MAFL Season 2 Semifinals

United and Immortals advance to the final championship face-off on Tula 25. United was the solid favourite to win their bout, while the Immortals have defied all expectations to defeat the San Olympus Titans.

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United - Dynamos

Tula 17 • Europa Stadium

Dynamos crushed by United in the semifinals.

Despite flying-high for the first half of the season, the Dynamos were devastated by United on the pitch today. Unfortunately for the Dynamos, United was simply the superior team in every way this match. The United offensive line was beautifully in-sync, and executed flawless plays that punched through Dynamo’s defenses. Just as impressive was the way that the defensive players anticipated Petrovich’s and Karaaria’s attempts to set up an attack, and strategically crippled their plays.

United Manager, Reinmann, wisely deployed Sulzberger, United’s star goalkeeper, who shut out the Dynamos. Every. Single. Shot. The Dynamos were clearly frustrated as the number of bookings and fouls spiked in the second half when they still hadn’t gotten a single shot past Sulz.

GOALS

• 1ST 4’ Fuchs scores an early goal for United with an assist from Baranato

• 1ST 12’ Barnato (United) intercepts a pass to midfield and heads the ball past a surprised Danilovich

• 2ND 9’ Fuchs (United) picks up a pass from Dennis in the box and scores with a right-footed flick into the left corner

• 2ND 18’ Ivanova (United) dribbles on a breakaway, and scores with a high kick that narrowly misses the crossbar

SHOTS
17	13

POSSESSION
43%	57%

FOULS
4	3

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Titans - Immortals

Tula 18 • San Olympus Park

immortals celebrate after their hard-earned victory!

Immortals take out the Titans to advance to the finals.

Viewers across Mars held their breath as the come-back-kings, the Immortals, beat the season favourites at San Olympus Park today. An elated Parkar, celebrated with teammates after scoring the winning goal in the final minutes of regulation time.

“This is an amazing experience!” said Parkar after the match. This is definitely a far cry from last season, when Parkar was involved in an accidental collision with Yamen Warren that resulted in the first MAFL fatality.

Both teams played cautiously in the first half, testing the waters and sniping shots at each other that were easily blocked. Both teams exploded into action in the second half, however, with Lanka smashing through the defenses on a breakaway to open up scoring with powerhouse kick.

Immortals now head to Europa to face United for the Season 2 championship!

GOALS

• 2ND 6’ Lanka (Immortals) boosts high to head the ball past De Sisto’s left shoulder.

• 2ND 10’ Hagendoorn (Immortals) scores a low, right-footed flick as she dribbles past the defense.

• 2ND 16’ Carballel (Titans) counters an attack in midfield and converts it into a shot into left of the net.

• 2ND 20’ Nash (Titans) scores an equaliser with an assist from Terrell.

• 2ND 28’ Parka (Immortals) smokes the ball past De Sisto with a right-footed smash for the winning goal.

SHOTS
10	19

POSSESSION
50%	50%

FOULS
3	3

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Stats & Standings

Top Scorers
	Uday Lanka	19
	Readale Nash	16
	Darkeem Dennis	15
	Arwa Farra	13
	Ilya Petrovich	12
	Yvonne Barnato	12
	Qigang Lian	11
	Marcus Ekberg	10
	Lennard Fuchs	10
	Stephen Liu	9

MAFL Week 16 Roundup

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Al’amal Sports Club - Immortals

Simba 9 • Al’amal Stadium

Mirza has been commended for single-handedly turning the Immortals around during Season 2 of MAFL.

The Immortals continue their winning streak against Al’amal.

Andam Mirza has had a perfect record since axing Veduva and replacing him as the Immortals coach. Under his guidance, the Immortals have been performing like a completely different team. The match is close, but Al’amal clearly loses their edge after Baddour is handed his second yellow card and ejected from the match during ET.

Lanka took quick advantage of Al’amal’s shorthanded situation and finished the match with a long range aerial strike that streaked past the Al’amal defenses and blew past Pour.

GOALS

• 1ST 10’ Muhammad scores with a right-footed kick into the left corner for Al’amal.

• 1ST 18’ Lanka (Immortals) scores with an assist from Farra

• 2ND 6’ Tagore (Immortals) sneaks around Al’amal defense, Gonzalez, and fakes out Pour to tap the ball in.

• 2ND 15’ Farra (Al’amal) intercepts a pass to counterattack from the top right corner.

• ET 5’ Lanka (Immortals) smashes in the winning goal with a long range aerial.

SHOTS
24	30

POSSESSION
53%	47%

FOULS
4	3

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Wuji Sports Club - Titans

Simba 9 • Tian Gong Stadium

The Titans celebrate after their landslide victory against Wuji.

Titans crush Wuji and climb to the top three.

The Titans celebrate as they end week 16 at the top of the standings. An unbelievable performance from Titans goalkeeper, Icilio DeSisto. His efforts completely shut out the Wuji’s offensive efforts and catapulted the Titans to the top of the standings.

Liang was frustrated on every turn, despite some great set ups from Hachette and Alvi. They were unable to get through De Sisto’s guard. Terrell really shone this week as she filled in the offensive gap in Nash’s absence.

Nash was not seen on the pitch today. Sources have confirmed that Nash had voluntarily decided to sit out this match because of Hou’s death the previous week.

GOALS

• 1ST 7’ Terrell (Titans) scores with an assist from Ware.

• 1ST 18’ Ware (Titans) breaks away for a one-on-one chance with Seaton. Ware scores with a left footed smash into the top right.

• 2ND 19’ Langanah (Titans) scores a low, quick shot from the right side of the box.

• 2ND 24’ Terrell (Titans) sneaks in a last minute goal from the left corner of the box.

SHOTS
31	18

POSSESSION
55%	45%

FOULS
3	3

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Dynamos - Europa United

Simba 10 • Novyimir Stadium

United wins by a hair as they challenge the Dynamos at home.

