United Isocoles affair, Denmark simply dominated the Greater Japanese Empire in all facets of the match. Denmark scored early and often, blasting home goals in the 5th, 19th, and 22nd minutes, all long range shots from outside the box that caught the GJE keeper out of position. The markers were scored by Jensen Mølby, Erico Edman, and Zeth Ibrahimović respectively. After that the defending champs took their foot off the gas, allowing the GJE to control the play through much of the second half. Lazy and sloppy play by the Danish defense, who were playing like, well, danishes, is what allowed the GJE goal in the 76th minute. It had no effect on the outcome however, as the Danes walked away with a 3-1 victory.

Vereinigte Deutsche Länder v. Isara Alliance 1-1
An important match for these two group leaders was played very evenly throughout, with neither team scoring in the first half and both scoring in the second. Nikoloz Bessarionobis scored for the Darkstars, crashing down a powerful header in the 69th minute past Manuel Jansen. Mesut Özil answered back just five minutes later off a corner kick when he was left unmarked in the penalty area by the Isaran defense, allowing him to control the ball and fire a low shot across the net that beat keeper Georgi Konev. Both Konev and Jansen made superb saves near the end of the match, keeping the score level as both teams walked away with a point.

Louisiana v. [b]Sicilian League[/b] 0-2
The nightmare tournament continued for Louisiana, this time getting shut out by the Sicilian League 2-0. Keeper Paul Doucet was pulled after allowing two goals on the first two shots he faced, which put the Pelicans at an early 2-0 deficit only 26 minutes in. He was replaced by Vincent Velazquez. Though Velazquez made a number of stellar saves through the rest of the game, Louisiana’s offense never got going and the score remained the way it was at the early going, with the Sicilians winning 2-0.

Slavorussian Empire v. [b]Koryo Confederation[/b] 0-1
The Koryo Confederation got three key points off the Slavorussian Empire on a goal that was controversial at best. Late in the match, a Koryo Confederation midfielder was driving in on net when he crossed into the penalty area. He was closely marked by a Slavorussian defender and the Koryo player tripped and went down to the turf hard. Video replay showed he tripped on his own feet, but the referee for the match gave a yellow card and a penalty kick. The Koryo player slammed home the penalty kick, providing the game’s only goal as they won 1-0.

[b]Republic of York[/b] v. Queendom of Australia 3-1
In what is expected to be the toughest test of the group stage for the York side, they won in convincing and dominating fashion. A goal by Zachary McCarthy got things started off in just the 7th minute, and then defenders Clark Miner and Greg Tanner got into the mix as well, both firing long range shots that beat the Australian keeper. It was 3-0 at the half, when York pulled back into its defensive shell, pulling out Avery and Watson and inserting Veers and Babcock. A turnover by Veers led to the breakaway that resulted in Australia’s only marker, coming in the 73rd minute. Still, the result was convincing enough for the fans, now hoping for a clean sweep in the group stage and 9 points.

Arctica v. [b]Imperial Hudson Reich[/b] 0-1
The most wide open group just got more open. With the Imperial Hudson Reich beating the favored Arctica, they now sit atop the group with six points, Arctica and Cascadia behind them with three each. The Reich got the game’s lone marker in the 50th minute off a beautiful series of passes that started all the way back with their defense. Always moving forward, the Reich never wavered, and it only seemed appropriate that a striker moving in close drew the Arctica keeper away from his post before passing it to his teammate for a clean shot at an open net. He capitalized, and the Reich held on to win 1-0.

[b]Republic of Cascadia[/b] v. Funky Republic of Puerto Rico 2-1
Cascadia got a much needed win over the Funky Republic of Puerto Rico in their match, keeping themselves in contention to advance to the knockout round. Puerto Rico scored first, getting an early corner and then stuffing it home off some rough and tumble play in the box in just the 3rd minute. Cascadia responded however, scoring in the 10th and 12th minutes to effectively kill any momentum that the FRPR had. For all the scoring that took place in just the first 12 minutes of the game, none took place after as Cascadia held on for their much-needed 3 points.

