Larxia

The fourth match of World Cup saw Larxia come up against under-performing  Cyrylic. Larxia came into this match riding on the strong showing in the match against United Adaikes.
The first half started with both Larxia on the front foot as we saw multiple attempts at goal. Leo Messy finally converted a chance into a solid goal in the 21st minute with a free kick from just outside the box. Almost immediately within 10 minutes of the Larxian goal, Cyrylic found themselves shocked after Pioli found his long-range effort end up across the Larxian goal line. At the end of half time, both the teams were level on goals. Guardiola probably ripped into his defense and the goalkeeper for conceding such a preventable goal.
The second half saw Larxia once again start on the front foot with Larxia continually attacking the Cyrylic defense with a barrage of attempts on goal. At the 52nd minute, Adrian Garcia found the net for Larxia, putting Larxia back in the lead of the match with a well-placed shot in the bottom right corner of the goal. At the 77th minute, Leo Messy doubled up his tally and extended the Larxian lead to 2 goals over Cyrylic with a beautiful curling effort towards the the top left corner. The match didn't see any more serious action until the end, with Larxia securing a much-required victory. 
This victory saw Larxia move up to 2nd place in Group C, ensuring the qualification to the next round, with a first-place their sights depending upon how the remaining fixtures proceed. The next match will see them go up against Ryxtylopia, who are in a three-way fight for the last qualification spot with Saint Mark and Cyrylic, who face United Adaikes and Arifiyyah respectively in their ultimate group stage fixture.
 
 

 

Results of the 5th Match Day of the Group Stage
Group A Dalimbar 1–0 Tupmonia Driex Skad 2–4 Nagaraningrad Overthinkers 0–1 Hertfordshire & Jammbo Group A Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Dalimbar 5 4 1 0 7 1 +6 13 y 2 Nagaraningrad 5 3 2 0 10 3 +7 11 y 3 Hertfordshire & Jammbo 5 3 1 1 8 3 +5 10 y 4 Overthinkers 5 2 0 3 8 7 +1 6 y 5 Driex Skad 5 1 0 4 7 14 −7 3 e 6 Tupmonia 5 0 0 5 1 13 −12 0 e Group B Giovanniland 4–1 Sekiya Alchera (NPC) 1–3 Fujai Kurabis 0–1 Cambria Group B Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Cambria 5 5 0 0 15 6 +9 15 y 2 Fujai 5 3 1 1 21 11 +10 10 y 3 Giovanniland 5 3 1 1 10 7 +3 10 y 4 Sekiya 5 1 0 4 9 16 −7 3 y 5 Alchera (NPC) 5 1 0 4 6 13 −7 3 e 6 Kurabis 5 1 0 4 1 9 −8 3 e Group C United Adaikes 2–1 Saint Mark Cyrylic 2–3 Arifiyyah Ryxtylopia 1–4 Larxia Group C Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Arifiyyah 5 4 1 0 17 9 +8 13 y 2 Larxia 5 4 0 1 15 7 +8 12 y 3 United Adaikes 5 3 1 1 12 7 +5 10 y 4 Ryxtylopia 5 1 0 4 9 15 −6 3 y 5 Saint Mark 5 1 0 4 3 10 −7 3 e 6 Cyrylic 5 1 0 4 5 13 −8 3 e Group D Santos-Dominius 3–0 Sospestan Haetonia 2–3 Zoran Rivalfiume 0–1 Nieubasria Group D Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Nieubasria 5 5 0 0 11 1 +10 15 y 2 Santos-Dominius 5 3 1 1 10 6 +4 10 y 3 Zoran 5 2 1 2 7 8 −1 7 y 4 Sospestan 5 2 1 2 3 7 −4 7 y 5 Rivalfiume 5 1 0 4 6 8 −2 3 e 6 Haetonia 5 0 1 4 6 13 −7 1 e Bracketing for the Knock-out Stage of the 2nd World Cup of Football

