Games 315, 316 and 317 (Various Matches), 04-18-300 thru 06-09-300:

Game 315: Eastern Zartania - Lexicon Islands (IVEFA Title Defense) 04-18-300:
 
IVEFA is pleased to announce the results of today's IVEFA Title defense match:

The Technical Information:

Final score: EASTERN ZARTANIA 3 - LEXICON ISLANDS 2
Played at: Badenburg Imperial Stadium, Azhincour, Albion-Merité
Attendance: 77,700
Referee: Alexi Verbatim (Ansonia)
Goals: Raxxon (LEX, 12.), McBride (KTZ, 51.), Wilson (KTZ, 72.), Eckin (LEX, 77.),
Nurytch (KTZ, 91.)
Yellow cards: Cross (KTZ, 55.), Filentoz (LEX, 66.)
Substitutions: Eckin for Raxxon (LEX, 45.), Dibris for Liller (LEX, 83.), du Cron
for Ayress KTZ, 84.)

EASTERN ZARTANIA HOLDS ON TO TITLE BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH!

An interesting matchup with two old rivals meeting, and that with a twist, with
former Lexicon Islands National Team coach Jon Hefter now serving as the acting
KTZ coach... despite him assuring the press that there is no personal mission of
his involved in this game, sources close to him revealed before the match that he
wanted this one bad!  After the mixed results in the somewhat test-like matches
against Western Zartania and Albion-Merite in the past week, KTZ was looking to
reaffirm themselves as a superpower in soccer on Vexillium by defending their
title, and their recently shaky reputation, after their home loss against Namuria
at the Vexillium Cup WZ'99.  Lexicon, on the other hand, the somewhat surprise
finalists at WZ'99 were looking to FINALLY win SOMETHING... but the eternal
bridesmaids were to once again come up painfully short... but they sure put on a
great show doing so, and had some bad luck along the way!

Lexicon played aggressively from the beginning, rather riskily, but they kept the
ball in their possession, and avoided quick counters... a quick spurt from
Filentoz opened up some room on the right for a precise pass to Fotonaro, who
passed off quickly to Raxxon, who in turn whirled around Shelton, and out of the
turn bombed the ball from medium distance straight past Jenkins, who had been
expecting a later shot.  Lexicon was up, 1-0, and things were looking good for the
Vikings.

Even for the next 20 minutes, it was the Islands team that kept the upper hand in
the match, especially with Filentoz and the mercurial Raxxon doing much legwork,
and Fotonaro always dangerous from any distance.  However, their momentum would
stop in the 40. minute, when Raxxon and Cross went for the ball via head, and
bunted their heads pretty hard in mid-air.  Cross seemed fine, but Raxxon was
groggy, and although a later diagnose would reveal no serious problem, he asked to
be exchanged during the break, as he was less than 100% from there on.  Eckin came
in for him.

Eastern Zartania, no doubt after a lecture from Jon Hefter in the break, came out
refreshed into the second half, and began to set the accents to the match that
they had lacked the first half.  McBride was the man to watch once more, and it
was the man himself to even out the score after a precise corner kick from
Faulkner in the 51. minute.  Mc Bride also was instrumental in KTZ's second goal,
easily scored by Wilson after McBride had outdribbled a defender, and made
Munstasi commit to him, leaving the left side wide open... Wilson was there,
McBride handed off, and Wilson's score was child's play!  2-1 Zartanians.

However, Lexicon was far from finished.  They had been picking up the pace all
second half, once they bridged around their missing legs, Raxxon.  His substitute
Eckin lived up to the task, scoring a real bomb after a looong throw-in from
Liller, which was bunted forward by Siliston.  The match was even, and there were
only 13 minutes to go!

Lexicon again began to play it up, but KTZ, being the world class team they are,
did not cave in a bit.  du Cron came in for fresh legs, Dibris for the Vikings.
The last 10 minutes were tremendously exciting, with a grand forechecking battle,
both teams playing like there was no tomorrow, the outcome wide open.  Just when
it looked like there might be an overtime, and well into injury time, all of a
sudden Wilson found Nurytch on the right, who sped past captain Komp, and sized up
the shot, with Munstasi reflecting the ball, but it would just hit the side pole,
bouncing back into the goal from there for the exciting conclusion of the game,
just seconds before the final whistle would have taken them to overtime...
incredible.

Jon Hefter was exuberant, and after the whistle blew, stormed the field, where he
was picked up and carried on his teams shoulders in celebration of the win.  It
was not a bit awkward with the Lexicon players, as all of them eventually came
over to congratulate their old coach, some hugs were exchanged.  After all, it was
not the players who fired Hefter!

So Eastern Zartania holds on to their title once more.  Who will be the next
challenger?

The Technical Information:

Final score: NAMURIA 4 - ALBION-MERITÉ 3
Played at: Zergho Vidalgur (Port of Liberty) Stadium, Phrasor, Namuria
Attendance: 264,900
Referee: Les Charrose (Rosardan)
Goals: Aldai (NAM, 6.), Salasarien (NAM, 17.), Lenderval (ALB, 40.), Ebropa (NAM,
44.), Muthras (NAM, 60.), Peplau (ALB, 80.), Peplau (ALB, 87.)
Yellow cards: Kardas (NAM, 11.), Jaar (NAM, 63.)
Substitutions: Muthras for Ebropa (NAM, 45.), Purin for Salasarien (NAM, 62.)

Namuria wins good match despite Albion-Merité finishing strong!

This was the much-anticipated battle of the Eagles, as BOTH teams are known as the
"Eagles" or even "Imperial Eagles"!  So, who is the "real deal"?  Well, we had a
winner, but no one disgraced themselves either.

