Fans react to Season 2

Just 3 weeks into Season 2 for the MAFL and the results have upended all our expectations. Fans in Novyimir are overjoyed as the Dynamos currently reign supreme in the standings with 3 wins and zero losses.

The Dynamos were a middle-of-the-range team in Season 1, with a few outstanding fowards such as 25-year-old Ilya Petrovich, and 24-year-old Avideh Karaaria. However, the team is singing to quite a different tune for Season 2.

“It’s been very exciting,” says club manager, Sergey Ludomir, “we’ve been putting in a lot of hard work during the off-season, and it’s immensely satisfying to see that it's paid off and we’re getting results.”

The fans are equally pleased.

Calling themselves “Dynamaniacs”, evidence of their support and pride is seen in the packed live-casts and sold out Spectator Tours for the home games. Some dedicated fans are even shelling out the M-creds to travel to Huacheng and Tiangong to show their support.

“There’s nothing like being in the stadium and seeing the Dynamos in action,” explained one Dynamanic, Rinn Khomenko, “I was able to see them play in Tiangong, and it was amazing!”

Dynamaniacs celebrate the dynamos latest victory

Meanwhile the Immortals have had a rough go of the season so far. They also finished Season 1 solidly in the middle of the pack. But despite having star player, Uday Lanka, and solid offensive players in Hagendoorn and Naik to back him up, the Immortals have not been able to secure a single victory.

“We’re still working out some kinks in the roster,” Immortals coach, Cezar Vaduva, says about the team’s dismal performance so far, “we’ve had a couple new recruits but we’re confident that once we hit our stride things will start turning around.”

Most fans in Amrita are determined to keep a positive outlook, though many are questioning Vaduva's expanded role and taking many responsibilities that previously fell on Manager Andam Mirza. 

“It’s still early in the season and things can swing around really quick. I think the Dynamos are going to burn out pretty soon. They’re on a streak right now, but those never last,” a Immortals fan staunchly predicted.

Fans in Marineris and San Olympus have been quietly disappointed, perhaps in disbelief. Season 1 runner-ups, the Titans, have been sitting consistently at second last. The Comets have fared slightly better as they currently stand at fifth place in the rankings. Nevertheless it’s still a far cry from the title of ‘champion’ they’ve proudly held over the off-season.

MAFL fandom, itself, is still relatively new to colonists, but it is consistently revealing behaviours responses that are atypical of real and virtual stimulus baselines.  According to Doctor Luden Madenoxialax of the Psychiatric Studies Department of Marineris, there is a noticeable drop in the aggregate data from the colony's Emotional Surveillance program. 

"I don't have access to actual data from the other colonies that monitor emotional wellbeing," says Madenoxialax, but the values we see coincide with the Comet's performance, with the last few weeks presenting depressed averages.

In general, Madenoxialax and other specialists do not regard this as a negative for the community, that these are natural responses for engaged fans, however, ongoing monitoring is necessary to identify potential issues, especially for those who are predisposed to depression.  


 

Dynamos Keep Hopes Alive

Novyimir, Aquarius 15, 2077, m249

It may have been easy to dismiss the Dynamos in the first half of the season, but they made a 180 and have become contenders.

In the early morning match, the Dynamos made an example of the hapless Wuji on home turf in their bid to make it to the semi-finals and a chance for the championship.

It would be Dynamos 31 Illya Kyrylyuk to draw first blood from a free-kick awarded after a Wuji foul at 24 minutes into the half.  Having adopted the midfield position after a dismal stretch as Dynamo goalkeeper, this was Kyrylyuk's first regular play goal.

13 minutes later, with ball in hand, Goalkeeper Boris Danilovich (coincidentally, Kyrylyuk's replacement) abandoned his post and with two sequential bursts joined a Dynamo rush.  A pass to captain Petrovich was quickly returned back and instead of passing and safely retreating back to his position, he fired from 20 meters.  The ball defected off defender Mangat and right by Hu Liao, who has taken goalkeeper position after Seaton's week 20 injury.

Before the 1st have would end, 22 Serhij Stadnyk would add another goal for the Dynamos.