The fourth match of World Cup saw Larxia come up against under-performing  Cyrylic. Larxia came into this match riding on the strong showing in the match against United Adaikes.
The first half started with both Larxia on the front foot as we saw multiple attempts at goal. Leo Messy finally converted a chance into a solid goal in the 21st minute with a free kick from just outside the box. Almost immediately within 10 minutes of the Larxian goal, Cyrylic found themselves shocked after Pioli found his long-range effort end up across the Larxian goal line. At the end of half time, both the teams were level on goals. Guardiola probably ripped into his defense and the goalkeeper for conceding such a preventable goal.
The second half saw Larxia once again start on the front foot with Larxia continually attacking the Cyrylic defense with a barrage of attempts on goal. At the 52nd minute, Adrian Garcia found the net for Larxia, putting Larxia back in the lead of the match with a well-placed shot in the bottom right corner of the goal. At the 77th minute, Leo Messy doubled up his tally and extended the Larxian lead to 2 goals over Cyrylic with a beautiful curling effort towards the the top left corner. The match didn't see any more serious action until the end, with Larxia securing a much-required victory. 
This victory saw Larxia move up to 2nd place in Group C, ensuring the qualification to the next round, with a first-place their sights depending upon how the remaining fixtures proceed. The next match will see them go up against Ryxtylopia, who are in a three-way fight for the last qualification spot with Saint Mark and Cyrylic, who face United Adaikes and Arifiyyah respectively in their ultimate group stage fixture.
 
 

 

The fourth match of World Cup saw Larxia come up against under-performing  Cyrylic. Larxia came into this match riding on the strong showing in the match against United Adaikes.
The first half started with both Larxia on the front foot as we saw multiple attempts at goal. Leo Messy finally converted a chance into a solid goal in the 21st minute with a free kick from just outside the box. Almost immediately within 10 minutes of the Larxian goal, Cyrylic found themselves shocked after Pioli found his long-range effort end up across the Larxian goal line. At the end of half time, both the teams were level on goals. Guardiola probably ripped into his defense and the goalkeeper for conceding such a preventable goal.
The second half saw Larxia once again start on the front foot with Larxia continually attacking the Cyrylic defense with a barrage of attempts on goal. At the 52nd minute, Adrian Garcia found the net for Larxia, putting Larxia back in the lead of the match with a well-placed shot in the bottom right corner of the goal. At the 77th minute, Leo Messy doubled up his tally and extended the Larxian lead to 2 goals over Cyrylic with a beautiful curling effort towards the the top left corner. The match didn't see any more serious action until the end, with Larxia securing a much-required victory. 
This victory saw Larxia move up to 2nd place in Group C, ensuring the qualification to the next round, with a first-place their sights depending upon how the remaining fixtures proceed. The next match will see them go up against Ryxtylopia, who are in a three-way fight for the last qualification spot with Saint Mark and Cyrylic, who face United Adaikes and Arifiyyah respectively in their ultimate group stage fixture.
 
 

 

The fourth match of World Cup saw Larxia come up against under-performing  Cyrylic. Larxia came into this match riding on the strong showing in the match against United Adaikes.
The first half started with both Larxia on the front foot as we saw multiple attempts at goal. Leo Messy finally converted a chance into a solid goal in the 21st minute with a free kick from just outside the box. Almost immediately within 10 minutes of the Larxian goal, Cyrylic found themselves shocked after Pioli found his long-range effort end up across the Larxian goal line. At the end of half time, both the teams were level on goals. Guardiola probably ripped into his defense and the goalkeeper for conceding such a preventable goal.
The second half saw Larxia once again start on the front foot with Larxia continually attacking the Cyrylic defense with a barrage of attempts on goal. At the 52nd minute, Adrian Garcia found the net for Larxia, putting Larxia back in the lead of the match with a well-placed shot in the bottom right corner of the goal. At the 77th minute, Leo Messy doubled up his tally and extended the Larxian lead to 2 goals over Cyrylic with a beautiful curling effort towards the the top left corner. The match didn't see any more serious action until the end, with Larxia securing a much-required victory. 
This victory saw Larxia move up to 2nd place in Group C, ensuring the qualification to the next round, with a first-place their sights depending upon how the remaining fixtures proceed. The next match will see them go up against Ryxtylopia, who are in a three-way fight for the last qualification spot with Saint Mark and Cyrylic, who face United Adaikes and Arifiyyah respectively in their ultimate group stage fixture.
 