Another devastating loss for the Dynamos this week as Ivanova smashes one past Danilovich in extra time.. Dynamos club manager is concerned with the team’s recent performance, and reasonably so, seeing as there are only 5 regular season matches remaining before the we start moving into the finals.

An unusual number of United players had to be pulled off the field due to EV suit malfunctions. United club manager, Reinmann, has requested a comprehensive diagnosis of all the equipment post-match after multiple suits displayed the same error alert.

GOALS

• 1ST 5’ Stadnyk (Dynamo) opens up scoring with a shot into the left side of the goal.

• 1ST 12’ Denis (United) scores after receiving a deep pass from Covaci at midfield.

• 1ST 21’ Moruga (United) executes a perfectly timed aerial header to score in the final minutes of the first half.

• 2ND 14’ Petrovich (Dynamos) breaks through the United defense to challenge Riva one on one.

• ET 6’ Ivanova (United) smashes through Danilovich’s guard in extra time following an assist from Barnato.

SHOTS
28	22

POSSESSION
55%	45%

FOULS
3	2

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Dongji - Comets

Simba 10 • Dongji Park

Comets and Dongji both remember their missing team members on the pitch this week.

Both teams paid homage to their fallen team members before the match started at Dongji Park. A minute of silence was observed for Hou, who was found dead of suicide in the team vehicle last week, and for Warren, who passed away last year after an accident on the pitch.

“I think we were the right team to be on the pitch with Dongji this week,” says Comets captain, Bradley, or the match today. Although the mood was sombre, Dongji played their hearts out on the field and an unusually large number of tickets were sold out as visitors attended the match to show their support.

While the Comets were victorious this match, it’s clear they have a lot of work to do if they want to make it to the finals this season.

GOALS

• 1ST 12’ Ferraz (Comets) scores with a breakneck smash from the left of the box.

• 1ST 23’ Marsh (Comets) fishes the ball out of a scramble between Dongji defense and Comet strikers to tap the ball in low and easy.

SHOTS
27	13

POSSESSION
67%	33%

FOULS
2	4

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Stats & Standings

Rankings

Team	M	W	L	Goals
Titans	16	10	6	41
United	16	10	6	38
Al'Amal Sports Club	16	10	6	37
Dynamo	16	10	6	36
Comets	16	7	9	41
Wuji Sports Club	15	8	7	35
Immortals	16	7	9	30
Dongji	16	3	13	26

Top Scorers
	Uday Lanka	14
	Readale Nash	13
	Darkeem Dennis	13
	Arwa Farra	10
	Qigang Lian	9
	Jube Terrell	8
	Lennard Fuchs	7
	Ilya Petrovich	7
	Mariya Nikitovna	7
	Yvonne Barnato	7

MAFL Kicks off Season 2!

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Europa United - Immortals

Mithuna 7 • Europa Stadium

Forward Yvonne Barnato #58 claims the only goal of the match on a free kick.

Europa flies to a home victory with Barnato beating Badal on a free kick.

Suit malfunctions force Captain Uday Lanka out early in the first half.  Without their striker, Immortals put in a good effort but lagged behind Europa United in shots on target. Instead, they picked up 6 yellow cards as they hassled the Europa United midfielders.  

GOALS

• FT 26' Barnato scores on free kick for Europa United

NOTABLE SUBSTITUTIONS

• HT 12' Fox substituted for Lanka due to EV suit malfunction

• FT 14' Hama substituted for Aurak due to EV suit malfunction

SHOTS ON GOAL
19	15

POSSESSION
55%	45%

FOULS
4	6

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DongJi - Dynamos

Mithuna 7 • Dong Ji Field

Marcus Ekberg #95 sparks new evergy for DJ, but are outgunned in their opening home match.

New captain Ekberg leads Dongji  after Lian is traded to Wuji for Cheng and Feston. 

The Dynamos command the game in the first half, but newly minted Dongji Captain claws their way in the second half. Karaaria wins the game for the Dynamos with her second goal of the match.

SHOTS ON GOAL
9	17

POSSESSION
27%	63%

FOULS
4	4

GOALS

• HT 6' Samrend scores for Dynamos

• HT 22' Karaaria scores for Dynamos

• FT 3' Geng scores for Dongji

• FT 12' Ekberg scores for Dongji

• FT 18' Karaaria scores for Dynamos

NOTABLE SUBSTITUTIONS

• HT 15' Leonidovich substituted for Chisty due to injury

• FT 22' Mao substituted for Chang due to injury

• FT 25' Sertac substituted for Zhao due to malfunction

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Wuji Sports Club - Titans

Mithuna 8 • Tiangong Stadium

new captain, Qigang Lian, leads wuji to decisive victory over San Olympus Titans. 

Titans are deflated after Wong successfully converts a penalty kick in the 2nd half to give Wuji the lead. 

The teams are evenly matched with Lian leading Wuji with strong offense in throughout the game. Saprai is awarded a red card after smashing an opponent's lifepack with her knee. The serious offence resulted in the Titans defender being suspended for 2 matches. Nash allegedly has post-match 'hissy fit', lashing out at teammates.

GOALS

• HT 14' Lian scores the first goal for Wuji

• HT 22' Nash scores for Titans

• FT 21' Wong scores a penalty kick for Wuji

• FT 25' Galio scores the final goal for Wuji

NOTABLE SUBSTITUTIONS

• FT 20' Zheng taken out due to suit malfunction

SHOTS ON GOAL
17	22

POSSESSION
49%	51%

FOULS
2	3

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Comets - Al'amal Sports Club

Mithuna 8 • Marineris Stadium

Captain Liddell Bradley #95 and Comets lick their wounds after losing a match they should have won.

Comets left baffled as Al'Amal steals the win despite being outplayed and outgunned by the Season 1 champions.