Dynamos dominate Wuji in Novyimir

Having taken the match, the Dynamos fate is now in the hands of Al'amal SC.  Should Al'amal lose against the Amrita Immortals, they capture the last slot and make their way to the semi-finals.  If, however, Al'amal wins, even though they would be tied in the standings at 11-10, the slot goes to the team with higher standing and they will be eliminated.

"We can only wait for the match in Amrita this afternoon,", said Petrovich, "It will certainly be unbearable for us to watch and rely on the Immortals to win on our behalf."

Novyimir Rises

Novyimir - Saturni, Makara 28, 2077, m249

It began with a pre-match tribute. A tribute to THE lives lost during the Chubarov outbreak.

Words of remorse. Words of healing. 

In times of tragedy and turmoil, we are reminded that the only true game in life is survival.  Especially on Mars with an abundance of inhospitable conditions.

During those weeks when citizens were quarantined, when families were separated, when lives were in peril, they turned to Aero Football as temporary reprieve from the daily grind of survival.

The Dynamo gave them that and more. With each week of victory, they countered the fear and despair, until the outbreak was over and the Dynamo could finally return home.

Today, top of mind was no longer the outbreak, but playoff hopes, something that seems out of reach just weeks before.

The moment of silence before the kick-off seemed to carry over into the match as both teams were silent in both halves, with barely a handful of opportunities.  That didn’t, however, seem to matter to the Novyimir crowd who were happy to have their team back on home turf. 

With the match going into overtime, favour went to the Dynamos. All season, Dongji have struggled with overtime having lost 5 matches to penalty kicks.

Noviymir's Goalkeeper, Danilovich, gets beaten by Sarah Chang, but closes the door on the other Dong Ji players in PKOT to take the win. 

The Dynamo’s Dilijen Axa opened up round 1 with a penalty shot goal which would be matched by Dongji’s Sarah Chang in Round 2.  A number of misses followed before Serhij Olehovych Stadnyk scored in Round 5 to give the Dynamo a 2-1 win in PKOT.

Dongji’s dropped to 5 and 15 for the season.

For the Dynamos, they move to 10 and 10 for the season and keep their playoff chances alive.

Hope for the final playoff spot.. 

Immortals Break Dynamo Streak

Amrita, Saturni, Makara 21, 2007, m249

The Chubarov outbreak is over; and so is the Dynamos’ winning streak.

For each of the 4 weeks of the outbreak, the Dynamos responded in parallel with one inspired win after another.

From the depths of despair to the plains of the playoffs stood the Dynamos.

In their path were the Immortals, also sporting a healthy appetite for playoff gratification.

And a fantastic feast of goals would occur with the first course served by the Dynamos.

Immortals Captain, Uday Lanka, leads his squad to victory,  ending the Dynamos 4 game streak.

Playing at Amrita stadium, Immortals fans were silenced early in just the 1st minute of play. The Dynamos’ Mariah Maalouf received a pass before dribbling into the penalty area, wrong-footed the Immortals defenders and chipped the ball past goalkeeper Chamunda Badal for the first goal of the match.

And then the Dynamos Defence mode switched on as they applied their usual defensive formation with five defenders, two defensive midfielders, two offensive midfielders and one striker.  This worked to hold off the Immortals for the next 38 minutes.  Until Uday Lanka changed the game, something he’s frequently done throughout the season.

Lanka ran from his own half, split the Dynamos midfield, then worked a give and go with teammate Ran Naik to create some separation from the defenders. This freed up a streaking Lanka who volleyed the ball past goalkeeper Boris Danilovich from inside the penalty area to tie up the score at the 39th minute.  For Lanka, that was his league leading 12th goal of the season.

The Dynamos would regain the lead at the 61st minute as Avideh Karaaria back heeled the ball over his marker before turning and heading the dropping ball over Badal.

The Immortals would tie it up at the 82th minute as Lanka provided an audacious assist to Vivek Tagore who finished on the volley with a mid-air back heeled volley past Danilovich.

And with time running low with both teams anticipating an overtime of penalty shots, the Immortals surprised the Dynamo with a fine counter-attack that saw the defenders crowd Lanka who unselfishly set up a freed up Tulaiha Azizi for the tap-in and the game winner at the 90th minute!

And the Immortals win 3-2 to go 11 and 8 for the season while the Dynamo finally lose after 4 weeks and move to 9 and 10 for the season.