 

 

The Saint Mark Angels
Football Club
Spotlight on #1

The Most Honorable Andrew, Marquess of Mane
 
Saint Mark scores!
The Saint Mark Angels Football Club have finally ended their drought in this World Cup with a 1-0 win over Ryxtylopia. The single goal was scored by the leader of the team's offense, #1, Andrew Lionguard, with a beautiful diving header.
Andrew is the eldest son and heir of The Duke of Lion's Watch. At twenty-nine, he is the second oldest player on the team, and is responsible for keeping the Angels' offense focused, often devoting hours of his own time to train up new members of the club.
Football is a new pastime to the Lionguard family. The Duke was an avid sailor, as is Andrew's sister, Anna. Watch for her in the next Esferiad.
Long one of Saint Mark's most eligible bachelors, Andrew's heart was finally captured by Lady Sara Nee. Andrew and the second daughter of the Earl of Feycrest were engaged this summer.
 

Results of the 4th Match Day of the Group Stage
Group A Tupmonia 1–4 Overthinkers Hertfordshire & Jammbo 4–2 Driex Skad Nagaraningrad 1–1 Dalimbar Group A Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Dalimbar 4 3 1 0 6 1 +5 10 x 2 Nagaraningrad 4 2 2 0 6 1 +5 8 x 3 Hertfordshire & Jammbo 4 2 1 1 7 3 +4 7 x 4 Overthinkers 4 2 0 2 8 6 +2 6 5 Driex Skad 4 1 0 3 5 10 −5 3 6 Tupmonia 4 0 0 4 1 12 −11 0 e Group B Sekiya 0–1 Kurabis Cambria 4–2 Alchera (NPC) Fujai 3–3 Giovanniland Group B Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Cambria 4 4 0 0 14 6 +8 12 y 2 Fujai 4 2 1 1 18 10 +8 7 x 3 Giovanniland 4 2 1 1 6 6 0 7 x 4 Sekiya 4 1 0 3 8 12 −4 3 5 Alchera (NPC) 4 1 0 3 5 10 −5 3 6 Kurabis 4 1 0 3 1 8 −7 3 Group C Saint Mark 1–0 Ryxtylopia Larxia 3–1 Cyrylic Arifiyyah 2–2 United Adaikes Group C Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Arifiyyah 4 3 1 0 14 7 +7 10 x 2 Larxia 4 3 0 1 11 6 +5 9 x 3 United Adaikes 4 2 1 1 10 6 +4 7 x 4 Ryxtylopia 4 1 0 3 8 11 −3 3 5 Saint Mark 4 1 0 3 2 8 −6 3 6 Cyrylic 4 1 0 3 3 10 −7 3 Group D Sospestan 2–1 Rivalfiume Nieubasria 3–1 Haetonia Zoran 1–1 Santos-Dominius Group D Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Nieubasria 4 4 0 0 10 1 +9 12 y 2 Santos-Dominius 4 2 1 1 7 6 +1 7 x 3 Sospestan 4 2 1 1 3 4 −1 7 x 4 Zoran 4 1 1 2 4 6 −2 4 5 Rivalfiume 4 1 0 3 6 7 −1 3 6 Haetonia 4 0 1 3 4 10 −6 1 e y - clinched group winner x - ensured place in Round of 16 e - eliminated For the 5th match day, and here on out, there are no more RP prompts. Post your RP and pray for your team that they proceed to the Round of 16!

The third match of the World Cup Campaign saw Larxia face the previous edition's hosts United Adaikes. One of the stronger and more experienced teams participating in this year's edition of the World Cup. They placed 9th in the the First World Cup of Football. UA came into this match unbeaten, whereas Larxia suffered a shock defeat to Arifiyyah in their last outing.
The match kicked off, but the whole first half was pretty much a mid-field battle between the two teams, with both the team's midfields performing just well enough to deter each other. Larxia registered 7 shots on goal in the first half, but without managing to get it in the back of the net. In retrospect, UA managed only 2 shots on goal, but the second shot, which came in the 43rd minute, saw the Adaikesian star-man Maddox put his team ahead in a must-win match. At half-time UA led the match 1-0 against Larxia.
The Second Half kicked off after about 20 minutes of break. Even though, Larxia was trailing, they start with renewed vigor to turn this around any way they can. At around 75 minutes, Leo Messy found himself one-on-one with the Adaikesian goalkeeper. He slotted that away coolly around the keeper and in the back of the net, you can hear the handful of fans that were able to get in the stadium using the whole of their lungs to cheer for the equalizer. The second half saw Larxia relentlessly attack the Adaikesian defense, and the defense continually not able to keep up with the Larxian attacking trio of Aviero, Messy, and Garcia. In the 89th minute, an Adaikesian defender pulled down Garcia 25 meters from goal, resulting in a Larxian free kick. Messy stepped up to take the free kick. 90+2', Messy hits the ball, over the wall, curving towards the top left corner, just outside the keeper's reach. It's in!!! IT IS IN!!! Messy has done it! Larxia have done it!! Whatever Guardiola said at half-time went straight to their heads, as we saw a redemption from Messy, coming back to win such an important game against United Adaikes.
The next fixture sees Larxia face Cyrylic, who are having a campaign to forget, though they sit with one win, their qualification chances look slim with a possible strong showing from Ryxtylopia towards the end of the group stages.