[b]Transvaal[/b] v. Marscurian Pakistan 2-0
After a shocking draw in the opening match, the number one team in the world came out with something to prove, and they certainly did. Transvaal dominated Marscurian Pakistan up and down the pitch all game, almost making it look effortless at times as they stole the ball and passed at will. Many times it even seemed as if they were toying with Pakistan. The Springboks were all business though when they notched their two goals, coming in the 34th and 41st minutes. Stien van Buyten and Boyke Chan Carl notched the markers for the Springboks, respectively. Transvaal’s defense took it from there in the second half as their physical play shut down any chance Marscurian Pakistan had at an offensive comeback.

Hakaarian Empire v. Minilla Islands 0-0
A win for either team would have practically sealed their admittance into the knockout round, but the draw leaves an all-important Match Day 3 looming. Neither side’s offense ever really looked comfortable out on the pitch, though the Minilla Islands keeper was forced to make one amazing save that kept his team in it. The Empire got a quick two on none break that forced the Minilla keeper to come bravely out of net to challenge the player with the ball. He came out faster than expected and surprised the Hakaarian striker, who was not able to pass the ball in time and the Minilla Islands keeper deflected it away to clear any danger.

[b][u]Playoff Scenarios by Group[/u][/b]
[u]Group A[/u]
[b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] (v. R of Labrador): Win or draw, advance. Lose, need China/USA draw OR USA win by less than 4 goals.
[b]Republic of Labrador[/b] (v. R of Tahoe): Win, with China loss or draw, advance. Draw, with China loss, advance.
[b]China[/b] (v. USA): Win and advance. Draw, with R of Labrador loss, advance.
[b]United States of America[/b] (v. China): Win, with Labrador loss, advance.

[u]Group B[/u]
[b]Kingdom of Cochin[/b] (v. Articuno Islands): Win or draw, advance. Lose, need France loss OR draw OR win by less than 3 goals, advance.
[b]Empire of France[/b] (v. Amerikansches Reich): Win, with Cochin win, advance. Win, with Cochin loss AND must score more than Articuno Islands to advance. Draw, need Cochin win or draw AND score more than Articuno Islands. Loss, with Cochin win, needs smaller goal differential than Articuno Islands.
[b]Articuno Islands[/b] (v. Kingdom of Cochin): Win, with Amerikansches Reich win, advance. Win, with Amerikansches Reich loss AND score more than France to advance. Draw, need Amerikanisches Reich win or draw AND score more than France. Loss, with Amerikanisches Reich win, needs smaller goal differential than France.
[b]Amerikanisches Reich[/b] (v. Empire of France): Eliminated.

[u]Group C[/u]
[b]Republic of Vietnam[/b] (v. United Isocoles): Win or draw, advance. Lose, need to lose by less than 2 goals OR Imperium of Canada win OR Athenian Federation win by less than 2 goals to advance.
[b]United Isocoles[/b] (v. Republic of Vietnam): Win, must win by more than 2 goals OR Athenian Federation loss OR Athenian Federation win while scoring more goals, advance. Draw, must score more goals than Athenian Federation draw OR Athenian Federation loss. Lose, needs Athenian Federation loss AND to score more goals than Athenian Federation.
[b]Athenian Federation[/b] (v. Imperium of Canada): Win, with United Isocoles loss OR with United Isocoles draw OR United Isocoles win but scoring at least two goals more than United Isocoles, advance. Draw, must score at least two more goals than United Isocoles draw OR United Isocoles loss. Lose, need United Isocoles loss AND to score at least two more goals than United Isocoles.
[b]Imperium of Canada[/b] (v. Athenian Federation): Eliminated.

