Cup of Nations II

[Michael McBride]

OOC: Just letting everyone know, in case the VX nerve attacks on my capital are upheld, by my timescale the tournament finished before those attacks happened, so no one's team is in any danger. Just no references to that here, please.

Edited June 22, 2010 by Pravus Ingruo

[king of cochin]

Recognizing the quality of football being played at the Cup of Nations II, a literal army of scouts and agents are traveling to the Republic of York to sign up players for various clubs in Cochin Premier League. With massive budgets ready to be spent on buying up foreign players, some fierce trading is on the anvil.

[Botha]

[quote name='king of cochin' date='22 June 2010 - 09:49 AM' timestamp='1277225350' post='2346636']Recognizing the quality of football being played at the Cup of Nations II, a literal army of scouts and agents are traveling to the Republic of York to sign up players for various clubs in Cochin Premier League. With massive budgets ready to be spent on buying up foreign players, some fierce trading is on the anvil.[/quote]

[color="#000080"]OOC: Does Cochin have a Liga Mundo team yet?[/color]

[king of cochin]

OOC: No. I am doing an experiment with the Cochin Premier League and was hoping to get some names to be used as foreign players,

[Michael McBride]

[center][size="5"][u][b]ROUND OF 16 RESULTS[/b][/u][/size][/center]

Vereinigte Deutsche Länder v. [b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] 0-1
The first match in the knockout rounds was a simply amazing showcase of football. Manuel Jansen and Goslan Bourkia put on a spectacular show in net, each stopping seven chances, along with a few ones with extreme difficulty, while a superb exhibition of passing was put on by both teams. As it looked as if the first match of the Round of 16 was heading towards penalty kicks to decide who was going to advance, Gersom Salem once again found himself with the ball at his feet. There is something to be said in sports for momentum, and when a player is hot, you simply keep feeding him. Salem juked his way past German defender Arne Badstuber with a nifty sidestep, tapped the ball through the legs of Philipp Lahm, and then spun, bringing the ball with him, around Marcell Neuer and fired a desperation shot before he was even completely around that caught Jansen off guard, sailing into the net just inside the left post. The goal at 90 +2 minutes was the game winner as Salem was mobbed by his teammates as they celebrated on the field, the shocked and dejected German side leaving soon after.

Queendom of Australia v. [b]Kingdom of Cochin[/b] 0-1
The Queendom of Australia, obviously proud at making the knockout stage this Cup after finishing dead last in the previous one, came out strong against a powerful Kingdom of Cochin team. Four early shots on net seemed to leave the Cochin side stunned and reeling before a bad turnover changed the face of the entire match. Pradeep Pappachan intercepted a pass near midfield and raced past the Australian defense, giving himself a one on one opportunity with Australian keeper Jari Aaltonen. As Aaltonen came out to challenge Pappachan’s shot, Pappachan made a very difficult chip over Aaltonen’s head that found the back on the net, sliding in just under the crossbar, in the 25th minute. Australia went back on the attack after that, forcing Cochin keeper Prakash Krishnan to play on top of his game the rest of the way. With a final shot total of 12 to 1 for Australia, everyone would have thought the Aussies would have won on paper. But following a number of stellar stops by Krishnan, Cochin advanced to the Quarterfinals on a 1-0 victory.

Imperial Hudson Reich v. [b]Republic of Vietnam[/b] 0-3
This was the first match of the Round of 16 that really was no contest whatsoever. The Imperial Hudson Reich had advanced out of the easiest group in the tournament, and looked thoroughly outclassed by the Republic of Vietnam from start to finish. Vietnam scored goals in the 24th, 41st, and 67th minutes by Le Cong Tho, Su Per Fly, and Vu Van Dang respectively. The Reich simply never got going and will leave the tournament with the solace that they, at least, made it to the Round of 16, which is more than can be said for half the teams in the tournament.

Marscurian Pakistan v. [b]Denmark[/b] 0-2
Having made it into the Round of 16 by the skin of their teeth, the defending champs looked to continue their title defense against Marscurian Pakistan. Denmark came out looking sharp, making it 1-0 off a diving header goal by Tomas Gravesen in the 13th minute. Maksim Schastlivtsev played well in net throughout the match for Pakistan, who had been relying on him all tournament; as they advanced to the knockout round having only scored one goal for the entire tournament thus far. Still, their offense was again their Achilles heal, with the Pakistanis never presenting a viable option for attack. Jensen Mølby sealed the game in the 75th minute with a blast from inside the penalty area, sending the defending champs on to the Quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory.