The Comets were in perfect form controlling much of the match.   Uncommon missteps were what let the match slip away from the disciplined team. Guler was able to cross a shot into the bottom left of the net. Many are calling the goal a lucky fluke, but time will tell whether Guler will perform consistently in his new role as forward.

GOALS

• HT 14' Shelton scores for Comets

• FT 17' Farra scores for Al'amal

• FT 27' Guler scores for Al'amal

SHOTS ON GOAL
25	14

POSSESSION
78%	22%

FOULS
2	3

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Stats & Standings

Standing	M	W	L
Al'Amal Sports Club	1	1	0
Dynamo	1	1	0
United	1	1	0
Wuji Sports Club	1	1	0
Comets	1	0	1
Dongji	1	0	1
Immortals	1	0	1
Titans	1	0	1

Top Scorers
	Avideh Karaaria	2
	Yvonne Barnato	1
	Marcus Ekberg	1
	Geng Geng	1
	Sergey Samrend	1
	Qigang Lian	1
	John Ming Wong	1
	Adrián Gallo	1
	Readale Nash	1
	Susanna Shelton	1

Ice Sports Exhibition Games Announced

Mina 8, 2089, m249

No matter how you look at it, our planet Mars is a cold, cold place.  

Though temperatures at our equator can reach 20ºC during the summer, this tends to be more of an inconvenience than a reward for the colonies that have to manage the extreme fluctuations between day and night.

Rarely have we celebrated the frigid reality of the world we call home, until now.

After months of previews and sporadic reports, ISMO has officially announced the 6 teams that will be participating in the first ever Martian Ice Hockey exhibition games.  

Exhibition teams - Wildcards, Sands, Phantoms, Moles, Khimik and the Cosmonauts 

The teams are made up of pilot players from across the settlement, but are all based in either Noviymir, Korolev, or Mareotis.  These are the locations ISMO has prototype rink facilities, so most players have temporarily relocated to participate in the unique opportunity.

The first round exhibition schedule begins in 2 weeks on Mina the 21st. Corresponding to this, tour groups have started selling vacation packages in hopes of attracting early adopters and supporters to the ice-towns by offering first-hand inclusive experiences.  Packages include skate lessons with players, viewing access to afternoon practise sessions, and tickets to the 'doubleheader' games played on Saturni and Solis. 

First round Exhibition Games, Mina 21 & 22:

• PHANTOMS vs. COSMONAUTS - Played at Mareotis
• MOLES vs. KHIMIK - Played at Noviymir
• SANDS vs WILDCARDS - Played at Korolev

For those who are curious but unable to make the trip to the northern settlements, virtual broadcasts will, unfortunately, not be available.   

"We are intentionally keeping these games exclusive and close to our chests at this stage," said Fredrick Seulovik, President of ISMO. "This is a dynamic process for us and we'll see where these exhibition games take us.  Broadcasts will be coming soon."

With a mission to foster Earth-style 'winter' sporting events, in addition to Martian Ice Hockey, ISMO is expected to reveal a number individual and team oriented experimental games.  Rumours indicate that courses have been carved into retired mining facilities that could conceivably host a variety of 'downhill' competitions.  

Turning our cold climate into some kind of positive for sports may have its own challenges, but with the ongoing set-backs in our global-warming initiatives (most recently with delays in the Magnetic Dipole Field projects), Mars isn't likely to get warmer anytime soon. 

Wizards on Ice

Pisces 28, 2078, m249

Thanks to MAFL, many people are familiar with Amanda Jacobsen.  Not for her engineering achievements in San Olympus or the program she runs at the University's engineering faculty, but for her contributions to Martian Aero Football League.  Indeed, her popularity has been the result of designing the actual ball.

With anticipation for ISMO's upcoming hockey exhibition, we've found 3 behind-the-scenes heroes that are solving problems to make ice sports possible. If Martian hockey takes off, it will be off the backs of innovators like these.

From left to right: Dr. Elisna Katrine, Byrono Mon-Omar and Lancer Quan.

The Game Designer

Lancer Quan has been on Mars for 5 years, originally contracted for a class 1 technical position with MIIRA Undertech in 2072.  His programming skills were essential for updating many of the old AI systems responsible for keeping colony infrastructure at Marineris running.

After finishing his 2 year contract, Quan didn't return to Earth.

"There was just too much work to do," he said in a virtual interview, "There are a lot of old robots and many facilities up here still build new robots on old specs, so Mars is unique in how autonomous units need to be refurbished."

It was after a chance meeting with Fredrick Seulovik, now founder of Ice Sports Mars Org (ISMO), that Quan became involved in the ice hockey project.  

"I needed a way to design the sport, to simulate different variations to make it our own," recalled Seulovik, "We couldn't do it in real life, so naturally, we expected to experiment virtually.  The problem was finding resources to do this kind of work because everyone on Mars tends to be locked into exclusive contracts.  Not only did Lancer have the technical skills, but he actual knew hockey!"

It was the kind project Quan never knew he was after. 

"Yes, I played hockey back home," Quan said, "It's was an amazing opportunity to be part of a sport I love, but used to suck at."

In a matter of weeks, his programs were generating and simulating millions of rink variations, rules, team combinations and emulating player skill levels.  Seulovik found the funding he needed to form ISMO, all based off of Quan's work.

"I really wish I could take credit for the halfpipe-style rink design," Quan says, "But reality is, it was all the machine."

The Protector 

Byrono Mon-Omar is an engineer in the Exo-Equipment division at Chariton Labs.  Many of his components are used in industrial EV suits as well as MAFL equipment.

"When I was asked to design sporting equipment for ice hockey," he explained, "I didn't think it would work the way they thought.  It wasn't until after a visit to Korolev and actually skating, I became excited about what we could do with a game on Mars."

Mon-Omar was tasked with solving two problems:  1) making streamlined protective equipment with inexpensive locally available materials and 2) reducing risks of blade injury from skates.

Early Prototype equipment based on Mon-Omar's design templates.