The Immortals will close out the season on the road against the Comets and then at home against Al’amal.

“I’m sure the fans were entertained as they were a tough opponent,” Lanka of they Dynamos after the match. “Now we prepare for the Comets. If we win, 2nd place is within our grasp.”

The Dynamo will experience an emotional return back to home field for their final two matches against the Dong Ji and Wuji.

Mars March to First MAFL Playoffs

Saturday,  October 23, 2077
Earth-World Associated Press

With the UEFA Champions League barely underway, football fans will have to wait another 7 months before a conclusive championship match. During that time, where will football fans get their playoff fix?

Look no further than Mars, where the inaugural season of the Martian Aero Football League (MAFL) is generating a new buzz for football fans as they head down the playoff stretch.

A key battle in Week 18 of MAFL play - the Noviymir Dynamo vs. the Al’amal SC.

Leading up to the match, both Al’amal and the Amrita Immortals were clinging onto a final playoff spot with a red hot Dynamo right on their heels. The battle for their playoff lives has been a welcome reprieve for the Dynamo as their real lives have been turned upside down by the Chubarov outbreak.

Since being locked out, the Dynamo have been undefeated as a new goalkeeper, a new commitment to defence, and a new motivation to uplift the spirits of their colony has helped them go undefeated.

Extending their undefeated streak to 4 matches would not come easy against the high powered Al’amal offence - the leading scoring team in the league with three of their players in the top five for goals scored.

And one of those players, Captain Musaddiq Baddour, opened scoring at the 30th minute when he dribbled past two defenders before rounding the goalkeeper Boris Danilovich and slotting home.

The Dynamo’s Amaresh Yaee Etefu responded 9 minutes later with a header to the corner past goalkeeper Ahmed al-Pour.

Dynamo’s Mariah Maalouf gave the team the lead at the 49th minute by meeting a cross from Captain Ilya Petrovich with a stunning volley from outside the penalty area.

And then the Dynamo went on the defence and stymied the powerful Al’amal offence for the next 40 minutes. Just when it looked like the Dynamo would win again, Balraj Sodhi delivered a left foot volley following a cross by Arwa Farra for the tying goal – at the 89th minute!

Which led to overtime and in MAFL play that means straight to penalty kicks! Unlike Earth football, penalty kicks are welcomed by fans for their excitement, and by players due for survival purposes – they only have so much oxygen in the tank – literally!

In Penalty Kicks, Dynamo’s Petrovich struck first. A couple of misses later were then followed by Al’amal’s Genrietta Olegovna to tie things up.  Five failed shots followed before Dynamo’s former goalkeeper, Ilya Kyrylyuk, curled a shot past al-Pour for the winner in the final penalty shot of OT!

A Penalty Kick to Remember!  Kyrylyuk falls to his knees after his 5th round penalty kick goal.

PKOT 2-1 for the Dynamo. The win is now their fourth in a row and has them tied with Al’amal for the final playoff spot with three weeks to go.

“For most of the season, I have felt like I've let down the team,” said a jubilant Kyrylyuk after the match.  “I can't express how much this goal means to me on a personal level.”

On another celebratory note, Novyimir will be lifting the quarantine tomorrow, so the Dynamos will will be finally returning home to reunite with loved ones.

And the end of the regular MAFL season is in sight as three weeks remain until the playoffs. Football fans stay tuned. There’s an exciting march to the finish happening in Mars Football.

Dynamos Dynamite!

Marineris - Solis, Makara 8, 2007, m249

Dynamo #1 Karaaria was led the way to a 2-0 victory over Comets.

With the panic of the Chubarov outbreak finally starting to subside at Novyimir, the Dynamos continue playing their most inspired football of the season.

Three weeks since the colony-wide quarantine and three consecutive wins over that span.

“Our matches have been a much needed distraction for our people back home and it has driven us to play better”, said Captain Ilya Petrovich.

With their 2 – 0 upset victory over the mighty Marineris Comets @ Marineris stadium, the Dynamo have moved back into the playoff picture trailing 3rd and 4th place Al’amal SC and the Amrita Immortals (both losers this weekend) by just one win.