[b]United States of America[/b] v. Isara Alliance 4-2
After winning in dramatic fashion to put themselves into the Round of 16, the United States seemed to carry that emotion over into their game against the Isara Alliance. This emotion was evidenced by four, count ‘em, four first half goals by the United States side. Carlos Diaz, Edson Buchanan, DaMarcus Kilmore, and Michael Cazamias all scored before the first whistle, rocketing the USA to a 4-0 lead at the break. While the fans could sense a blowout, the United States came out in the second half seemingly drained of the emotion that had put them on top, and the Darkstars began clawing their way back into the game. Vladimir Ivanov made it 4-1 off a freekick directly into the net in the 55th minute, and Radi Jaeger followed with a marker in 63rd. Just when it seemed like we might have a game again, Niels Klein was called offsides on a sure goal-scoring opportunity, and Isara lost all momentum from there. The game ended as it was, with the United States advancing 4-2.

Empire of France v. [b]Republic of York[/b] 0-1
Republic of York fans had complained about their draw, after technically being the best team in the group stage, drawing one of the highest seeds remaining in the first round of the knockout stage. Still, the formula had been followed so fans really had nothing to complain about. The match was hard fought from start to finish, and twice the French side almost went up on the home team, putting them down a goal. Both times, Thomas Archer made spectacular saves with his fingertips to just barely push the ball past the post or crossbar. Late in the second half, Zachary McCarthy decided to take matters into his own hands. A pass to Carson Pitts freed McCarthy on a run as Pitts placed a beautiful forwarding pass for him. McCarthy caught up on the ball, once again using his speed to pull away from the French defense, before blasting a left-footed shot past a diving Arnaud Rocher. McCarthy sprinted past the keeper, sliding into the net on his knees, hugging and kissing the ball as he was mobbed by his teammates. The score held for the last ten minutes of the game, and the home fans would see their beloved team advance 1-0.

[b]Athenian Federation[/b] v. Arctica 2-0
A favorable draw against Arctica only increased the hopes of the Athenian Federation to advance after failing to make the knockout rounds in the last Cup. Their desire to advance was evident as they simply took it to the Arctica side, scoring once in the first half and once in the second on goals by Kostas Katsouranis and Erjon Bogdani respectively. Arctica never got anything going against the stout Athenian defense, and time after time a hopeful looking attack would be thwarted by a wonderful clearance by Stanislav Manolev, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, or Vangelis Moras. The Athenians celebrated that advancement on to the Quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory.

Rebel Army v. [b]Transvaal[/b] 0-2
After last year’s heartbreaking defeat on penalty kicks in the first stage of knockout play, Transvaal looked to ensure that there would be no repeat. Despite Rebel Army’s strong play through the group stages, they looked utterly outclassed by the number one team in the world who simply pushed their way through them on multiple occasions to force shots on net. The game would have been a complete and utter blowout if not for the spectacular play of Essam Fathallah in net for the Rebel Army side. Still, he could not stop every shot, including one from Detlef Botha that ricocheted off his hands and into the net in the 36th minute and one from Samuel Evans that was simply unable to be saved in the 65th minute. Transvaal advanced with their dominated performance, winning 2-0.

[center][size="5"][u][b]Quarterfinal Matchups[/b][/u][/size][/center]

United States of America v. Republic of Tahoe
Republic of York v. Kingdom of Cochin
Athenian Federation v. Republic of Vietnam
Transvaal v. Denmark

[king of cochin]

Football fans all over the Kingdom of Cochin roared in happiness as the final whistle blew to mark a victory hard gained against the Queendom of Australia. The numerous attacks thwarted athletically by Prakash Krishnan had an entire nation holding its breath. The dramatic strike by Pradeep Pappachan was jubilantly received by a nation following the Group of 16 match very closely.