"I came up with a set of templates so that when gear is manufactured from different machines and different producers, it meets the specified tolerances for performance and safety."

If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate scenario of getting a skate in the face, Mon-Omar is the person you will thank for the smart-blade that automatically encases itself in milli-seconds upon imminent collisions.

Mon-Omar's contribution goes beyond safety too.  When you get a load of the retractable shielding and auto-inflatable padding, even if you've never heard of the sport, you'll have the sudden urge to become a goaltender.

The Dream Maker

Training someone to be an elite athletic performer doesn't happen overnight... or does it?

Traditionally, athlete's train from childhood to specialized in a single sport.  They invest tens of thousands of hours to become proficient (not necessarily even competitive).  Though every Martians tends to be fit because it is an ingrained necessity and part of our way of life, fitness does not equate to excelling at any particular sport.  And even for those that grew up playing Hoopz, Jamtrunkle, or Dodgebat at school,  a new sports that involves skating on ice and propelling yourself into the air demands a lot master. 

"No one wants to wait a generation for pro sports to happen," Evgeni Stolbova, VP of Skill Development at ISMO, explains, "So we are trying to do both things in parallel - fast track players to competency and teach the youth to play our sport."

Dr. Elisna Katrine might very well be ISMO's secret weapon.  Katrine is an expert at dream induction.  The technique is a proven and well documented process that has been used for treatment for decades, however it is controversial because it only works for roughly 25% of the population.  For this reason, it has never been widely adopted. 

The good news for Stolbova?  He only needs a a small number of players capable of performing on ice.  So the chance at accelerating 25% of his talent pool is a whole lot better than nothing.

"It isn't very much like dreaming at all," said Anna Fedin, one of the candidate pilot players on team Cosmonaut, "Your body shakes as it responds to the stimulus.  It was quite an unsettling experience at first, but I can actually sleep through the sessions now."

The process cannot make someone exceed their natural ability, nor does it replace the need for actual physical conditioning.  It simply accelerates development of motor skills.  According to Dr. Katrine, however, there are drawbacks.  The process can result in conflict with real-world training and experiences, so determining when to ramp down treatment is critical.

In the case of ISMO, the hope is this will bring the pilot players to an adequate level where the gameplay is entertaining to watch.  With exhibition games slated to begin next month by mid-Mina, the pressure is on.

Dream induction is prohibited in the MAFL.  The organization prides itself as fostering 'natural' abilities.

To that, Stolbova responds, "That's fine, but not everyone is born with EV suites and boost thrusters."

Martian Hockey Promises Thrills, But Not Without Problems

Pisces 13, 2078, m249

Ice Sport Mars Organization presented their new rinks near Noviymir, Mareotis, and Korolev. 

The launch of a hockey league on Mars has sparked a wave of optimism, with council leaders celebrating "a new era in Martian sport." The highly anticipated series of exhibition games have been billed as proof that this maturing network of colonies is quickly amassing all the comforts of Earth. 

The one hitch, though, is no one can skate. 

In a glitzy, live-streamed press conference yesterday, founders behind the burgeoning hockey league — calling themselves the Ice Sport Mars Organization (ISMO) — promised a faster, more extreme version of the original. 

Less encumbered by gravity, top speeds will dwarf even the most elite players on Earth, ISMO claims. The puck is twice the size. Goalies won’t be confined to the net, with retractable pads so they can better join the action. Defenders are also fitted with pads for advanced shot blocking. And, most surprisingly, there won't be traditional boards. Instead the new arenas, built in subterranean ice mines, will look like halfpipes. The ice surfaces will be sunken into the ground, with ramped edges that players can skate up along vertical walls and even propel themselves into the air.  

“Our guys are going to be like acrobats,” ISMO president Fredrick Seulovik said. “They can get unbelievable air. They’ll be flipping and spinning overtop of each other.”

But that wasn't the case at a recent practice scrimmage. This reporter was granted an exclusive preview of the game and it was, well, underwhelming.

Players toppled over each other rather than flipping or spinning. Those who managed to stay on their feet were unable to effectively stop, hitting the ramped edges and catapulting themselves into the air, flailing. A goalie, desperate to return to her crease after joining in a rush to the opponent’s end, ungracefully crashed into her net.

There were two minor injuries and four equipment malfunctions in the span of the 45 minutes of ice time. 

“I don’t know if I can take this much longer,” one player muttered to another as they made their way to a makeshift locker room, which was really a heated tent beside the enclosed rink. 

Of the players I spoke with, none have ever skated before ISMO started training camps three months ago — except a few who played in pick-up games organized as a morale-booster for ice miners at a facility outside Korolev over the past year. 

Defenseman Martin Bartschi spent ample time on the ice, horizontally.

“Listen, it’ll get better,” said Evgeni Stolbova, the ISMO’s demoralized vice-president of skills development.

He should hope so. 

Investors, buoyed by the recent success of the Martian Aero Football League, sunk millions into leasing space in three ice mines near Novymir and two satellite settlements. It was a clever plan, avoiding the costly process of ice-making since the underground mines already have vast sheets of ice available. But it took some maneuvering to convert the mines into usable arenas. The ice can’t be too cold or the skate blades won’t sink in. So ISMO installed climate control rinks to heat the cavernous environment from -125 C to around -3 C.

For any chance at building broader reach, ISMO will have to expand in to markets much larger than Mareotis Fossae and Korolev. The question is, will anyone be interested in hockey outside the predominantly Scandinavian and Russian cultural centres?

Talks are underway to build arenas in Europa and Marineris. Those two major cities, however, do not have adequate ice pockets nearby — forcing ISMO to build a facility capable of housing a rink rather than use a pre-existing ice surface. 

But the organization appears content to play the long game. They've insisted this isn't professional sport yet, only an attempt to build interest and new talent. And it appears to be working. Enrolment in their Ice Sport Academy is already full in all 3 settlements, with participants coming from as far as Wendland and Huacheng.