The third match of the World Cup Campaign saw Larxia face the previous edition's hosts United Adaikes. One of the stronger and more experienced teams participating in this year's edition of the World Cup. They placed 9th in the the First World Cup of Football. UA came into this match unbeaten, whereas Larxia suffered a shock defeat to Arifiyyah in their last outing.
The match kicked off, but the whole first half was pretty much a mid-field battle between the two teams, with both the team's midfields performing just well enough to deter each other. Larxia registered 7 shots on goal in the first half, but without managing to get it in the back of the net. In retrospect, UA managed only 2 shots on goal, but the second shot, which came in the 43rd minute, saw the Adaikesian star-man Maddox put his team ahead in a must-win match. At half-time UA led the match 1-0 against Larxia.
The Second Half kicked off after about 20 minutes of break. Even though, Larxia was trailing, they start with renewed vigor to turn this around any way they can. At around 75 minutes, Leo Messy found himself one-on-one with the Adaikesian goalkeeper. He slotted that away coolly around the keeper and in the back of the net, you can hear the handful of fans that were able to get in the stadium using the whole of their lungs to cheer for the equalizer. The second half saw Larxia relentlessly attack the Adaikesian defense, and the defense continually not able to keep up with the Larxian attacking trio of Aviero, Messy, and Garcia. In the 89th minute, an Adaikesian defender pulled down Garcia 25 meters from goal, resulting in a Larxian free kick. Messy stepped up to take the free kick. 90+2', Messy hits the ball, over the wall, curving towards the top left corner, just outside the keeper's reach. It's in!!! IT IS IN!!! Messy has done it! Larxia have done it!! Whatever Guardiola said at half-time went straight to their heads, as we saw a redemption from Messy, coming back to win such an important game against United Adaikes.
The next fixture sees Larxia face Cyrylic, who are having a campaign to forget, though they sit with one win, their qualification chances look slim with a possible strong showing from Ryxtylopia towards the end of the group stages.

SPORTRAVEL
Around Giovanniland through Football Stadiums: 2nd World Cup Special II
Posted 17/11/1422 
We're back at SporTravel with another post about the 2nd World Cup of Football tournament! While the Giovannilandians prepare to face off the Landslag from Fujai, after beating the teams of Alchera and Kurabis and most recently losing to Cambria, we will present two more iconic stadiums.

Kampo Vetto Urydano, Uryde, Lavanda Prima
Capacity: 45,300
People think of the Stadio Abreo-Florino when the question of a football stadium in the northern city of Uryde is given. I mean, that's fair considering its highlight during the II Summer Esferiad last year and its prominence in the city center, but it's actually not the first stadium in this city of five hundred inhabitants! The title goes to the Uryde Old Field, one of the first football fields in the entirety of Giovanniland, founded in the early 13th century.
Back then, Uryde had less than half its current population, as the city was starting to attract people from rural areas amid industrialization, and the football's capacity of around 10,000 seats was hailed as a big project back then. Nowadays, the stadium has been expanded four-fold as it takes the role of a secondary stadium in Uryde, where people can see its historical elements, appreciate the coast, and run away from the big events in the Stadio Abreo-Florino.
The home team is called the Leoni Lavanduli, a historical reference from millennia ago to the Lavandulan Empire, which had its capital at Uryde, then called Lavandula. Sadly, the Leoni haven't been as strong as they were in the early years of Giovannilandian football, in which they had back-to-back titles at 1320 and 1321 for example, although new management and stadium modernization may mean a brighter future ahead.
To their credit, though, their attacking midfield Hortensia Purparbone was chosen as part of the Starting XI for the national team, while their rivals from Uryde Pedesfera are only represented by two reserve players from the city. Hortensia is a young star from the team and looks to be quite promising in national football!