The Dynamo opened up scoring at the 29th minute as a Comets cross was intercepted by Petrovich who fed a streaming Rozalia Budnik who supplied the finish with a left-footed volley that slammed into the lower corner past Comets’ goalkeeper Zaida Agre.   Dynamo 1 Comets 0.
Just before the end of the first half at the 43rd minute, Avideh Karaaria exchanged passed with Budnik before thrashing a powerful curling shot past Agre for the 2nd and final goal of the match.

In the 2nd half, the Dynamo switched to an aggressive 5-2-2-1 defensive formation with five defenders, two defensive midfielders, two offensive midfielders and one clean striker.  

The switch paid off results as they were able to shut down the Comets to secure the 2 – 0 win.

In fact, this was the same defensive formation Dynamo used in Week 16 to upset the league leading Titans and to beat United in Week 15.

All of a sudden, the Dynamo, who lead the league in goals allowed with 31,  are now the new ministers of defence having allowed zero goals in their last three matches.  With two wins under  #11 Danilovich's belt as goalkeeper, the club's gamble with placing a forward between the post seems to be paying off.

 “I actually don’t recognize that Dynamo team we just played,” added Comets manager Gordan J. Pryce. “They’re playing inspired football with scintillating shut down defence. If they continue this path and make the playoffs, they’ll be a dangerous wild card.”

Week 16 - Day 2 Roundup

Solis, Makara 1, 2077, m249

Titans @ Dynamo

DYNAMO #7 Mariya Nikitovna DELIGHTED AFTER VICTORY AGAINS THE LEAGUE'S TOP TEAM, TITANS

Titans Fall! Titans Fall!
 
Rare have those words been spoken this season.
 
And rare is the person who would’ve guessed it would be the inconsistent Dynamo that would knock the Titans off their mountain top. 
 
And yet, here we are. In their 2nd game at Korolev Stadium, the Dynamo won their second game in a row with the season’s biggest upset, a 1-0 win over the Titans. 
 
For the Titans, this spelled the end of their 12 game winning streak as their last loss was in Week 3 due to a phenomenal four goal effort from Uday Lanka and the Immortals. 
 
One goal in the first minute was all it took to put the Titans to rest. Mariya Nikitovna intercepted a pass from defender Renatta Blundell and drilled a rising shot into the corner over goalkeeper Usian Busara for the first and only goal of the game.
 
After that first goal, the Dynamo quickly switched to a highly defensive 5-2-2-1 formation with five defenders, two defensive midfielders, two offensive midfielders and one clean striker.  
 
This helped lull the Titans’ offence (and match spectators) to a slumber as notable forwards Readale Nash and Jube Terrell were neutralized all match. 
 
New Dynamos goalkeeper, Boris Danilovich was also able to stop the few scoring chances that the Titans were able to muster. 
 
After the match, Titans Captain Raenia Ware, who missed her 4th match in a row due to an ankle sprain, would not accept any excuses for the team’s loss.
 
“It doesn’t matter if we travelled almost 10,000 km to Korolev. Travel is part of the game and we travel well in our transport”, said Ware. “I’m also not buying the anxiety thing with the ongoing Chubarov outbreak. I know United was spooked last week but the league has assured us things are safe.”
 
Titans’ manager Paulo Salgado did not take the loss lightly.
 
“This is the wakeup call our team needs because upon further reflection, we’ve been lucky during Ware’s absence. We’ve only scored one goal in four weeks yet have won 3 out of 4 matches,” said Salgado. “All this success is making us soft - we have to pick up our offense or I don’t care how many games we’ve won this season – we’ll be vulnerable in the playoffs.”
 

Dong Ji @ Al’amal

AL'AMAL #42 Adel and #4 Baddour CELEBRATING THEIR GOALS PROPELLING THE TEAM TO A WIN

In the aftermath of the Darkeem Dennis departure, Dong Ji spent all last week unsuccessfully deflecting discrimination charges fired from the media and fans.
 
And that carried onto the field as Dong Ji were unsuccessful in deflecting shots fired from Al’amal in a 2-0 loss to close out Week 16.  
 
Al’amal opened up the scoring at the 8th minute with a right-footed curling finish from 20 yards over goal keeper Xue Su for a 1-0 lead. 
 
