[Legionas]

IDUFC GRAND FINAL

[floatright]Gameweek 6[/floatright]



Following 5 action packed weeks; filled with triumph, heartbreak and grief, the stage has been set for the IDU Grand Final. Hundreds of thousands of fans flocked to Aunistria, Legionas' brand new jewel, to witness another round of history. The Gnejsians, always consistently achieving greatness, were up against the fiery Assamlandians, who have looked dangerous on the pitch, in a match that was sure to leave fans on the top of their seats. Alliances were drawn, drinks ordered and the stage set, for the climax of another iteration of the IDUFC.

The Closing Ceremony
Right before the final match kicked off, the Martin T. Bradshaw Arena was the venue for the IDUFC Closing ceremony, where a dozen or so artists, dancers and celebrities took to the stage in several choreographed dances and songs, while the crowd cheered incessantly, enhancing the atmosphere of the stadium. Several world leaders and foreign dignitaries also attended the event such as President Richard Grammitara of Zerphique as well asPresident Matōchmizalo and Prime Minister Tapihana of Millintica as well as Chancellor William Lancaster of Eiria. Before the final match kicked off, King Alexander II was invited onto the stage to officially end the ceremony. He congratulated all participating teams, the finalists especially. He also acknowledged the fans who had come from all over the IDU, as well as those tuning in from the comfort of their homes, bars and viewing platforms. He spoke of the beauty of football in promoting peace, trust, honesty, compassion and good sportsmanship. He finished his speech by stating in a short prayer;

"We thank the Lord for allowing this iteration of the International Democratic Union's Football Championship to run smoothly with little to no hitches. We also thank Him for allowing all 16 teams of the tournament to duke it out on the pitch, in several shows of the beautiful game and we finally thank Him for covering us in His eternal grace as we return to our abodes, after having witnessed history. Amen!"

Chants of "In Varietate Concordia! May the Best Nation Win!" soon filled the ground as the aging monarch received the fiercely guarded trophy, in a final and ceremonial send off for the piece of silverware.

The ground was soon prepared for the final spectacle of the IDUFC, with the Gnejsians and Assamlandians raring to go. The streets of Legionite cities, as well as those of other nations in the IDU were silent as the world waited for the blare of the whistle that would set history into motion.

[b]Gnejs vs Assamland[/b]
The Gnejsians came out on top versus the Assamlandians in a 2-0 victory at the Martin T. Bradshaw Arena to clinch the IDUFC Trophy for a second consecutive year. The game got off to a fiery start with Jack Wiijk breaking the deadlock in the 6th Minute with a beautiful placed free-kick from 32 yards out. The Assamlandians, undeterred, fought on and nearly equalized in the 32nd minute, with an effort from Marten Nijland striking the crossbar.

The second half saw both sides recommence their contest, with neither seemingly managing to look superior. The Assamlandians soon also got another break, with Stefan Kjeller losing the ball in a dangerous position in the 63rd minute, of which Martien Nijland almost capitalized on, losing the pace battle to Gustaf Bjørneboe by only a few inches. In the 86th min, Jack Wiijk doubled his tally with a sensational run of play from the Dandelion midfield, allowing him to slot home from 6 yards out. The Assamlandians, who fought with the ferocity of tigers, definitely did not deserve to be two goals down with only a few minutes left. The Dandelions, content with the score, sat deep refusing the Assamlandians another chance to break their clean sheet.

Celebration
The final whistle blew and the entire stadium erupted in cheers, chants and celebratory songs by the Gnejsians as well as other fans from across the IDU. The streets of Legionite cities saw hundreds of thousands of fans flock to the streets in ecstatic celebration. The Assamlandian fans, having realized just how good the Gnejsians were, conceded the match and joined the celebrations although a few were less than pleased.The Assamlandian team, having given their all on the pitch, deservedly were showered with praise from the fans as they retreated to the dressing room allowing the Gnejsians to celebrate. The fans turned up the ante when the Assamlandians finally left the pitch, with flares and approved smoke bombs being lit up around the ground and in the streets of Aunistria even as the heavens opened above them and torrential rain lashed down upon the triumphant Gnejsian team. Port Kejm, the capital city of Gnejs, saw droves of celebrating Gnejsians flock to the streets in organized celebration.

The Gnejsians were crowned champions of the IDU for the second consecutive time in an emotional ceremony soon after the match ended. Fans soon flocked to social media to celebrate the occasion, with the hashtag #IDUFCFINAL trending on all major social media.

"Not a lot of people had high expectations for this IDUFC, some weren't even sure we'd get through the group stages because the group was not easy," An assamlandian fan told L-Sport.com "It's been really crazy, crazy, crazy here during the IDUFC!"

Team of the week

Goalkeeper
Kjetil Åkervik (Gnejs)

Defenders
Stefan Kjeller (Gnejs)
Simon Thirlwel (Gnejs)
Matthijs de Ligt (Assamland)
Hans van Klomp (Assamland)

Midfielders
Sjaak Driessen (Assamland)
Henk-jan van’t Oude (Assamland)
Didrik Solstad (Gnejs)
Gustaf Bjørneboe (Gnejs)

Strikers
Jack Wiijk (Gnejs)
Martien Nijland (Assamland)

Goal of the week: Jack Wiijk vs Assamland