Stadio Montano L'Apertura, L'Apertura, Kordelleria
Capacity: 7,500
The Giovandolian Mountains of the southern Andolian Territory are not where you'd usually look for a football stadium, but in the largest city of this sparsely-populated region, travelers are able to find a quite iconic arena with a breathtaking view from the nearby mountains!
The city name itself comes from its strategic location at a valley within the mountain chain, and is the main route for people looking to pass through the north into the Violet Valley or south into the Emunian Valley. One of the main aspects it's known for, however, is the altitude of over 2,000 meters that often makes players from the coasts of Porto Violeto or Uryde take some time to adapt. 
That's all for the second part of this series! Thank you for reading, and we wish you good and safe travels if you are looking to visit these and other football places in Giovanniland. If you've got suggestions for the next parts, email us at sportravelgiovanniland@giovamail.com!

The match against Arifiyyah saw Larxia come up against this year's 2nd highest goal-scorers. Arifiyyah came into this match riding a big wave of a decisive victory in their previous match, and even if we ourselves came off the back off a big victory against a tested opposition, Arifiyyah managed to get the better of us on the fateful day. 
The match kicked off pretty slow, with both the teams getting very chances on a goal in the first 25 mins. Around the 25th minute, Larxia started to pick up the pace, by committing a lot of players up front, but Arifiyyah managed to hit Larxia on a counter and Harris Kane scored the opener for Arifiyyah. Within 5 minutes Messy equalized the score with a well-placed finish in the top left corner. Half time saw both the teams on level terms.
The Second Half, saw the Larxian defense struggle to keep ahold of the Arifiyyan forwards, as they scored 3 goals in quick succession. Sloppy defending, and opponent's decisiveness can turn out to be a team's greatest downfall. The only good thing for Larxia came at the end of the Second Half, when Cristian Aviero managed to pull one back, even though late for a win, managed to at least reduce the effect on the Goal Difference of the team. Aviero managed a 90+1' goal with a powered shot from outside the penalty area.
Tha game ended 4-2 in favour of Arifiyyah. sending them to the top of the table, leaving Larxia in a precarious 3rd place in the group with only 4 qualifications. Though it is still salvageable, the boys will have their work cut for them if they want to qualify in a favourable position into the Round of 16.

 
 
 

Let us talk about the different pre-game rituals and superstitions that our beloved footballing heroes believe in or practice before every match.
The Photo Frame: The photo frame is one of the oldest artifacts of Larxian Football. It carries the image of the first squad that represented Larxia on the international stage, and the inspiration behind the original logo of the Federation. The original logo was a Falcon perched on top of a Football. The Falcon had flown in in the team photo and sat on the ball kept in the front, so whenever the team go out to play, they touch that photo once on their way out, and if mixed with a Falcon spotting, it is said to be an assured win for Larxia.
 
Touching the Ground: Every time the players the players set out play a match, they first touch the ground with whichever hand they want with. This is a way of Larxians showing respect to the ground and asking for its blessing to step on the ground and win the match. No Larxian player ever crosses the sidelines without doing this, no matter how small or big they are, or what level of football they are playing. From Junior leagues to amateur leagues, all the way to the professional leagues, every player respects this tradition, as we believe that the ground only respects those who respect the ground. That is also why you'll never see any Larxian kicking the ground in disappointment even after a loss, no matter how heavy, there are other ways to vent.
 
These are some of the truest and most traditional pre-match rituals in the history of Larxian football and have stood the test of time and the cultural revolution. There are many superstitions that the players, and even the normal people have on a personal level, but from the very little I've heard about the players, we'd rather not publish those to uphold the privacy of the footballers.
 