"It was a hard won victory against a highly skilled and determined opponent. Our forward strategy could not be implemented successfully against a highly determined Australian defense and indeed if not for Pappachan's very lucky break, the results would have been very different. It was a tense match throughout, and our defense did a stellar job defending against such a sustained attack from Australian team. The contribution played by our goal keeper, Prakash Krishnan cannot be underestimated, in fact he should rightly be the man of the match. We seriously need to improve our forward attack strategies if we have to win against as tough an opponent as Republic of York. It is no time to be complacent, but I assure you, for the next match our team would be far better prepared than today," Manager Bhaichung Bhutia said to the press after the match, as the Coach IM Vijayan led the team to their accommodations, the coach talking very seriously to Sunil Chhetri and Nandgopal.

[Lynneth]

[quote name='Pravus Ingruo' date='22 June 2010 - 09:52 PM' timestamp='1277236346' post='2346857']Vereinigte Deutsche Länder v. [b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] 0-1
The first match in the knockout rounds was a simply amazing showcase of football. Manuel Jansen and Goslan Bourkia put on a spectacular show in net, each stopping seven chances, along with a few ones with extreme difficulty, while a superb exhibition of passing was put on by both teams. As it looked as if the first match of the Round of 16 was heading towards penalty kicks to decide who was going to advance, Gersom Salem once again found himself with the ball at his feet. There is something to be said in sports for momentum, and when a player is hot, you simply keep feeding him. Salem juked his way past German defender Arne Badstuber with a nifty sidestep, tapped the ball through the legs of Philipp Lahm, and then spun, bringing the ball with him, around Marcell Neuer and fired a desperation shot before he was even completely around that caught Jansen off guard, sailing into the net just inside the left post. The goal at 90 +2 minutes was the game winner as Salem was mobbed by his teammates as they celebrated on the field, the shocked and dejected German side leaving soon after.[/quote]
"Christ almighty, this game was incredible. Tahoe has every right to celebrate their win, as suprising as this goal was. Truly great opponents.
But we'll be training hard for the next cup."

[Sargun II]

[font="Georgia"][size="7"]WONDERBOY TOPPLES GERMANY[/size]
[img]http://blackpeopledontplaysoccer.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/jozyaltidoreconfedcup1.jpg[/img]
[i]Gerson Salem kicking the goal of the tournament to beat Germany[/i]

Hearts stopped across the nation as Gerson Salem became the final touch of the match against Germany. As "Wonderboy" Salem nailed the only goal of the match against Germany, it was reported that there were four heart attacks and a stroke and EMS teams were rushed in Los Angeles to save several lives; meanwhile, the nation celebrated again as their beloved team continued to march forward in the tournament. President Chavez reportedly remarked that "regardless of the outcome there will be a hero's welcome for Salem".[/font]

Edited June 22, 2010 by Sargun

[Kaede Alexeivich]

The Isara Alliance regrets its loss against the US, though it was a good and hard battle. We will be training hard for the next cup, and we will not have a repeat of this defeat.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

U.S. Fans and the team were ecstatic after such a lousy start that they'd managed to make it this far. They hoped the momentum could keep it going. At the end of the match the team unrolled a banner and held it out for the cameras to see, "This one is for you Detroit!" it read.

[KingChris]

[center][url=http://i.imagehost.org/download/0069/USA_Soccer_Pile][img]http://i.imagehost.org/t/0069/USA_Soccer_Pile.jpg[/img][/url]
[i]USA Soccer Players are Toppled After the Victory[/i]

[size="5"][font="Impact"]USA Defeats Isara Alliance 4-2, Advances to Quarterfinals[/font][/size]
[/center]

In the country's first international sports competition, the United States team proves its skill and determination after narrowly advancing to the knockout stage by pushing around the Isara Alliance. With morale high at the beginning of the game, the US pounded the soccer ball into the goal one, two, three, four times before the half. After that, the game was pretty much over as far as the US was concerned, as the goalie allowed two goals. Still, at the end, the moment that the US team and fans had been waiting for finally came when the referee blew the final whistle. The US will be facing The Republic of Tahoe next. The US has played Tahoe once in this Cup before, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw. However, with the US being #14, and Tahoe being ranked #6, chances are, Tahoe will narrowly win this one, possibly 3-2 in the shootout. Coach Lacci of the US chuckled and commented, "We were going to send the Tahoan coach a bottle of champagne for defeating Labrador for us, but seeing that we're playing next, I think I'll just share it with my team for their best game yet."

Edited June 23, 2010 by KingChris

[Kaede Alexeivich]

We very much appreciate the US's sportsmanship. You 'allowed' two goals? You 'pushed us around'?