That would be the difference maker but late in the match, at the 90th minute, Mussaddiq Baddour
 
Late in the match at the 90th minute, Al’amal Captain Musaddiq Baddour headed a volley just left of Xue Su for the 2nd goal of the match and his 5th of the season. 
 
Al’amal climbs to a 9 and 6 record for the season with Dong Ji dropping to a 4 and 12 record – sole tenants in the MAFL basement. 

Looking forward to Week 17: 
 
The Titans look to rebound against league rival the Immortals @ Amrita stadium. Both teams are tied 1-1 in their season series. Will Ware return? Will Lanka put on another scoring showcase?

• The Dynamo will travel to Marineris and look to extend their winning streak to 3 games.
• Al’amal will be @ home to play the new but not yet improved United. 
• The Battle for the Basement @ Huacheng sees Dong Ji and Wuji meet. Will anyone score?

Dynamo Scramble to Find Alternate Stadium

CID is actively investigating the  "Chubarov" outbreak.

As outbreak rocks Novyimir settlement, Dynamo scramble to find new stadium

Refusing to forfeit their next home game, Novyimir Dynamo executives announced plans to hastily construct a temporary stadium in neighbouring Korolev after the team was shut out of its home field by the ongoing quarantine. 

But Dynamo majority owner Melnikov Aleskeevich — already facing a dismal season with a last-place team and drooping attendance — lashed out at what he called a “ridiculous expense,” calling on the Novyimir administration to foot the bill for the relocation. 

“It’s their mess,” he said. “How am I expected to pay for all of this? I can’t afford it, but I can’t afford to miss games either.” 

Novyimir’s Interior Ministry has repeatedly deflected inquiries into the cause of the outbreak that has so far killed three people at the settlement. 

But inspectors from the Martian Council for the Control of Infectious Diseases have suggested the Chubarov outbreak started with “an extreme breach of protocol” at a containment centre at sub-station in Novyimir, where two crew members returning from an 18-month expedition to Ceres were inexplicably allowed back into the open population without the requisite medical testing.

When news of the outbreak first emerged last week, the Dynamo were at an away match in Huacheng.  Since then, the entire team has been stranded, after all non-essential travel in and out of Novyimir was banned until Martian Council inspectors complete their investigation — a process expected to take at least three weeks.

The scale of the outbreak remains unclear, with Council officials accusing Novyimir of deliberately downplaying the gravity of the little-known illness that apparently attacks the respiratory system.  

“My kids are still there,” Dynamo midfielder Oksana Makarovna said. “I’m trying not to think about it but I just — it’s hard. They’re OK, and I’m sure this is all just a precaution, but it’s scary.”

A KMH crew arrives in Korolev with auto-excavators and machinery to build adhoc field.

 The team is now scheduled to play the week 15 home game in Korolev, Novyimir’s smaller, sister settlement to the south. The new stadium at Korolev is expected to be finished in time for the Dynamo to host Europa United. 

Dynamo executives are planning to fully refurbish a rudimentary pitch in a defunct strip mine just outside of Korolev, which has only been used for recreational and youth matches. The overhaul will involve excavation work to widen and lengthen the field to MAFL standards, as well as the construction of basic spectator areas on the top deck and a infrastructure for broadcast to quarantined fans in Novyimir.

Take it when you get it

Huacheng - Capricornus 7, 249

It's quite possible this win came as much to the surprise of DJ as everyone else, but when you are in the gutter, take it when you can get it... and ENJOY IT!

Dong Ji celebrate a 2-1 win over Dynamo.

The beleaguered Dong Ji club has not been able to cut a break, that is, until now.  By no means does this turn the ship around.  With Novyimir allowing a whopping 30 goals so far in the season, one could argue it is harder not to score on the Russian team. Though it may not be much consolation to be sharing the basement with the Dynamos, it is a whole lot better than being dead last on your own.

Unlike other clubs, DJ can get the ball into the net.  On paper they aren't the worst club in the league and have multiple players contributing goals. Today's match is an example of what the team is capable of with #60 Saqqat and #68 Sertac each scoring their 2nd goals of the season.

There is enough runway left in the season for Dong Ji to get back on track and fight for a playoff spot. 

 Dong Ji and Dynamo are both 4-9.