Results of the 3rd Match Day of the Group Stage
Group A Nagaraningrad 4–0 Tupmonia Dalimbar 1–0 Hertfordshire & Jammbo Driex Skad 2–4 Overthinkers Group A Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Dalimbar 3 3 0 0 5 0 +5 9 2 Nagaraningrad 3 2 1 0 5 0 +5 7 3 Hertfordshire & Jammbo 3 1 1 1 3 1 +2 4 4 Overthinkers 3 1 0 2 4 5 −1 3 5 Driex Skad 3 1 0 2 3 6 −3 3 6 Tupmonia 3 0 0 3 0 8 −8 0 Group B Fujai 6–3 Sekiya Giovanniland 1–3 Cambria Alchera (NPC) 1–0 Kurabis Group B Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Cambria 3 3 0 0 10 4 +6 9 2 Fujai 3 2 0 1 15 7 +8 6 3 Giovanniland 3 2 0 1 3 3 0 6 4 Sekiya 3 1 0 2 8 11 −3 3 5 Alchera (NPC) 3 1 0 2 3 6 −3 3 6 Kurabis 3 0 0 3 0 8 −8 0 Group C Arifiyyah 3–1 Saint Mark United Adaikes 1–2 Larxia Cyrylic 1–4 Ryxtylopia Group C Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Arifiyyah 3 3 0 0 12 5 +7 9 2 United Adaikes 3 2 0 1 8 4 +4 6 3 Larxia 3 2 0 1 8 5 +3 6 4 Ryxtylopia 3 1 0 2 8 10 −2 3 5 Cyrylic 3 1 0 2 2 7 −5 3 6 Saint Mark 3 0 0 3 1 8 −7 0 Group D Zoran 0–1 Sospestan Santos-Dominius 0–2 Nieubasria Haetonia 0–3 Rivalfiume Group D Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Nieubasria 3 3 0 0 7 0 +7 9 2 Santos-Dominius 3 2 0 1 6 5 +1 6 3 Sospestan 3 1 1 1 1 3 −2 4 4 Rivalfiume 3 1 0 2 5 5 0 3 5 Zoran 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3 6 Haetonia 3 0 1 2 3 7 −4 1 For the 4th matchday, if you want to, talk about government officials who love football/soccer. Be creative (but with the bounds of realism)!

Let us talk about the different pre-game rituals and superstitions that our beloved footballing heroes believe in or practice before every match.
The Photo Frame: The photo frame is one of the oldest artifacts of Larxian Football. It carries the image of the first squad that represented Larxia on the international stage, and the inspiration behind the original logo of the Federation. The original logo was a Falcon perched on top of a Football. The Falcon had flown in in the team photo and sat on the ball kept in the front, so whenever the team go out to play, they touch that photo once on their way out, and if mixed with a Falcon spotting, it is said to be an assured win for Larxia.
 
Touching the Ground: Every time the players the players set out play a match, they first touch the ground with whichever hand they want with. This is a way of Larxians showing respect to the ground and asking for its blessing to step on the ground and win the match. No Larxian player ever crosses the sidelines without doing this, no matter how small or big they are, or what level of football they are playing. From Junior leagues to amateur leagues, all the way to the professional leagues, every player respects this tradition, as we believe that the ground only respects those who respect the ground. That is also why you'll never see any Larxian kicking the ground in disappointment even after a loss, no matter how heavy, there are other ways to vent.
 
These are some of the truest and most traditional pre-match rituals in the history of Larxian football and have stood the test of time and the cultural revolution. There are many superstitions that the players, and even the normal people have on a personal level, but from the very little I've heard about the players, we'd rather not publish those to uphold the privacy of the footballers.
 

Post-match (in the dressing room)
 
Guardiola: Come on guys, what was that out there. Don't play like last time's Runners-Up. This is a fresh campaign, and if I see even a sliver of complacency within you, believe me you will be on your way back to Larxia. Am I clear??
Team: Yes Sir!
Guardiola: Yes, that's better. Now I very much expect you on the ground early in the morning, we will have a tactical meeting, and then train according to the tactical changes needed for the match against UA. And I want to see a different performance from the defense. You are some of the best players in the world, so bring that onto the field when it matters.
Messy: Coach is right. We have to buckle up for the rest of the tournament. This is just a setback, but we've always risen above those little setbacks for the big things.
Guardiola: Well Said! Go back to your rooms and make sure to get enough rest.
 

The match against Arifiyyah saw Larxia come up against this year's 2nd highest goal-scorers. Arifiyyah came into this match riding a big wave of a decisive victory in their previous match, and even if we ourselves came off the back off a big victory against a tested opposition, Arifiyyah managed to get the better of us on the fateful day. 
The match kicked off pretty slow, with both the teams getting very chances on a goal in the first 25 mins. Around the 25th minute, Larxia started to pick up the pace, by committing a lot of players up front, but Arifiyyah managed to hit Larxia on a counter and Harris Kane scored the opener for Arifiyyah. Within 5 minutes Messy equalized the score with a well-placed finish in the top left corner. Half time saw both the teams on level terms.
The Second Half, saw the Larxian defense struggle to keep ahold of the Arifiyyan forwards, as they scored 3 goals in quick succession. Sloppy defending, and opponent's decisiveness can turn out to be a team's greatest downfall. The only good thing for Larxia came at the end of the Second Half, when Cristian Aviero managed to pull one back, even though late for a win, managed to at least reduce the effect on the Goal Difference of the team. Aviero managed a 90+1' goal with a powered shot from outside the penalty area.
Tha game ended 4-2 in favour of Arifiyyah. sending them to the top of the table, leaving Larxia in a precarious 3rd place in the group with only 4 qualifications. Though it is still salvageable, the boys will have their work cut for them if they want to qualify in a favourable position into the Round of 16.

