Majatran Cup XVI - Vanuku 3396

[Hugh Green]

It's BACK, BABY! Have you been missing easy-to-read, no-need-to-RP, randomised yet pain-stakingly statistically anomalaic, football (soccer)?! If so, then get your citizens down to Vanuku town for the rebirth of the greatest international tournament Terra has ever known, the Majatran Cup! The Sixteenth Majatrad is hosted, as per the Majatran Cup Treaty, by the Federatie van Verbonden Staten (Vanuku). Congratulations Vanuku! There are currently 14 signatories to the treaty, one of whom is ineligible to take part. Let us, therefore, proceed to the drawing of groups, for which countries are seeded and palced into three pots based on their performances in the last three Majatran Cups. There will be three groups of 3 and one group of 4.

Vanuku and Jakania did not enter the Majatran Cup on the last three occasions, and will therefore get the lowest MC ranking. However, Vanuku, as hosts, will be given a place in pot 1.

All scores in matches will be decided by use of http://www.random.org. A mechanism will be used that allows for draws.

Pot 1
FVS Vanuku (=12th; hosts)
I Selucianum (=4th; reigning champions)
FR Deltaria (1st)
RY Beiteinu (2nd)

Pot 2
FR Solentia (3rd)
Barmenia (=4th)
Al-IQM Kafuristan (6th)
DSR Badara (7th)

Pot 3
MS Cildanian U (=8th)
R Cobura (=8th)
DE Jelbania (10th)
R Istaliana (11th)
PK Jakania (=12th)

[Hugh Green]

Teams in groups of 3 will play each other twice, playing 4 games in total. Teams in Group D will play each other once, playing 3 games in total. Two teams will advance from each group to the quarter finals and so on.

Group A
IQM Kafuristan
SFE Barmenia
R Cobura

Group B
FR Deltaria
I Selucianum
R Istaliana

Group C
FVS Vanuku
FR Solentia
DE Jelbania

Group D
RY Beiteinu
DSR Badara
PK Jakania
MS Cildanian U

[salve311]

WOO!!!! GO SOLENTIA!!!

[Hugh Green]

0 - Kafuristan V Barmenia - 0
1 - Barmenia V Cobura - 0
3 - Cobura V Kafuristan - 1
2 - Barmenia V Kafuristan - 2

For Barmenia qualification is now almost definitely secured, but a draw or in against Cobura will put to rest the slim possibility that remains of their being knocked out on goal difference. For Cobura, a win in either game will see them through though they will obviously want to rap it up sooner against Barmenia rather than later against Kafuristan. For Kafuristan, winning the last game is the minimum requirement to qualify matter what the result in the other game.

0 - Cobura V Barmenia - 3

Barmenia are thus tough as group winners. Cobura now need a draw or better against Kafuristan.

0 - Kafuristan V Cobura - 2

Cobura go through! Kafuristan meanwhile will be disappointed with some of those results.

Team - Pts ; W - D - L (GD)
Barmenia - 8 ; 2 - 2 - 0 (4)
Cobura - 6 ; 2 - 0 - 2 (0)
Kafuristan - 2 ; 0 - 2 - 2 (-4)

[Jaguar]

Jakania is gonna win!

[Hugh Green]

0 - Deltaria V Selucia - 4
0 - Selucia V Istaliana - 4
3 - Istaliana V Deltaria - 4

Woah, are 4-goal hammerings going out of fashion or something? Istaliana's temerity to score 3 goals against their victors, Deltaria, means that the group is equal on points but a clear difference exists in goal difference, with Istaliana on top.

2 - Selucia V Deltaria - 2

Only 2 goals each? How unusual! Istaliana will no doubt see an opportunity here. A win for them from either of the next two games will see them through.

4 - Istaliana V Selucia - 3

Ah, that's more like it. A 7-goal duel sees Istaliana ensure qualification. Meanwhile, Deltaria will need victory against Istaliana to leapfrog Selucia to 2nd spot in the final standings.

0 - Deltaria V Istaliana - 3

No let up from the victors then, who storm through to the quarter finals in style. Deltaria exit the competition.