“This is a chance,” ISMO president Seulovik said, “to not be bored.” 

Let’s hope she’s right.

MAFL Chronicles - Q&A with the Champions

Pisces 6, 2078, m249

Before the start of the inaugural season, MAFL Commissioner Aiger Masing gave each team the task of chronicling their experiences over the 21 week season.  Each team was given the liberty to record their stories in the format of their choice.  This series shares some of the excerpts from these chronicles.   In this edition, we begin with the Champions, the Marineris Comets. The Comets documented their season with weekly post-game interviews.

The following is the last Q&A interview they made the week following their championship victory on Kumbha 17.  It features Manager Gordan J. Pryce, Captain Liddell Bradley, Stephen Liu, Samantha Park, and Zaida Agre.

Stephen Liu, Defender of the Year.

How does it feel being the MAFL Champions? 

Bradley:  It’s a phenomenal experience. The championship has given the entire colony an enormous boost of energy that you can feel everywhere you go. We were the first colony on Mars and now we’re also the first MAFL champion – that can never be taken away from us. 

PRYCE: The reality of it all still amazes me. Honest truth is if you had told me we would be champs before the start of the season, I’d tell you, your oxygen supply must be a bit low. In an unproven game with rookie clubs and no precedence, no one knew what the outcome would be.

When in the season did you start to think, we could really win the whole thing?

PRYCE: Well, you have to remember, we were a .500 team for the first third of the season. We’d win one lose one, win one, lose one, we had no momentum in the beginning. 

BRADLEY:  It was around Week 9, when we went on this fantastic run winning our next 5 games. That was the first time I let myself think, hmmm, maybe we have a shot at the whole thing. Then the Titans come into our house and beat us in Week 14 – our 2nd loss to them that season!  So long as they were around, there was doubt in our minds.

LIU: It’s easy for me to say now but those doubts started to disappear for me when we outgunned Al’amal 7-3 in the Semi-Finals. That was when I started believing we would win the whole thing, even with the Titans awaiting us in the Finals. 

The Titans were clearly your biggest opponent. How did you really feel about Ware’s infamous, “We Own them” comment? 

LIU:  I wanted to throttle her!

PARK: That type of braggadocio I expected from her teammate Readale Nash. 

AGRE: As the only Woman captain in the league, Raenia is someone I look up to. She carried herself with class all season, so it was really disappointing.  The timing couldn't have been worse considering what the league was going through.

BRADLEY:  I called her once I heard the comment. “You’re better than this”, I told her, and to her credit, she apologize. 

PRYCE: It wasn't a good display for her, but in many ways, it motivated us through the playoffs.  That little comment may have made the ultimate difference.

Were the Titans the biggest obstacle in your championship run? 

PRYCE:  I’d say we had three big obstacles. Early on, it was our lack of consistency, searching for our team identity. Mid-way, we released it was the Titans who would be the team to beat so what do we do. Later on, it was Yamen’s death that really took a tole – overcoming was probably our biggest obstacle. 

Tell me about Warren’s tragic death?

AGRE:  Devastating. He was part of our little family… it was just so surreal and so sudden… we prepared all season for all types of scenarios, but there was no way to prepare for what happened.

BRADLEY: It’s never a good time for these kind of thing to happen, but with just one match before the start of the playoffs? A number of us were still in therapy that week leading up to our final regular season match with the Titans, which we lost. Somehow were were able to channel the grief into winning and doing it in Yamen's memory made it that much more meaningful.

Any truth to the mid-season rumour you were close to bidding for Darkeem Dennis? 

LIU:  I think Gordan should answer that question. 

PRYCE: Nice defence, Stephen.  Full disclosure, we were really considering acquiring him from Dong Ji. Credit to our Chair, Elizabeth Foster, who was ready to pull the trigger, but we didn’t for a few reasons. First, even though I like Darkeem, I was concerned about his game breaking ability as he hadn’t scored in 7 matches. Second, Europa was desperate and we weren't interested enough to engage in a bidding war... because we would have won.  Ultimately,  Marysa Waaijer was a better fit.  

BRADLEY:  At the time, I thought we blew it and I let Gordan know that.

PRYCE:  You weren't shy about that.  One thing is for sure, neither Dennis or Europa got what they needed from that transaction.  And clearly, things worked out alright for us.

Going back to the very beginning, what was it like playing Football on Mars?

PARK:  If you mean the first time playing outdoors, it was weird.  The equipment made it awkward and unnatural.

AGRE:  The first time I had to face one of those boosted shots was an eye opener.

LIU:  Eventually around the 3rd week, it just felt right to me, like we were just playing football. 

What’s next for the Comets? 

AGRE: Rest.

PARK: See my loved ones. You'd be amazed with road trips and training how little time you spend with your family.

PRYCE:  Well enjoy it wile you can,  we'll start practicing next month. 

BRADLEY: Come on, Coach!

PRYCE:  A championship just doesn’t defend itself. But, I guess we can make it a month and a half.

---

Next in the series, we will look at the Titans and what might have contributed to their undoing.
 

Comets Claim MAFL Championship!

San Olympus – Saturni, Kumbha 7, 2077, m249

Over 5,000 football fans descended on Olympus Park for the largest single gathering ever for a Mars event to witness the Marineris Comets stun the favoured San Olympus Titans with a decisive 4-1 victory to capture the first ever MAFL championship.

Residents from across the colonies congregated at San Olympus, inflating the usual 12,000 population to almost 18,000 these past days. This unforeseen population spike had officials panicking all week on whether they could keep the colony afloat.

So crews worked around the clock to transform public areas and even cargo bays into event facilities.

Surplus air, water and other supplies were ordered weeks in advance in anticipation of this potential final. However, the sheer onslaught of visitors moved the other colonies to offer their support to help San Olympus breathe more easily. 