[The Disco Commandant]

ooc: its football speak :V srsly any commentator talks in that way

"Pushed Around" meaning [i]having managed to successfully defeat a tough opponent[/i] and "Allowed 2 goals" meaning [i]the opposing team scored twice cuz our defense at those times was bad enough[/i]

[Michael McBride]

[quote name='The Disco Commandant' date='23 June 2010 - 01:11 PM' timestamp='1277313085' post='2347778']
ooc: its football speak :V srsly any commentator talks in that way

"Pushed Around" meaning [i]having managed to successfully defeat a tough opponent[/i] and "Allowed 2 goals" meaning [i]the opposing team scored twice cuz our defense at those times was bad enough[/i]
[/quote]

OOC: He's right, just read my commentaries on each match.

[Centurius]

[quote name='Pravus Ingruo' date='22 June 2010 - 09:52 PM' timestamp='1277236346' post='2346857']
[b]Athenian Federation[/b] v. Arctica 2-0
A favorable draw against Arctica only increased the hopes of the Athenian Federation to advance after failing to make the knockout rounds in the last Cup. Their desire to advance was evident as they simply took it to the Arctica side, scoring once in the first half and once in the second on goals by Kostas Katsouranis and Erjon Bogdani respectively. Arctica never got anything going against the stout Athenian defense, and time after time a hopeful looking attack would be thwarted by a wonderful clearance by Stanislav Manolev, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, or Vangelis Moras. The Athenians celebrated that advancement on to the Quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory.
[/quote]
[color="#FF0000"][size="5"][center]
The Star from the South

[img]http://aekarchives.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/katsouranis1.jpg[/img][/center][/size][/color]

'Ethniki to the top', it has become a common line on the streets throughout the Federation, after showing its skill in the last round the Athenians have today completely defeated the Arcticans graduating to the next round. In response to the fact we will be facing Vietnam again Otto once again reaffirmed the need for the team to not let recent victories go to their heads. "We have been defeated by Vietnam once, I do not want to see our position go to our heads. We will need to give everything we have to make the semi-finals, but I am certain Ethniki has what it takes to make it happen." He said during his most recent press conference. Experts expect that Athens will be playing relatively defensive in the next game to prevent a goal from Vietnam.

[Michael McBride]

[center][size="5"][u][b]QUARTERFINAL RESULTS[/b][/u][/size][/center]

United States of America v. [b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] 0-1
The match was a tale of missed opportunities and wild momentum swings. The United States, still carrying their momentum from their 4-2 victory over the Isara Alliance, attacked against Tahoe from the opening whistle. A shot that found the back of the net in the 21st minute off the foot of Clint Slate was disallowed due to Slate being offsides. Another chance by Slate in the second half rang off the right post and skirted wide of the net. Jozy Albers also missed a chance at an open net in the second half. With another Republic of Tahoe match looking like it was going to penalty kicks, the United States went on the attack just into stoppage time. A cross from Ricardo Duncan lead to a header on the far post by Edson Buchanon that was handled easily by Goslan Bourkia. As the United States team slowly turned to start back upfield, thinking the match would be over soon, Bourkia fired the ball up the pitch to Bouaziz Hanouf who began a fast breakout that resulted in five Tahoean attackers facing two American defenders and the keeper. Near the penalty area, Hanouf passed the ball out wider to Naim Daoudi who crossed it low to streaking wonderboy Gersom Salem. Salem and USA keeper Brad Garthwaite met at the ball at the same point, sending Salem tumbling over Garthwaite and the ball ricocheting out into the middle of the penalty area. Hanouf, still trailing the play, raced in and buried a right-footed shot into the back of the net, scoring at 90+1 minutes. The United States looked stunned and never again mounted a chance, as Tahoe advanced to the semifinals, 1-0.

