[Libertas Omnium Maximus]

Week Three
9/26 - 10/2

0 LHV v GDV 0
Fans of both the Lehvant and Gardavasque national football teams likely went home disappointed tonight after an underwhelming performance across the pitch. The stakes were high. A win by either team would have meant qualification for the tournament stage, while a loss would spell certain doom. Despite all that hung in the balance, no goals were scored, although a heroic, if futile, drive by Kardan and Dupont in the 20th minute of play nearly ended the stalemate. A Gardavasquan corner kick taken by Glenpark and put on goal by Alamo in the 66th minute looked similarly promising, but was intercepted by the stalwart Lehvant defense and goalkeeper. Despite a deadlocked final game of the group stage, Lehvant will proceed to the knockout tournament of the IDUFC, narrowly beating out Gardavasque with more cumulative goals (4-1) and equal points (4 each).

2 LAU v EIR 0
Lauchenoiria secured their advancement to the knock-out phase of the tournament in an impressive two-to-zero trouncing of the Eirian national team, dashing the Eirians’ hopes of advancement in the process. The Lauchenoirians started off strong and never let up the pressure, scoring a goal in the 12th minute of play, with Rios recovering the ball from Eirian striker Simmons, and expertly passing to Melendez, who shot on goal. The Eirians solidified their defensive position significantly in the second half of play, but were unable to survive the Lauchenoirian onslaught. Growing desperate, Eirian midfielder, Christopher Stevens, was carded in the 61st minute for an illegal slide tackle on Augusto Soler. Despite their best efforts, the Eirians were not able to close the gap, and even conceded an additional goal, scored by Potter of the Lauchenoirian team in the 80th minute.

1 WTQ v HNA 2
The story of the Huenya v Wosteaque match was a classic David and Goliath, with the plucky and underfunded Huenyan national football team toppling the gargantuan Wosteaque machine, who have been having an uncharacteristically poor showing throughout this tournament. Although neither team will be advancing to the single-elimination knockout stage of the tournament, the Huenyans no doubt will be able to return in triumph to Chuaztlapoc with a solid win on the world’s stage under their belt, an impressive feat for a nation which did not even exist during the IDUFC in Legionas, two years ago. The Wosteque national team can at least boast a strong showing, despite the heartbreaking 1-to-2 loss. Vitins scored a goal in the 10th minute of play, dangling a tantalizing, if ephemeral shred of hope before his teammates and country. Unfortunately for the Wosteaqueans, the Huenyas were just warming up. Striker Ahuin of Huenya scored in the 40th minute, closing out the first half at a draw. The second half of the match proved to be a slower, more conservative performance by both teams, although the Huenyans were able to end the goal drought in the 76th minute with a goal scored by Cuillo.

1 XMA v GAC 0
In a much anticipated matchup, the two strongest contenders in Group B of the tournament refused to disappoint fans. Although the seemingly indomitable Xiomerans took the day, with an excellently placed chip shot on goal by Axonotl in the 59th minute of play, both teams will be progressing to the single-elimination tournament, with Xiomera snagging the second seed position. Although the match ended with only one goal on the board, the Greater Acadians did not go gentle into that goodnight, controlling the ball for nearly 48% of playtime. Despite a shot-on-goal by Michael Bell (GAC) in the 21st minute of play, he was unable to shoot past Atzipal, the Xiomeran goalkeeper, who is among the best keepers alive today.

1 ELA v FSI 0
The Elalians narrowly defeated the Slokaisians in a slow-paced but expertly played 1-to-0 match, guaranteeing the Elalians a spot in the single-elimination final stage of the championship. The Slokaisians, despite a crushing loss, will also be progressing, thanks to an exceptional early tournament performance. The only goal of the match, scored by Vincenzo in the 38th minute of play, was the result of an impressive breakaway which will no doubt make its way into virtually every IDUFC ‘22 highlight reel. Despite qualifying, both Elalia and the Slokais Islands were unable to secure high seed positions in the single elimination tournament, so a steep uphill battle is ahead of them for the IDUFC trophy.