The inter-colony audience overflowed the parkade at Olympus Park, which was bursting at the seams. Never had so many Spectator transports been packed so closely before as 5,128 fans watched and proudly displayed their favourite MAFL colours.

And no two colours shined more brightly than the Titans’ Purple and the Comets’ Blue as the two teams put on a scintillating classic that delivered drama and action throughout the match.

While San Olympus A-list socialite Sasha Bayley made her appearance with her rendition of the national anthem, her boyfriend would not.  Readale Nash, the Titans leading scorer, reinjured himself during practice and was not suited for the match. Also missing in action, MAFL goalkeeper of the year, Icilio De Sisto of the Titans who suffered a shoulder injury in the semi-final match against the Immortals.

This made for a naturally frenetic match and the Comets poured on the offense to take advantage of the Titans’ key absences.

The genesis of a chance emerged with pressure from Stephen Liu on a loose ball that ultimately opened an opportunity for team-mate Luz Obregón, who sought the far right corner with a low drive from an acute angle, but dragged the effort a bit wide of the net.

Titans’ defender Alberto Rubio went down with injury in his feverish pursuit of Obregón on the play.

One less Titan allowed for the Comets to dominate possession for the better half of the quarter-hour as in succession: Liu and Liddell Bradley had reachable targets inside the danger zone but were left bemoaning their efforts as Titan goalkeeper Usian Busara was looking sharp.

After narrowly holding off the early burst of Comets’ intensity, the Titans finally rallied back.

With 20 minutes on the clock, it looked like Jube Terrell opened scoring as she controlled a Raenia Ware delivery and quickly blasted it past Zaida Agre. But luck would desert her as the officials rightly adjudged her offside to keep the match goalless.

A minute later, Terrell collected a pass from Baja Avdi just inside the penalty box and tried to guide home the ball with a side-foot past Agre who managed to poke the ball out of harm’s way.

And just as it looked like Ware would put her team on top with a rush down the right flank, the Comets Vitor Vargas Medina played her a snug too tight causing both players to crash to the ground.

While Medina got up, Ware did not. Ware’s ankle, injured for a significant portion of the season, couldn't hold up. Ware refused to go to the locker room and demanded to remain on the sidelines to give her teammates ongoing encouragement.

But the Titans’ injuries continued to piled on.  Backup goalkeeper Usian Busara was taken out at the 27th minute, forcing Titan manager, Paulo Salgado, to insert unproven defender, Satsaroop Saprai, into an unbelievably high stake, high pressure situation.

In efforts to protect their untested goalkeeper, the Titans overcompensated which led to defender Terry Park overexerting and becoming the next victim to injury with 3 minutes remaining in the half.

With Rubio, Ware, Busara and now Park all gone (in addition to Nash and De Sisto being out), the Comets could smell blood.

Despite this, Titans’ Tarik Lema Girma fought back with a well-timed boost that propelled a stunning strike that flew into the top left corner from just inside the penalty area for the 1st goal of the match.

Titans 1 Comets 0.

Unfortunately, this momentum would not last as the Titans would display a slew of uncharacteristic mistakes.

The first came in the final minute of the half as a weak clearing attempt from Saprai was intercepted by Liu who fed a pass to Amanda Coronel who thundered a header precisely into the right post corner as a hesitant Saprai watched.

Titans 1 Comets 1.

The pace from the outset of the second half was relentless.

On the sidelines, Ware encouraged her teammates on.  Despite the Comets focus on containing Terrell, she caused some alarm by galloping along the right touchline and to the near post before finally getting crowded out by a combination of defence and goalkeeper.

With each passing minute, the match became increasingly stretched, with neither team yielding in their attacking ambitions.

Then at the 74th minute, the decisive moment arrived. Liu intercepted an errant pass from the Titans, dribbled from the halfway line past three Titans defenders and then clipped the ball to Luz Obregón. The 24-year-old used exquisite technique to cushion the ball on his chest and then watch his cool side-foot drift over Saprai and into the top right corner. 

Comets 2 Titans 1.

That goal would open the flood gates as the Comets rushed through with another goal two minutes later.  Another misplayed pass from the Titans landed onto Bradley’s foot where he sent a cross from the right, which was met by Jonathan Elliot with a sliding volley into the lower left corner.

Comets 3 Titans 1.

The Titans tried to mount an attack, but were met by a swarm of Comets.  A series of crisp pass combinations would allow Alessandro Ferraz to finish with a low shot that easily beat the hapless Saprai.

Comets 4 Titans 1.

The tired and crippled Titans valiantly fought to the end, but the final whistle marked a stunning ending to their season and redemption for the Comets.

“They said we couldn’t beat them but we did when it counted most,” said Bradley as he was showered with champagne by his jubilant teammates in the locker room. “They can have the MAFL Team of the Year Award – I’d rather be hoisting the Championship!”

“We’ve developed a team spirit which has been unbelievable based on the tumultuous season we’ve had with Warren’s death,” said Comets Manager Gordan J. Pryce, “I think it’s just fitting that the first Mars colony would also be home to the first ever MAFL championship.”  

“My players were warriors and I congratulated them afterwards because, beyond the disappointment of the result, they played their hearts out”, said a dejected but composed Titans Manager, Salgado. “When you lose key players, you know it's difficult to turn it around but it's clear they gave everything for the Titans jersey today. However, I congratulate Marineris on winning the title.”

As would Commissioner Aiger Masing during the championship trophy ceremony.

“First off I would like to thank San Olympus for a fabulous job in hosting this week of festivities. However, this could not have happened without the help of all the colonies pitching in. We started this project ten years ago and what has happened today is the result of many years' of planning and failed attempts, but we never gave up. Today was a shining example of what we can all achieve here on Mars. Join me in celebrating your first ever MAFL champions, the Marineris Comets!”

And as Masing presented the Championship trophy to Captain Bradley, the broadcast channel erupted with applause from all the combined feeds including Spectator Transports, public gatherings, and home viewers across the colonies... followed 10 minutes later on Earth.