[b]Republic of York[/b] v. Kingdom of Cochin 2-1
The Kingdom of Cochin knew that if they wanted to beat the Republic of York in front of their home faithful they would have to do two things: score early to take the crowd out of the match and contain Zachary McCarthy. They nearly managed to do both. The Kingdom came out with a fire and drive that surprised the home side, pushing a ball past Thomas Archer in the 14th minute off the foot of Chou Wa Bei. The crowd was nearly silenced, and the much smaller group of Cochin supporters could easily be heard over the rest of the stadium. It was still 1-0 Cochin at the break, but the Crimson Lions got help from an unlikely source near the beginning of the second half. With Zachary McCarthy relatively quiet, another member of the Syracuse Salty Dogs got into the mix. McCarthy was double-teamed but Harry Issacs, a defender with a quiet Cup thus far, streaked forward towards the opening left by the second defender. McCarthy flicked the pass to him and Issacs buried it into the upper corner of the net, knotting the game at one all. The goal gave the Crimson Lions the confidence to continue attacking, and in the 86th minute, McCarthy himself notched another goal. Off a corner from Otto Kunzleman, McCarthy leapt into the air, allowing the ball to bounce off his chest and then hit the ball before it ever hit the ground with a swing of his left foot, sending it crashing past Prakash Krishnan. Cochin put one more chance on Archer but the ball didn’t find the back of the net in the remaining time and the home side survived to move onto the semis.

[b]Athenian Federation[/b] v. Republic of Vietnam 3-2
The Republic of Vietnam probably has to be rated as the most underrated team heading into this Cup of Nations. Their advancement to the quarterfinals was a surprise and, while most were picking the Athenian Federation to win the match, most probably hoped the Republic of Vietnam would to see the Cinderella story continue. The game was wild and action packed from start to finish, both teams looking much more offensively minded than defensively. Angelos Charisteas got things started for the Athenians, breaking through in the 23rd minute to pound a low shot past Nguyen The Anh. Vietnam responded back in the 42nd, however, as Pham Van Long hooked up with Pham Van Cuong who fired a shot past the diving Kostas Chalkias. The Athenians responded back just before the half though, as Giorgos Karagounis fired a long range shot into the net at 45+2. Vietnam would not stay down for long in the second half, as Nguyen Hong Son knocked a header past Chalkias in the 50th, again tying the game up, this time at two. Vietnam had an excellent chance to go ahead in the 68th minute when Van Sy Hung was taken down in the penalty area and awarded a penalty kick. He approached the ball and delivered a hard shot as Chalkias dove in the opposite direction, but the ball missed the post by a whisker. The Athenians seized their second chance at life, pressing the Vietnamese for the rest of the match, and finally breaking through in the 83rd minute. Karagounis once again found the back of the net, this time on a sliding shot that Anh had no chance at. A few defensive substitutions allowed the Athenians to hold down the fort for the remainder of the match, advancing to the semifinals 3-2.

[b]Transvaal[/b] v. Denmark 2-1
This match featured loads on intrigue because of what happened last Cup. Transvaal entered into the quarterfinals the overwhelming favorites and the plucky team from Denmark, who hadn’t even scored a goal through most of the group stage and needed a last match day miracle to advance to the knockout round, stunned the number one team in the world on penalty kicks. With the memory of the last Cup still fresh in the minds, Transvaal entered the game determined to not allow a repeat of it to happen again. Using their signature physical style of play, the Springboks bullied the Danes up and down the pitch, outmuscling their way to a two goal lead at halftime. Pierre Schulp and Jamie Alcott both provided the markers in the first half. The Springboks made some defensive substitutions at the break, seemingly happy with their two goal lead and content on making Denmark fight their way through a tough, physical defense to get themselves back into it. Though the Danes had played as more of a finesse team throughout the tournament, they proved their mettle in the second half through numerous challenges against the Transvaal defense. Finally, in the 70th minute, the Danes broke through on a defensive lapse by Joep Boekweg. Jensen Mølby, who noticed that Boekweg had pinched up too far in support, made a daring dash towards the back line where he was fed with a beautiful forwarding pass before he slammed the ball past a diving Thurston Alderton. The marker seemed to spark new life in the Danes, but also seemed to harden the resolve of the veteran Springboks side. Despite increased urgency as the minutes wore down, the Danes never again presented a legitimate threat to Alderton in net, and Transvaal advanced to the semifinals having beaten their old nemesis, 2-1.