1 TRV v MLA 1
Trive’s performances in past IDUFC tournaments have been remarkably fascinating to follow. At times extraordinary, at times atrocious, but certainly never uninteresting, Trive may be finally shaking its unique reputation with a decidedly vapid performance against the Milinticans, ending the match in a one-to-one draw. Perhaps more painful than the reality of a draw for the Trivians is the knowledge that failing to one-up the Milinticans prevented them from qualifying for the single-elimination stage of the tournament. If the Trivians had managed to score just one more goal, defeating the Milintica team, they would have qualified. Regardless of the implications of the tie, two solid goals were scored to create that final stalemate. The first of these goals was scored in the 12th minute by Trivian striker Volkov. The final tie-setting goal was scored by Haare in the 69th minute of play.

3 GHN v SRL 0
Although progression to the single elimination tournament was a nearly forgone conclusion for the Grundhavn national football team as they entered the final match of the group stages with two losses under their belt, the Grundhavn team was eerily determined to take the Serrielans down with them, practically curb stomping the Serrielans in a three-to-zero shutout victory. The goals came fast from the Grundhavn side and they came hard, quickly silencing any hold-out hope on the Serrielan side that they might be able to eke out a victory and qualify for the single-elimination stage in the wake of a Maximusian loss against the slightly favored Laeralites. In the tenth minute of play, Erik Lind scored on al-Edris, the Serrielan goalkeeper. He was quickly followed by Jacobsen in the 19th minute. Unwilling to go home without a goal in the second half of play, Erik Lind returned to the spotlight once more in the 57th minute to score one last goal on the world stage. For the Grundhavn team, the match was their opportunity to go out in a flame of glory, while the Serrielans saw their otherwise impressive IDUFC run end not with a “bang,” but with an unceremonious whimper.

2 LRL v LOM 2
The Laeral v Libertas Omnium Maximus match was always going to be a fierce fight, especially since qualification for the single-elimination leg of the tournament was at stake for the Maximusians. Although qualification was assured for the Laeralites, a win against LOM during this critical match would be enough to earn them a top seed position and a real glimpse at the IDUFC finals. For both teams, their respective positions were all too familiar. In 2020, the stakes and matchup had been nearly identical, with the Laeralites besting the Maximusians zero-to-one and preventing them from qualifying for the single-elimination leg of the championship. This match, however, would be different. While both teams were out for blood in 2020, the game was calculated and reserved, played with poise and guile, rather than brute strength and brutality. This match was nothing like 2020. Starting the match off right, Song, a Laeralite midfielder, was yellow carded early in the first half of the match for an illegal slide tackle on Maximusian striker, Colter. Colter, who took the penalty kick, was able to score on Germain in the 21st minute, but the Maximusians quickly lost their advantage. In the 38th minute of play, Jiang scored on Vanderbilt. His teammate, Launay, replicated the goal mere minutes later. Just as the opportunity to qualify began fading before the Maximusian national team’s collective eyes, the half-time whistle blew, giving both teams a chance to regroup. The second half was somewhat more reminiscent of the 2020 game, with both sides’ defenders, rather than attackers, making most of the critical plays. In the 73rd minute, however, Brookshire scored a final goal, bringing the game to a draw. Despite the best efforts of both teams, this draw could not be broken. Although neither team hoped for such an outcome, both will ultimately qualify for the single-elimination final stage of the tournament. Laeral, despite their draw with the Maximusians, have seeded the highest of any team in the tournament.

Standings:
Zero Points: Wosteaque
One Point: Milintica, Serriel
Three Points: Grundhavn, Eiria
Four Points: Slokais Islands, Lehvant (8th seed), Huenya, Gardavasque
Five Points: Libertas Omnium Maximus (6th seed), Trive (7th seed)
Six Points: Greater Acadia (3rd seed), Elalia (4th seed), Lauchenoiria (5th seed)
Seven Points: Laeral (1st seed), Xiomera (2nd seed)

Seeding is based on performance in group stages and overall goals scored (in the case of point ties). Unseeded teams did not qualify for the single-elimination stage.