 
 
 

The match against Arifiyyah saw Larxia come up against this year's 2nd highest goal-scorers. Arifiyyah came into this match riding a big wave of a decisive victory in their previous match, and even if we ourselves came off the back off a big victory against a tested opposition, Arifiyyah managed to get the better of us on the fateful day. 
The match kicked off pretty slow, with both the teams getting very chances on a goal in the first 25 mins. Around the 25th minute, Larxia started to pick up the pace, by committing a lot of players up front, but Arifiyyah managed to hit Larxia on a counter and Harris Kane scored the opener for Arifiyyah. Within 5 minutes Messy equalized the score with a well-placed finish in the top left corner. Half time saw both the teams on level terms.
The Second Half, saw the Larxian defense struggle to keep ahold of the Arifiyyan forwards, as they scored 3 goals in quick succession. Sloppy defending, and opponent's decisiveness can turn out to be a team's greatest downfall. The only good thing for Larxia came at the end of the Second Half, when Cristian Aviero managed to pull one back, even though late for a win, managed to at least reduce the effect on the Goal Difference of the team. Aviero managed a 90+1' goal with a powered shot from outside the penalty area.
Tha game ended 4-2 in favour of Arifiyyah. sending them to the top of the table, leaving Larxia in a precarious 3rd place in the group with only 4 qualifications. Though it is still salvageable, the boys will have their work cut for them if they want to qualify in a favourable position into the Round of 16.

 
 
 

A beautiful display of footballing spirit saw Larxia take the much-needed win against a rather friendly nation of Saint Mark. The 4-0 win was exactly the start the team would've wanted and was expected from the Runners-Up of the 1st Football World Cup. 
In a post-match interview with Larxia's own Philippe Langburn, captain Leo Messy, scoring a hat-trick in the first game, emphasized on how starting this campaign off with a decisive victory was absolutely necessary for the morale of the team. The morale around the team has steadily risen since the pre–World Cup friendlies that were played to prepare for the tournament.
The match saw goals coming from Messy and Garcia.
 
 

 
 
In an interview with the head coach, Ronald Guardiola, we learnt how they prepared for the first match, be it physically, tactically or mentally, and how close-knit this group of players is. 
The King also seemed delighted with the victory in his pretty straight-forward worded tweet
 

 
 
 
 

The Saint Mark Angels
Football Club
 
Sir Karl Rodenberg, Coach of the Saint Mark Angels, was sitting at the small desk in his room at the The Vertex, a five-star hotel within walking distance of the Blizzardfall Stadium. Despite the near-freezing temperature outside, the window was open to allow the icy breeze to cool off the over-heated space. Apparently, their host country thought that those from the warmer climes would feel more at home in a sauna. The hotel was obviously of a high quality, but furnished in the spare, modern style that Sir Karl disliked. The accomodations weren't what were making him uncomfortable, however. He was on the phone with his sovereign, Prince Marcarius.
"Yes, sir. Westly definitely did not play up to his potential. Our first-rate Keeper seemed sluggish. I'm sure it was a combination of jet lag and acclimating to the cold weather."
"Well, we originally did want to arrive earlier, but with Lionguard having to attend his sister's Presentation, and Dragonhart being unable to travel until he received the ok from his doctor, we couldn't fly in until just the day before."
"He's doing much better. Thank you for asking, sir. He feels that his crystals are strengthening his back, but of course, it's probably his physical therapy."
"Yes, or both ... of course."
"Yes, sir. That's kind of you to say, sir. We won't let you down."
Sir Karl put down his phone and sighed. It was nearly time to join his team on the practice field. He hoped last night's early bedtime and today's exercises would bring them back to the high level of play of which he knew they were capable.
 