[center][size="5"][u][b]SEMIFINALS[/b][/u][/size][/center]

Athenian Federation v. Republic of Tahoe
Transvaal v. Republic of York

[KingChris]

[quote name='Pravus Ingruo' date='23 June 2010 - 11:23 PM' timestamp='1277353410' post='2348447']
[center][size="5"][u][b]QUARTERFINAL RESULTS[/b][/u][/size][/center]

United States of America v. [b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] 0-1
The match was a tale of missed opportunities and wild momentum swings. The United States, still carrying their momentum from their 4-2 victory over the Isara Alliance, attacked against Tahoe from the opening whistle. A shot that found the back of the net in the 21st minute off the foot of Clint Slate was disallowed due to Slate being offsides. Another chance by Slate in the second half rang off the right post and skirted wide of the net. Jozy Albers also missed a chance at an open net in the second half. With another Republic of Tahoe match looking like it was going to penalty kicks, the United States went on the attack just into stoppage time. A cross from Ricardo Duncan lead to a header on the far post by Edson Buchanon that was handled easily by Goslan Bourkia. As the United States team slowly turned to start back upfield, thinking the match would be over soon, Bourkia fired the ball up the pitch to Bouaziz Hanouf who began a fast breakout that resulted in five Tahoean attackers facing two American defenders and the keeper. Near the penalty area, Hanouf passed the ball out wider to Naim Daoudi who crossed it low to streaking wonderboy Gersom Salem. Salem and USA keeper Brad Garthwaite met at the ball at the same point, sending Salem tumbling over Garthwaite and the ball ricocheting out into the middle of the penalty area. Hanouf, still trailing the play, raced in and buried a right-footed shot into the back of the net, scoring at 90+1 minutes. The United States looked stunned and never again mounted a chance, as Tahoe advanced to the semifinals, 1-0.
[/quote]
OOC: Disallowed goal? Five against two? Race-in goal? 90+1st minute? Are you sure you didn't manipulate the results so that the US would be the other team of today's game?

Press release to come later.

[Sargun II]

[font="Georgia"][size="7"]COMEBACK KING DISABLES GOALKEEPER FOR WINNING GOAL[/size]
[img]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18/Sargun_Peaceheart/gomez.jpg[/img]
[i]Bouaziz Hanouf taking the shot set up by Salem's collision with Garthwaite.[/i]

In another stunning match fit for Hollywood, the Tahoan team again settled any doubts about their status as an elite team by stealing yet another game from a team in extra time. Despite ferocious American play, Tahoe got the last hit when Wonderboy Gerson Salem knocked the American keeper down for young player Bouaziz Hanouf to take the winning kick. In an interview with MediaCorp reporters, Hanouf was constantly being interrupted with praise from his teammates, and it appears that the team is not hung up on the super media status of one player - the good chemistry obviously contributing to their play.

Salem, the newly-crowned captain of the squad, stated to a MediaCorp journalist that "the Athenians responded well to every Vietnamese strike" and that the Tahoan team "cannot take their defence for granted. As soon as we stop caring we start losing - and there's no place for that. God Bless."
[/font]

[Michael McBride]

[quote name='KingChris' date='24 June 2010 - 12:28 AM' timestamp='1277353683' post='2348452']
OOC: Disallowed goal? Five against two? Race-in goal? 90+1st minute? Are you sure you didn't manipulate the results so that the US would be the other team of today's game?

Press release to come later.
[/quote]

OOC: Are you seriously accusing me of OOC match fixing? Do you [b]want[/b] a one-tournament ban for your country, because I will gladly give you one. These games were all simmed the night I made the first post. I have known the outcome for weeks now. I thought it would be a funny tidbit to put that as the match commentary for that game because of the USA's World Cup win today, but in no way did I have anything to do with the result. Another accusation like that from you and you [b]WILL[/b] be banned from the tournament the next time you try and enter.

[KingChris]

[quote name='Pravus Ingruo' date='23 June 2010 - 11:38 PM' timestamp='1277354269' post='2348460']
OOC: Are you seriously accusing me of OOC match fixing? Do you [b]want[/b] a one-tournament ban for your country, because I will gladly give you one. These games were all simmed the night I made the first post. I have known the outcome for weeks now. I thought it would be a funny tidbit to put that as the match commentary for that game because of the USA's World Cup win today, but in no way did I have anything to do with the result. Another accusation like that from you and you [b]WILL[/b] be banned from the tournament the next time you try and enter.
[/quote]
OOC: Uh, no, I'm not serious? Hence the emoticon? But that does explain the supposed "course" of the USA-Tahoe match.

[Vedran]

"We're going home tonight, but we lost to a good team and there's no dishonor in that. We'll train for next year and next time we hope to make it all the way to the end."