[u]Group D[/u]
[b]Denmark[/b] (v. Rebel Army): Win or draw, advance. Lose, need to lose by less than two OR Slavic Federation loss OR Slavic Federation draw OR Slavic Federation win but by less than 4 goals, advance.
[b]Rebel Army[/b] (v. Denmark): Win, with Slavic Federation loss OR draw OR win by 1 goal, advance. Draw, need Slavic Federation loss OR draw while not scoring more than 2 more goals than Rebel Army scores, advance. Lose, with Slavic Federation loss AND Slavic Federation scores at least one fewer goals AND has larger goal differential, advance.
[b]Slavic Federation[/b] (v. Greater Japanese Empire): Win, with Rebel Amry loss OR draw OR win but Slavic Federation wins by a larger margin, advance. Draw, need Rebel Army loss OR draw but Slavic Federation scores at least 2 more goals than Rebel Army scores, advance. Lose, with Rebel Army loss AND Slavic Federation scores at least two more goals AND has smaller goal differential, advance.
[b]Greater Japanese Empire[/b] (v. Slavic Federation): Eliminated.

[u]Group E[/u]
[b]Isara Alliance[/b] (v. Sicilian League): Win or draw, advance. Lose, need to lose by less than Vereinigte Deutsche Länder does, advance.
[b]Vereinigte Deutsche Länder[/b] (v. Louisiana): Win or draw, advance. Lose, needs Sicilian League loss OR lose by less than Isara Alliance does, advance.
[b]Sicilian League[/b] (v. Isara Alliance): Win, advance. Draw, needs Vereinigte Deutsche Länder loss.
[b]Louisiana[/b] (v. Vereinigte Deutsche Länder): Eliminated.

[u]Group F[/u]
[b]Republic of York[/b] (v. Slavorussian Empire): Advanced to elimination round.
[b]Queendom of Australia[/b] (v. Koryo Confederation): Win or draw, advance.
[b]Koryo Confederation[/b] (v. Queendom of Australia): Win, advance.
[b]Slavorussian Empire[/b] (v. Republic of York): Eliminated.

[u]Group G[/u]
[b]Imperial Hudson Reich[/b] (v. Funky Republic of Puerto Rico): Advanced to elimination round.
[b]Arctica[/b] (v. Republic of Cascadia): Win or draw, advance.
[b]Republic of Cascadia[/b] (v. Arctica): Win, advance.
[b]Funky Republic of Puerto Rico[/b] (v. Imperial Hudson Reich): Eliminated.

[u]Group H[/u]
[b]Transvaal[/b] (v. Hakaarian Empire): Win or draw, advance. Lose, need Minilla Islands/Marscurian Pakistan draw OR Marscurian Pakistan win by less than 4 goals, advance.
[b]Minilla Islands[/b] (v. Marscurian Pakistan): Win, needs Transvaal win OR Hakaarian Empire win by fewer goals, advance. Draw, needs Transvaal win OR draw while scoring more goals than Hakaarian Empire, advance.
[b]Hakaarian Empire[/b] (v. Transvaal): Win, advance. Draw, needs Minilla Islands draw while score at least two more goals than Minilla Islands, advance.
[b]Marscurian Pakistan[/b] (v. Minilla Islands): Win, needs Transvaal win OR draw, advance.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/That_Bum/CoN2Round2.png[/img]

Edited June 20, 2010 by Pravus Ingruo

[Sargun II]

[img]http://www.football-pictures.net/data/media/567/jozy-altidore-goal.jpg[/img]
[i]Gerson Salem celebrates after scoring his goal against the United States[/i]
[font="Georgia"][size="5"][b]COMEBACK KING SALEM STRIKES AGAIN[/b][/size][/font][font="Georgia"]

"This was one of the greatest moments of my life! God Bless this game!"