WCF2 Coverage: Match Day 1 | Santos-Dominius 4-3 Haetonia
Santos-Dominius has celebrated its first victory in the 2nd World Cup of Football today after the National Football Team clinched a narrow 4-3 victory against opponents from Haetonia, in what was described by Santo-Dominian viewers at home as a nail-biting match that was stressful to watch on television.
This victory puts the team in a strong position in Group D alongside the teams from Nieubasria and Zoran, with all three teams each having three points. The losers of Match Day 1, namely Haetonia, Sospestan and Rivalfiume, all have zero points and presently sit at the bottom of the group. However, all teams still have ample opportunities to move up or down the Group D leaderboard, with today's matches being only the beginning of what is expected to be a long competition between the very best footballers and teams of Esferos.
Besides the Santo-Dominian victory against Haetonia, several other countries won exceptional victories against their opponents. In Group A, Hertfordshire and Jammbo won with the biggest margin in their group, triumphing against Tupmonia in a 3-0 match. In Group B, Fujar footballers collectively orchestrated what was later found to be the new biggest win of all-time, managing a 6-0 wipeout of a match against Kurabis, which later led to reports from Fujansk student radio Den Blå Duken that some of the Fujar players apparently appeared "ashamed at [the] shutout" that they had dealt to the Kurabisians.
In Group C, the team from Larxia pulled off a 4-0 victory against the Saint Markians, in what was considered a disappointing start to WCF2 for Saint Mark. However, commentators have pointed out that it was not unexpected, given the fact that the Larxians performed incredibly well in WCF1, having won 2nd place overall after narrowly losing 0-1 to Nieubasria. Commentators expect Larxia to maintain a strong showing this time around, while many have also cautioned against counting Saint Mark out after only one day into the competition.

A beautiful display of footballing spirit saw Larxia take the much-needed win against a rather friendly nation of Saint Mark. The 4-0 win was exactly the start the team would've wanted and was expected from the Runners-Up of the 1st Football World Cup. 
In a post-match interview with Larxia's own Philippe Langburn, captain Leo Messy, scoring a hat-trick in the first game, emphasized on how starting this campaign off with a decisive victory was absolutely necessary for the morale of the team. The morale around the team has steadily risen since the pre–World Cup friendlies that were played to prepare for the tournament.
The match saw goals coming from Messy and Garcia.
 
 

 
 
In an interview with the head coach, Ronald Guardiola, we learnt how they prepared for the first match, be it physically, tactically or mentally, and how close-knit this group of players is. 
The King also seemed delighted with the victory in his pretty straight-forward worded tweet
 

 
 
 
 

A beautiful display of footballing spirit saw Larxia take the much-needed win against a rather friendly nation of Saint Mark. The 4-0 win was exactly the start the team would've wanted and was expected from the Runners-Up of the 1st Football World Cup. 
In a post-match interview with Larxia's own Philippe Langburn, captain Leo Messy, scoring a hat-trick in the first game, emphasized on how starting this campaign off with a decisive victory was absolutely necessary for the morale of the team. The morale around the team has steadily risen since the pre–World Cup friendlies that were played to prepare for the tournament.
The match saw goals coming from Messy and Garcia.
 
 

 
 
In an interview with the head coach, Ronald Guardiola, we learnt how they prepared for the first match, be it physically, tactically or mentally, and how close-knit this group of players is. 
The King also seemed delighted with the victory in his pretty straight-forward worded tweet
 

 
 
 
 

A beautiful display of footballing spirit saw Larxia take the much-needed win against a rather friendly nation of Saint Mark. The 4-0 win was exactly the start the team would've wanted and was expected from the Runners-Up of the 1st Football World Cup. 
In a post-match interview with Larxia's own Philippe Langburn, captain Leo Messy, scoring a hat-trick in the first game, emphasized on how starting this campaign off with a decisive victory was absolutely necessary for the morale of the team. The morale around the team has steadily risen since the pre–World Cup friendlies that were played to prepare for the tournament.
The match saw goals coming from Messy and Garcia.
 
 

 
 
In an interview with the head coach, Ronald Guardiola, we learnt how they prepared for the first match, be it physically, tactically or mentally, and how close-knit this group of players is. 
The King also seemed delighted with the victory in his pretty straight-forward worded tweet
 

 
 
 
 

Cricket
T20 World Cups
1st T20 World Cup - Larxia | OOC Thread | IC Thread
1st - Hertfordia
2nd - United Adaikes
3rd - Larxia