[king of cochin]

"It was a valiant effort by our team and though we have been defeated now we take satisfaction that we displayed our skill and quality to the maximum. After the first half we could not succeed with our attack strategy and we had to play a defensive game against the superb Repupblic of York attack and unfortunately for us, two goals meant out for our team. However the entire tournament has shown the improvement and zest that our boys have brought upon themselves and we are sure that for the next tournament we can give an even greater challenge. Perhaps next time the Cup of Nations would come to Cochin. For now we wish the best of luck to the teams facing each other in Semi Finals, may the best team win," Bhaichung Bhutia, Manager of Cochin National Football Team said in a press conference after the match.

[Botha]

[quote name='Pravus Ingruo' date='23 June 2010 - 09:23 PM' timestamp='1277353410' post='2348447']
Athenian Federation v. Republic of Tahoe
Transvaal v. Republic of York[/quote]

[color="#000080"]With a possible meeting in the finals against the "Republic of Tahoe", the [i]Transvaal Voetbalsvereniging[/i] (Transvaal Association Football Union) has shipped an all-white, unmarked kit to be used by the Springboks should that occur. Also expect [i]Die Bokke[/i] to come out hard against the interlopers playing under a false Tahoe flag. Tensions will run high and the blood will flow.[/color]

[Centurius]

"This should become an interesting match, we wish Tahoe the best of luck however it wont be made easy for you. We will do everything we can to make it to the next stage"

[Michael McBride]

OOC: New format I’m trying out to keep the suspense up a little longer so the commentaries actually mean something before the final score is known. Commentaries are up top, scores for the games are below them. Hopefully with only two games it won’t be very confusing. Cheers.

IC:

[center][size="5"][u][b]SEMIFINAL REULTS
[/b][/u][/size][/center]
It was a battle between a team finally living up to expectations and a team who was the picture of consistency. After a place in the finals during the last tournament under the name “Carthage”, the team from the Republic of Tahoe was looking to put themselves there again. In the last Cup, the Athenian Federation had come in favored to make the knockout round but had crashed out in disappointment after a tough run in the “Group of Death”. Both teams were out to prove themselves, and both wanted to reach the finals in the worst way.

The match, from the outset, was one that showcased the skills of both squads. Tahoe showed flashed of brilliance with their striking, twice forcing Kostas Chalkias to make sprawling saves to just tip the ball past the post for corners. Another time Chalkias had to charge a free Gersom Salem and dive on the ball at his feet, sending Salem flipping through the air but keeping the ball out of the net. It wasn’t all Tahoe, however. The Athenian side showed their prowess for the game as well, possessing the ball for long stretches inside the Tahoe zone, providing excellent crossing chances three times, two of which went unanswered and one that skimmed just beyond the post off a diving header by Kostas Katsouranis. The first half ended with the score as it had begun, 0-0.

In the second half, the Athenians came out looking much less patient, and more eager to attack the net. This led to a ten minute stretch where the ball hardly left the Tahoe zone, even on clearances, and the Athenians crashed the net time after time after time. A Katsouranis shot in the penalty area deflected off the body of Goslan Bourkia and straight to Erjon Bogdani, who slammed the ball home into the empty net, giving the Athenians a 1-0 lead. The onslaught didn’t stop there as the Athenians continued to crash the net, with Katsouranis this time finding the back of the net on a powerful shot that deflected off Bourkia’s hands and into the net in the 72nd minute, making the score 2-0.

The Republic of Tahoe wasn’t about to just let the Athenians walk their way into the finals, though. A concerted attack put the European side back on their heels, and in the 83rd minute, Tahoe finally put themselves on the board. Naim Daoudi curled a long range shot just inside the right post and out of the reach of Chalkias to put Los Saints within a goal. The American side continued to push, the clock their biggest enemy now as it slowly counted upwards, first towards the end of regulation and then near the end of the three minutes of stoppage time. The Tahoe attack continued however, and in 90+3 minutes, the stars aligned. Alae El Hasnaoui found himself at the near post, Chalkias marking him closely and out of the corner of his eye Hasnaoui saw “Wonderboy” Gersom Salem streaking through the defense towards the far side of the net. Hasnaoui passed the ball past a diving Chalkias, leaving Salem with the ball at his feet and a chance to send the game into penalty kicks. Salem turned his right foot, aiming to tap the ball into the net. His foot connected, the ball shot forward… and missed the right post by a whisker. Salem dropped to his knees in disbelief as the referee’s whistle sounded and the Athenian side celebrated their finals berth around him as they advanced 2-1.