Gerson Salem, the hero of the last match, quickly turned into a match-day scapegoat when an ill-advised attempt at footplay led to an American goal. However, in a stunning turn of play that even he seemed surprised about, Salem rode on the Tahoan wave of excitement and scored the equalizer in the 50eth minute. The breakaway goal was likened by many of the Tahoan fans to a goal by a great play by Lionel Messi, a famous football player from before the South American War. Salem was carried off the field by his teammates after the match ended, as the tie kept them in first place in the group and in control of their own destiny.[/font]

[img]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01121/raul_1121016c.jpg[/img]
[i]Salem's goal[/i]

Edited June 20, 2010 by Sargun

[KingChris]

OOC; Pravus, just out of curiosity, are we allowed to request team formations or anything like that?

[Triyun]

[url=http://www.wellesley.edu/Polisci/wj/China/CRSongs/people.html]The National Chorus of China shall be on hand to sing an anthem reflecting the sentiments of the Chinese people for the upcoming match.[/url]

[king of cochin]

Cochin National Team Coach : IM Vijayan

"It was a very tense match, and France played an excellent game defending superbly against many attacks from our side. Had it not been for the exemplary performance of our Goal Keeper Prakash, the results would have been very different. But I am proud of my boys who maintained their resolve and composure throughout the match thus enabling Sunil to score the match winning goal.

Articuno Island is going to be a tough opponent, though they lost against France, against Americanisches Reich they played some excellent football. We will continue to work hard and improve all aspects of our game, in particular defense.

In the last game our left wing striker Vipin Das was injured and would be rested for the final match. Our Number 19, Nandgopal would be playing in the squad instead. Nandgopal is an excellent striker and very skilled in set piece engagements and free kicks and we believe he would bring a very good contribution to our team in the match against Articuno Islands.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

It was well and apparent that the U.S. Team and fans were very much distracted by the events occurring in the homeland. Their morale was low, not due to losses of matches, but losses of friends and loved ones due to numerous terrorist attacks. Despite it all, they gave their best, for home and country.

[Lynneth]

"We had a good game with the players from IA, something that doesn't always happen in matches like this. They were good opponents, and perhaps we'll see them again later on in the finals."

[Centurius]

[center][color="#FF0000"][size="5"]Athens is Coming Back![/size][/color][/center]

[center][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v477/iliastse/karagounis_2008_3_26_22_51_19_b.jpg[/img]
[i]Giorgos Karagounis, a new hero of Athens[/i][/center]

While it looked grim at first with the terrible loss from Vietnam trust in the Athenian team seems to return, with 3 goals against the other team chances of going to the next round have increased. The President has send a hand-written letter voicing her gratitude and respect for the services to Athens the team has made. While she would have liked to watch the game against Canada work required her to stay home.

[center][img]http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7738/hbzrywvapxgenr380xa.jpg[/img]
[i]Otto Rehhagel(Left) talking to the press.[/i][/center]

In response to this victory Otto has said that while it is a step in the right direction it is by far not certain that they have reached the next round and that even though chances favor the Athenians against Canada the team still has to do anything they can. It is expected the speech given to the team from their coach and the respect of the President will motivate the Athenians even more to offer anything they have.

Edited June 20, 2010 by Centurius

[Kaede Alexeivich]

VDL was certainly an excellent opponent, and the game was a difficult battle. However, we had a good game, and we look forward greatly to our match against Sicily.

[Elrich von Richt]

Although the Japanese team has lost both of their current matches, hope is still in the eyes of the people.

We wish the Slavic Federation the best of luck.

[Fizzydog]

THIS IS BAD! BAD TEAM! MORE TRAINING FOR YOU! - UI team Coach, Coach


My team sucks. - William Cosby, Player


Did they lose on purpose just to upset me? - Leo Zeelan, UI President


Athenian fans managed to stay away from the angry Isocolens as over two hundred riots broke out. The military was called in twice. - UI Local Reporter


How did this happen? - UI sports Talker


Lol fail. - UI Blogger


They lost the game, shaming their entire country. - UI Army Colonel


OH NO WE MIGHT GET ELIMINATED!- UI fans.