Team - Pts ; W - D - L ( GD )
Istaliana - 9 ; 3 - 0 - 1 ( 7 )
Selucia - 4 ; 1 - 1 - 2 ( -1 )
Deltaria - 4 ; 1 - 1 - 2 ( -6 )

[Hugh Green]

2 - Vanuku V Solentia - 4

3 - Solentia V Jelbania - 1

1 - Jelbania V Vanuku - 4 -- Solentia now just need 1 more point from two games to ensure qualification. Jelbania meanwhile have a mountain to climb.

3 - Solentia V Vanuku - 1 -- This is good news for everyone but Vanuku. Solentia are now guaranteed quarter-finalists and Jelbania have a better chance to go through. Their 4-1 loss to Vanuku and low prospects of beating Solentia suggest that their's will be a tough journey, even now.

3 - Jelbania V Solentia - 1 -- Bah God! A huge win for Jelbania! Solentia clearly resting a few legs in advance of the quarter-finals, allowing Jelbania an unlikely win. Jelbania now need a win against Vanuku to go through. Courtesy of goal difference advantage, Vanuku can afford a draw.

4 - Vanuku V Jelbania - 1 -- No leg-resting for the Vanukian hosts, as they repeat their 4-1 victory over Jelbania, who exit the competition.

Team - Pts ; W - D - L ( GD )
Solentia - 9 ; 3 - 0 - 1 ( 4 )
Vanuku - 6 ; 2 - 0 - 2 ( 2 )
Jelbania - 3 ; 1 - 0 - 3 ( -6 )

[Hugh Green]

The final group of the 1st round, and the only one with 4 teams. Here are the results...

3 - Badara V Cildania - 4
1 - Beiteinu V Jakania - 2

2 - Jakania V Cildania - 1
1 - Beiteinu V Badara - 2

-- A good start from Jakania, who need a draw to secure their qualification. If they lose, anything but a win for Cildania will see them through anyway. The possibility of a 3-way 6-point split here if Beiteinu can't notch a point on the board.

3 - Cildania V Beiteinu - 2
3 - Badara V Jakania -2

Another group with no matches drawn! Perhaps the randomising mechanism needs a tweak. ANYWAY... those results mean that Group D's points and goal difference look like this:

Team - Pts ; W - D - L ( GD )
Badara - 6 ; 2 - 0 - 1 ( 1 )
Cildania - 6 ; 2 - 0 - 1 ( 1 )
Jakania - 6 ; 2 - 0 - 1 ( 1 )
Beiteinu - 0 ; 0 - 0 - 3 ( -3 )

Now, following FIFA's tie breaking mechanism for the 2010 World Cup, goals scored is the next thing to look at for the top three teams...

Badara - 8 Goals Scored
Cildania - 8 Goals Scored
Jakania - 6 Goals Scored

...and so Jakania take third place and are out of the tournament! A most painful way to go, I'm sure you'll agree. Admirers of a strong defence will be outraged, no doubt, that the team who conceded the least goals is knocked out. To seperate Cildania and Badara, to decide who gets the no.1 spot and thus the better draw in the quarter-finals (in theory), we go to the results of their match together, in which Cildania beat Badara 4-3, thus picking up 3 points, and therefore winning the group above Badara. Here is the final table...

Team - Pts ; W - D - L ( GD / GS / Tie-break points )
Cildania - 6 ; 2 - 0 - 1 ( 1 / 8 / 3 )
Badara - 6 ; 2 - 0 - 1 ( 1 / 8 / 0 )
Jakania - 6 ; 2 - 0 - 1 ( 1 / 6 )
Beiteinu - 0 ; 0 - 0 - 3 ( -3 )

[big]Quarter-Finals Draw[/big]
Barmenia V Selucia

Solentia V Badara

Istaliana V Cobura

Cildania V Vanuku

[salve311]

Solentia FTW!!!

[Jalal Al-e-Ahmad]

The Amazonian Daughters of Al'Badara shall Please their Eternal Leader with a clear and certain victory.
He shall arrive soon to accept the Cup.