This concludes Season 1 of the Martian Aero Football League.  Though season 2 is not slated until Mesha, 4 Martian Months away, fans will be eager to see post-season activity within the clubs and follow whether the MAFL will expand with any of the proposals from Wendland, Korolev and Osumi.

Play on, Mars!

MAFL Award Night

Aquarius 22, 2077, m249

Last night in Europa was Party Time for the MAFL!

For one night, all MAFL players, coaches and officials could cut loose and be free as they celebrated the season with the first ever MAFL Awards Dinner, hosted by Aiger Masing.

It was an extravagant gala held at Masing Hall, complete with red carpet and flowing champagne.

Free and uninhibited was one Readale Nash, as he adorned a flamboyant purple tuxedo with matching boots.  Nash with 8 goals of the season was up for the MVP award against Al’amal’s Musaddiq Baddour (10 goals) and the Immortals Uday Lanka who led the league in goals scored with 14.

“I feel lucky tonight,” said Nash as he arrived on the red carpet, accompanied by San Olympus A-list socialite Sasha Bayley, 21.

The nominees were submitted by peers in the organization and the winners were selected by an executive committee led by Masing.

"This is an important night to recognize our peers," opened Masing, "But before we do that, we must celebrate what we have accomplished together.  It wasn't easy to bring the MAFL to life.  We had many nay-sayers, so completing our first regular season, in itself, is an achievement we all must be proud of."

Defender of the Year

The first award presented on the evening was for Defender of the Year. Two Comets players, Stephen Liu and Samantha Park were up against the Titans’ Maria Caraball.

The award went to Stephen Liu who anchored the team’s air tight defence and led all defenders with 5 goals for the season.

“I’m thankful for this award but honestly, it easily could have gone to Samantha or Maria as well,” said Liu.

Goalkeeper of the Year

The goalkeeper nominees were Titans Icilio De Sisto, Al’amal SC’s Ahmed Pour and surprisingly United’s Yvonne Barnato who moved to a forward position after Week 15.

De Sisto and Pour both led the league with fewest goals allowed at 19. Barnato was one of the leaders at Week 15 and also led her team with goals scored at the time.  

De Sisto ultimately took the award based his league leading 9 shutouts.

“Thanks to my teammates for their solid defence all year to help me get this award”, said De Sisto.

Best Team

De Sisto returned to the stage shortly after as his team, the San Olympus Titans, ran off with the Best Team of the Year award over the Marineris Comets and Al’amal SC.

The Titans ended up with the best overall record in the league at 16 and 5, gave up the fewest goals in the league (tied with Al’amal) and at one point had a 12 game winning streak during the season.

Which then came as no surprise that Titans manager Paulo Salgado would take the Manager of the Year award over the Comets Gordan J. Pryce and Al’amal’s Haajid Nasr.

“I tip my hat to Paulo” said Nasr. “Our team scores the most goals this year (36) and let in the fewest goals (19) and we still end up with 5 less wins that the Titans. I’d love to know Paulo’s secret to success.”

Most Valuable Player

The most coveted prize of the evening came last;  individual success would be recognized as the MVP.

And the Award went to… Immortal's Captian, Uday Lanka, not only for his 14 goals which helped lift his team to a playoff spot, but also for his leadership and excellent conduct as an ambassador to the sport.

“It’s a great honour which I owe to my teammates so tonight I’ll celebrate with them but tomorrow we get ready for the Titans,” said Lanka.

Not all were in agreement with Lanka being chosen as MVP.

“No disrespect to Uday but in our last match, he got red carded which left his team on the losing side. Not sure if that’s how you’d define sportsmanship conduct,” said Nasr.  

Immortals manager Andam Mirza shrugged off Nasr’s comments afterwards, “Al’amal has Baddour, Farra and Fayad who were all in the top five for scoring. Without Uday, we would have no business being in the playoffs, so he deserves this award like no other.”

Between drinks, Nash shared his thoughts, “Personally, I think the MVP should go to the best player on the best team. Last I checked, the Titans were the best and I had the most goals on that team. That’s okay. Do you see who I’m with? I’m the one going home with the real prize tonight!”

Most Valuable Masing

There was one unofficial award that was uncontested.  Owners, players and managers all raised a glass for Aiger Masing.  

Indeed, the MAFL would not have existed without his individual efforts and financial contributions.  He fought through the red tape with colonies across Mars and built professional sports on a planet that never planned on having it.  Though the ups and downs, he's stuck with it and tonight, he was rewarded with the respect he has earned.

Thunder, Lighting and Flood of Goals

Amrita - Aquarius 15, 2077, m249

In honour of the fallen – Silence.  The calm before the storm.

Players pay respects in a pre-game tribute.  Yamen Warren's parents were in attendance in a private STV.

And then there was Thunder and Lightning, as a torrential downpour of goals rained onto Amrita field.

And when everything stopped, Al’amal stood tall over the Immortals in a wildly entertaining 5 – 3 victory.

In a season, where some teams were increasingly dependent on playing systems that stifled rather than promoted creative talent, Al’amal and the Immortals delivered a refreshing reminder of how football is at its best when moments of individual brilliance shine.

And it was the Captains of both teams, the Immortals Uday Lanka and Al’amal’s Musaddiq Baddour that would lead that spark.

As he’s done all season, Lanka opened up scoring at the 4th minute. Lanka exchanged passes with Akkilic Tapur who then chipped a superb ball over the defence which set Lanka free to unleash a spectacular overhead kick over the goalkeeper for the first goal of the game.

Al’amal looked to respond quickly applying pressure before the Immortals Vivek Tagore dove in with a late tackle on Baddour to break up the play. Tagore was sent off with a red card.

Tagore’s desperate foul just delayed the inevitable as Baddour delivered the equalizer at the 10th minute. A well-worked move by Mahmood Ramin to Ikram Muhammad and then to Baddour allowed him to hook the ball in with his back to the goal. 1-1.