Dynamos Tune Out

Novyimir – Saturnis, Dhanus, 28

Immortals #77 Brian Hyun makes his first goal of the season, securing a 2-0 victory over the Novyimir Dynamos.

Just when you though that the Dynamos had turned a corner for the 2nd half of the season after besting Al’amal SC in week 11, apparently, just didn’t feel it was necessary to show up for week 12.

In a pitiful display against the 4th place Immortals, the Dynamos failed to muster any offence. 

To the dismay of the local Novyimir fans, the Immortal defence held the Russian squad to just a single shot on goal by #1 Avideh Karaaria at the 9 minute mark.  

Petrovich (C) was unable to produce any sparks.  Quite possibly one of his weakest performances to-date, at final whistle, he retreated to the club transport clearly rattled by the loss and ignored all interview requests.

“We let down the home crowd today.”, said #8 Mariya Nikitovna. “But we won’t let this bring us down.”

For the Immortals, this was an important win.  With #33 Fox and #77 Hyun each scoring their first respective goals of the season, it is a positive indicator for the club.

“I’m pleased the players are stepping up.  This will make the difference for our run to the championship.”

— Andam Mirza, Immortals Manager

Lanka (C), the leagues top scorer was silenced in the match, but had this to say, “It really doesn’t matter if I score, so long as we take the win.  Alan (Fox) demonstrated his skill today and you will see a lot more from him, I promise.”

Fan Reborn

Martis, Dhanus 17, 249

Pitch view of Top-Side and Spectator Shuttles

I was born on Earth and I have memories, for good and for bad, of playing sports and being outdoors... real outdoors, breathing the actual air and not having to be reliant on any bubble to protect me from an environment that isn't species appropriate, to put it mildly.  I like games, but yes, I was one of the skeptics of the MAFL and open concept stadiums.  Just on the practical side alone, we have a lot of other pressing matters to contend with on this planet, so risking lives to play outdoor soccer didn't seem like a worthy priority.

With this notion, I've only followed the season in the news or caught partial segments, so this past week was my first live experience. 

As our shuttle drove toward the stadium grounds, something started to happen. I began to feel anticipation that I hadn't expect.  Was it possibly because I haven't been outside of the hab for months?  This clearly wasn't an instantly gratifying holo experience that could be switched off; the shuttle wasn't going to turn around on my account, after all.  

Had I underestimated the powers of anticipation that can be brought on from a glorified bus ride?  Or had I forgotten the feats of engineering and series of miracles that had taken place in order to fly us across the solar system, land on an inhospitable world, set up camp to live, grow food, and not only to actually survive on this red dust ball, but to also invent and enjoy sport here too?

I didn't leave the comforts of the bus... The spectator deck was surprisingly immersive and I wouldn't have believed that the shuttle would, in all intent and purposes, disappear as I became enthralled with the match.

Within the first 5 minutes, I had to remind myself this wasn't a virtual game. These players were really performing feats and maneuvers I've never considered safe, let alone possible... and I've lived here for more than two decades.  It also shattered my preconceptions of size, strength and prowess.

At 38 minutes,  #30 Isabelle Marsh, a petite, young woman, charged to deliver an incredible kick that beat Dynamo's goalkeeper to open scoring.  Just minutes later, seconds before half-time, #39, Aba Samma, in a graceful display of aerial control, blew a reinforcement goal past Kyrlyuk.

I may be remembering wrong, but sports back home never felt like this!  The blend of acrobatics, tenacity, and, quite frankly, danger, have converted me.

I admit, there have been a few times where I've regretted my family bringing me to Mars, but that pales in comparison to what I was feeling then and there for not coming to support the games sooner.   As we work hard to build this planet, it is easy to forget not to apply that same efforts in maintaining our humanity.  The MAFL has, quite possibly, offered us the first vehicle to free us from often mundane, repetitive, and measured routines we must perform to survive here.  It is recreations such as these that expand the definition of what living on Mars means and helps bring all of us together. 

Not only did my home team take the bout against the Dynamos, but this match secured my loyalty to the Club, the MAFL, and, in many respects, this planet.

This win brings Marineris Comets to 6 and 4.  With two back-to-back wins, they are 2nd in the league standings.  

Next week, Comets face the struggling Tiangong Wuji.