[b]Athenian Federation[/b] v. Republic of Tahoe 2-1

Support for the home side was vocal and boisterous from the beginning, though few expected them to win against the powerhouse Transvaal side whom, after falling last Cup in disappointment, looked to be in top form this Cup. Commentators at home and around the world said that the only chance that York had to beat the number one team in the world was if two things happened: Zachary McCarthy scored, at least once, and if Thomas Archer was able to keep the Transvaal side off the scoreboard.

The first of those two keys happened very early on in the match. Just four minutes in, before the physicality of the Transvaal team had really set in or begun to take its toll, Greg Tanner forced a turnover at midfield and then put a forwarding pass ahead to a streaking Zachary McCarthy, who controlled it just outside the penalty area, took one step, and then fired a left-footed shot past a diving Thurston Alderton into the upper 90 on the left side of the net. The home side faithful went nuts, cheering and signing as McCarthy slid forward on his knees into the corner, his teammates mobbing him.

The match changed after that. Trasnvaal went on the attack and went on the attack hard. Their 3-5-2 formation gobbled up any further York attacks at the midfield point, and forced the Crimson Lions into long passes to try and hit McCarthy or Avery streaking down the field, something they weren’t very successful at. The physical play began taking a toll on the usually physical York side, with stalwarts Carson Pitts, Greg Tanner, and Chip Watson being pushed around like the home fans had never seen before. Only the brilliance of Thomas Archer in net kept the lead at 1-0 for the Republic going into the break.

The second half proved to be a story much like most of the first. York basically gave up trying to attack the Transvaal side, making halftime substitutions that pulled out skipper Benjamin Avery and replaced him with defender John Babcock and pulled David Axelrod and replaced him with the defensive-minded midfielder Terry Darkhorse. The moves switched the Crimson Lions into a 5-3-2 formation, but even more defense couldn’t stop the Springboks from their constant attack. The Springboks finally broke past the exceptional play of Archer in the 73rd minute when a shot ricocheted off the post past Archer and back into the penalty area where Samuel Evans pounded it home. With all the momentum firmly on Transvaal’s side, York fans began to feel like their tournament was going to end in disappointment for the second straight year. But the York defense seemed to sense the urgency of the moment, tightening up and preventing anymore Transvaal penetration. Following a few more spectacular saves by Archer, the match expired and went into penalty kicks.

Samuel Evans, Thurston Alderton, Jamie Alcott, Carlton Drury, and Detlef Botha would be the penalty takers for the Springboks, and they would face off against Chip Watson, Otto Kunzleman, Carson Pitts, Zachary McCarthy, and Sean Hutchinson. Transvaal shot first, with Samuel Evans lining up and firing the shot past Thomas Archer, who dove in the opposite direction. Chip Watson fired off a shot that kissed the underside of the crossbar before squeaking in, tying the shootout at 1-1. Transvaal’s keeper Thurston Alderton shot next, but Archer read the ball and knocked it away with a diving stop. Otto Kunzleman was up next, and pounded a ball that froze Alderton inside the right post, putting the home side up 2-1. Jamie Alcott, always cool as ice, responded in a big way, rocketing home a ball that Archer had no chance at. Carson Pitts, not normally known for his scoring prowess but possessing a big leg that cleared away balls often, was up next and nearly missed the ball, sending in a weak shot that trickled off his heel to the opposite side of the net from where Alderton had dove and crossed the goal line, putting the Crimson Lions up 3-2. Carlton Drury was up next, and his shot was barely nudged aside by Archer who dove at full extension to reach the ball. Zachary McCarthy was up next for the Crimson Lions, knowing that if he put the ball into the back of the net, the Republic would advance to the finals. Approaching the ball, he stepped into it with his left foot and fired, the ball streaking into the upper right 90 of the net, just past the outstretched fingertips of Alderton. The York players mobbed their red-headed hero as they started carrying him off the pitch, a spot in the finals now assured as the Crimson Lions won 1-1 (2-4p).

Transvaal v. [b]Republic of York[/b] 1-1 (2-4p)

[center][size="5"][u][b]FINALS[/b][/u][/size][/center]

Republic of York v. Athenian Federation