Once again, the sights ans sounds were spectacular in the Port of Liberty Stadium,
with almost 265,000 fanatic Namurian spectators, an awesome crowd, and an
atmosphere like nowhere else.  Every team who has played here so far has had at
least some intimidation in the beginning, playing in front of such a unique
setting, and Albion-Merité was no exception:  Aldai, who has really earned his way
into a starting position in this extremely competitive squad, proved that he is
here to stay by bringing the hosts up 1-0 in just the 6. minute, with Namuria
clearly dominating the early going, taking advantage of their guests still
adapting to playing in front of the enormous partizan crowd.

 Albion began to gather themselves, but were unable to build any momentum for
themselves as in the 17. minute Salasarien converted a rebounded shot off the
crossbar from Aldai, leaving von Trapp little chance from close range.  2-0
Namuria, and the stadium was boiling over with excitement!

The celebrations got a little dampener, however, as in the 40. minute, captain
Lenderval decreased the margin with a precise header into the short corner, after
a slight mixup in the Namurian defense failed to clear the ball properly.  Things
were A-OK again for the home fans, however, as Ebropa converted a direct free
kick, a good 20 yards away from the box, aided by a blunder from von Trapp, who
looked bad in this standard situation, having come too far left in the goal, and
unable to scramble for the ball, which he had no doubt not expected to be played
direct from this long distance.  What a shot by Ebropa!  3-1 into the break.

Namuria brought the promised subs in at the break, Muthras, another world class
forward, and Purin, giving "The Soccer God" Salasarien a deserved break...

Muthras soon continued his good form in international play, scoring from a solo
spurt past the temporarily unconcentrated Jennings, and between the legs of von
Trapp!  One wonders when Muthras and Aldai might be starting for Namuria, seeing
their impressive performances each time!  At 4-1, things were looking great for
Namuria, and embarrassing for the guests, but in reality, the Albionites had been
far from Cannon Fodder, and had been holding their own, only doomed by some
individual mistakes.  In any event, Albion-Merite now made a run for it, and the
game entered its final phase, in which it was mostly the guests setting the
impulses.  Whether or not Namuria scaled back after their large lead is not known,
but it surely did not seem like they did not play at full throttle, and they had
their hands full with Albion-Merite!

Peplau was the man of the match for Merite, scoring twice before the end, and
playing it up with Lenderval and Hohenzoln at his side.  But this is also the time
where goalie Bestromur stepped into the spotlight:  usually the number two behind
Maharai, the keeper earned his "Player of the Match" honors for Namuria with a
series of saves through great reflexes and even better judgment... three times, he
decided to directly challenge the attacking Hohenzoln and Peplau, and each time
overcame their charge with pure personal effort and wit.  Despite their excellent
efforts, the Albionites could not gain their much wanted equalizer... Namuria held
on to win it, and the crowds who had been slightly hushed for the last 15 minutes,
watching in anticipation, but cheering their hero Bestromur, once again erupted in
the customary celebrations!  Namuria is still unbeaten at home!  Albion-Merite
once again shows their stuff, and increasingly cement their place in international
soccer competition as a serious contender!  For now, though, the battle of the
Eagles goes to the team from the Island!

The Technical Information:

Final score: EXTREMO 0 - SAN PATRICIO 0
Played in: Pärqo Nacìonäl, Extrëma, Extremo
Attendance: 65,000
Referee: Randie Stickx (Armatirion)
Goals: None!
Yellow cards: García (SPT, 66th)
Red cards: None
Substitutions: McGillicuddy for O'Brien-Escartefigues (SPT, 45th), E.
Yglësyàs for L. Pôlycìenëntesà (EXT, 45th), Smith-Jones for Fernández (SPT,
71st)

National Début Turns Into Surprise Goal-less Match!

Five months after the secession of Extremo from Brolecia, its coup, and its
implementation of international isolation, the government has a change of
heart, and decides that isolation has ended. So their soccer team organised
some friendlies.

Their first was against San Patricio. Nobody expected Extremo to perform
particularly well against the Flying Saints, obvious facts against them are
that San Patricio has at least seven times the population, and they have
been on the international soccer scene well longer than Extremo. But, the
Extremo defence was as a rock.

With the leadership of Paülo Tîlliqàratnë, a former Brolecian
international, Extremo's defence pulled off the feat of limiting the Flying
Saints to no goals at all. To be fair, San Patricio performed rather poorly
up front, which does not augur well for their next two matches. Ramón
O'Brien-Escartefigues and José Luís Fernández, the top scorers in Namuria's
Holy Imperial Championship, were not playing up to scratch. Many of the
strikers' shots went wayward, and the ones that were on target were
collected in difficult situations by Làurënçyò Dallällo, who managed to
play an outstanding game. In fact, it was rumoured that a talent scout for
the Westrian Club Dalsan United was a spectator, and he was impressed by
Dallällo. But at the moment, Extremo law prohibits Extremo national team
members to play professionally outside Extremo.

All in all, it was a disappointing game for San Patricio, but it was a
great triumph for Lös Lövos, who proved that they could hold a defence
against an established international side for 90 minutes. Extremo's attack
still needs work, however, and San Patricio's will as well, after this
deadlock.

San Patricio goes on to play Eastern Delgamia in Espebenoa and Namuria in
Phrasor by next Friday - a tough call! They will then go on to the VexGames
just west of the border.
Extremo has a bit more of a leisurely wait before their next game against
Eastern Delgamia. They will play that game on the 25th of this month in
Pìqachü, on the west coast of Extremo. Then they head south-east for the
VexGames.