Games 220-224 (Friendly Matches), November 30, 299:

Game 220: IWK-Ras Lanarch (11-30-299)

The Technical Information:

Final score: IWK 0 - RAS LANARCH 0
Played in: Banana Leaf Arena, Pimpre, IWK
Attendance: 33,300
Referee: Willy Corniff (ARO)
Goals: none
Yellow cards: Xuxu (IWK, 52.)
Substitutions: Sourstoff for Hainey (RAS, 24.), Allbright for Gerthz (RAS, 45.),
Sturmann for Alon (IWK, 45.)

Dull game ends in dull result!  A disappointing game for both teams in terms of
performance, this one was a yawn for the spectators.  Without Zeschgl, who
defected to the Westrian side, Ras Lanarch was only a shadow of its former self,
and IWK could not capitalize on their opponents weaknesses.  Better forget this
match ever happened.

The Technical Information:

Final score: SOLANCHATKA 1 - WOO 4
Played in: Alex-Smith Coliseum, Samsarini, Solanchatka
Attendance: 76,400
Referee: Ivan Chernyenko (ULA)
Goals: Hradilek (SCK, 9.), Tipulura (WOO, 44.), Tipulura (WOO, 56.), Tungatulum
(WOO, 66., penalty), Porkaliri (WOO, 81.)
Yellow cards: Lazlo (SCK, 22.), Placidy (SCK, 66.)
Substitutions: Van Zaandt for Dabeng (SCK, 45.), Porkaliri for Tipulura (WOO, 67.)

Solanchatka with high hopes, but runs into Woo steam train!  This one was
certainly one to remember:  a complete unknown, Solanchatka (although featuring
some players formerly seen on the Angliyaan side) faced off against the
last-ranked team of Vexillium.  The bookmakers could not figure this one out, but
most had the home side as the favorites.  Boy, were they wrong!  Solanchatka, in
their first ever match, was wide-eyed and claerly not ready for international
competition, as they lost big to Woo due to inexperience, especially in the second
half.  Solanchatka started out fine, and took the lead, but failed to protect it
into the break, and as Woo gained momentum, the hosts just could not find a recipe
to contain them.  When Tungatulum also converted he penalty in the 66., the home
team was broken.  The Melanians, who had played not exactly stellar in the Copa
Melania (last place), managed a high win.  Who could have guessed!

The Technical Information:

Final score: OOST-OTAGO 0 - WESTRIA 0
Played in: The Dust Bowl, Tepizcoloyo, Oost-Otago
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Riuin Ointoingami (Woo)
Goals: none
Yellow cards: Adelbert (OOO, 22.), Sibbel (OOO, 56.), Nadeschney (WES, 74.)
Substitutions: Schußlich for Adelbert (OOO, 45.), Theunissen for Umsatz (WES, 45.)

The Westrians were complaining about this trip from the beginning, with the
demanding WSL schedule in full swing, they had little motivation to play a
friendly in the desert against an inferior team.  Their lack of motivation showed
in the match, which ended in a scoreless tie - a rather embarrassing result for
the Westrian powerhouse, which has shown signs of discord ever since the losses
suffered in the VexGames tourney.  Coach Adi Schrey is said to have been furious,
and to have threatened that several heads will roll.  He reportedly said: "the
depth of talent in Westria is so deep, I have no reason to hang on to players who
cannot motivate themselves.  I think it is time to rebuild this team around the
tremandous talent that is available to us."

The mood in Oost-Otago was of course rather happy after holding off the superstars
of the mother nation, and getting away with a draw.  The Desert Rats were clearly
motivated from their 3-0 win over Woo in the Copa Melania, and this should even
further boost their morale.

The Technical Information:

Final score: DEUCOLAND 0 - NIOKOLO KOBA 2
Played in: Marc-Junele-Arena, Sansoheil, Deucoland
Attendance: 55,500
Referee: Wilfried Astnehmer (WES)
Goals: Ba (NIO, 60.), Harawi (NIO, 70.)
Yellow cards: Ohnesorge (DEU, 11.), Diallo (NIO, 33.), Inglis (DEU, 62.)
Substitutions: none

A historic match for both sides, who recently regained their "independence" and
soccer national teams from Westria, Deucoland for the first time ever fielding a
national team, and Niokolo Koba returning to IVEFA action for the first time since
the LSA Trophy in March!  Although Deucoland features several big names in the
Schnysna Superiorship, it was the previous experience of playing together as a
team by NK that helped the NKers to a 2-0 win in Sansoheil.  Not short on
high-profile players in the WSL themselves, NK played their best today, and they
needed to, as Deucoland did not give them anything.  The Gargoyles showed a lot of
talent today, and once they get used to playing as a team together, they could
become a real regional challenger.

The Technical Information:

Final score: LOMBRIGA 1 - KALESTHESIA 3
Played in: Stade Jorge Candeias, Semprempe, Lombriga
Attendance: 49,700
Referee: Gilles Baptiste (APX)
Goals: Hrendy (LOM, 23.), Qarza (KAL, 25.), Kattsi (KAL, 50.), Funchzal (KAL, 81.)
Yellow cards: Cipp (LOM, 12.), Kefir (KAL, 62.)
Substitutions: none

In yet another debut match for a new national team, Lombriga, in their first ever
match, succumbed to the more experienced Kalesthesian side, who, after going down
0-1, quickly rebounded to comfortably take the win.