The Immortals took the lead again at the 38th minute as Lanka scored his 2nd goal of the game.

Ran Naik aimed a long pass from his own half at Lanka. Lanka cushioned the ball with wicked ease, used the sole of his boot to trap the bouncing ball and turned inside his marker in a single move. Before Al’amal had time to grasp the accuracy of Lanka’s control, Lanka bounced the ball up a second time and struck a sweet volley past the goalkeeper.

In a game of anything you can do, I can do better, Baddour matched Lanka with his 2nd goal of the game to equalize the score at the 55th minute.

When the Immortals defence failed to clear the ball out of their box, Baddour intercepted and unleashed a pile driver of a shot from 30 yards past the Immortals goalkeeper.  2-2.

And then what transpired next hinged on a moment of madness which some say was the turning point of the match. At the 59th minute, the referee missed what looked like a trip by Baddour on Lanka and shockingly punished Lanka with a yellow card for his “theatrical dive”.

An irate Lanka pleaded his case in vain to the ref-bot as Al’amal was awarded a free kick where Rashaa Adel curled a pinpoint shot into the top corner from 35 yards to take over the lead. Al’amal 3 Immortals 2

And when it rains, it pours.

Just five minutes later, still freshly fuming from his yellow card, Lanka got into another tangle resulting in a second caution, red carded.  He was sent out, but not before giving ref-bot an 'accidental' nudge with his shoulder.

A penalty shot was awarded to Ramin and he delivered putting Al’amal up 4 -2.

That would be the difference maker.

Al’amal would add another goal at the 81st minute as Birwant Rahar ran from inside his own half and curled a low shot inside the far post. Al’amal 5 Immortals 2.

The Immortals’ Alan Fox closed the deficit at the 84th minute with a well-placed chip over the goalkeeper that dropped in off the underside of the crossbar. Al’amal 5 Immortals 3.

Too little, too late for the Immortals as they went down on their own home field.

“That was ridiculous”, screamed Immortals manager Andam Mirza after the match. “Lanka’s yellow card was their missed call and the second was clearly accidental. Because the ref and his stupid ref-bots can’t tell the difference between incidental and intentional, we lose this match.”

An ecstatic Al’amal team celebrated their victory in the locker room as their victory guaranteed them a playoff spot and the 3rd seed.

““They can blame the referees all they want but if you give up 5 goals in a game, you usually lose”, said Baddour. “Our team had to step up, especially without Farra and Fayad in thelineup, we did our best - we score goals. And that’s why we won.”

Farewell Comet

Marineris - Saturni, Aquarius 7, 2077, m249

Hundreds of friends, family, teammates attend service at Marineris Great Hall.

For the first time in 20 weeks, the stadiums across Mars were empty.

A colony and a league are in mourning after the sudden loss of Comet midfielder, Yamen Warren.  In  a freak accident in the second half of the heated match against the Amrita Immortals, a mid-air impact with Jag Parkar breached Warren's helmet and sent him crashing head-first to the turf below.

Emergency measures seemed to have adverted disaster on the field – The EV Suit immediately deployed the airbag to protect Warren from exposure to Martian atmosphere (more accurately, the lack of it) and MAFL protocols were in check, getting medical aid to his side in under 60 seconds.  Warren even regained consciousness later that afternoon at the hospital facilities at Marineris, but his condition took a sudden turn that evening and he was pronounced dead at 24:16.

Warren was laid to rest after funeral services were held at Marineris Hall.  The hall is one of the few surface structures at the colony, typically reserved for festive occasions and galas. Today, it provided the backdrop for hundreds to pay their respects for the fallen athlete.

MAFL officials, club owners and the entire Comets team and staff were in attendance.  The service was filled to capacity, so emotional fans and other players who made the journey to pay respects were left in the promenade, passage ways, and decks around the great hall.

By request of Jayden and Mirna Warren, no recording or broadcast was made of the service, however, most of the colonies observed a moment of silence to pay tribute to Warren.

The MAFL was quick to postpone the final round of matches for the regular season last week are yet to announce when play will resume.  Many club owners have offered counselling services to support their players.

It is unclear how Warren's death will affect the sport in the near-term, however, this unfortunate incident is sure to have long-lasting impact.

Playoffs Coming into Focus

Jovis, Makara 26, 2077, m249

Certainty:  Titans, Comets and Immortals are IN and DongJI is out.

With only 2 weeks left in the season, the playoffs are fast approaching but how that picture will materialize is still as hazy as a typical Mars sand storm as the playoff position of six teams is still up in the air.

One certainty so far: The Titans will enter the playoffs with the top seed (See Standings below).

Another certainty: The Comets and Immortals will make the playoffs. 

The uncertainty: Which seed will each team own in the playoffs?

The Comets can clinch the 2nd seed with a win over the Immortals in Week 20. A Comets loss in Week 20 leaves both teams tied for the 2nd seed going into Week 21 where the Comets face the Titans @ San Olympus while the Immortals are @ home to face Al’amal.

If the Comets and Immortals end up tied after Week 21, the tiebreaker goes to the Comets who are 2-0 over the Immortals in regular season head to head play.

For the Immortals – just win one of two matches and they’re guaranteed the 3rd seed.

If the Immortals lose to the Comets in Week 20 and then Al’amal in Week 21, they end up with an 11 and 10 record with the potential to go into the playoffs as the 4th seed.

For that to happen, Al’amal will need to beat a suddenly shaky Titans in Week 20 and then beat the Immortals in Week 21 to secure the 3rd seed as the tiebreaker between Al’amal and the Immortals goes to Al’amal who are 2-1 vs. the Immortals head to head play.

While Al’amal’s playoff path is steep, the Dynamo face Dongji and Wuji to close out the season in what promises to be two emotionally charged matches back home @ Noviymir. If Al’amal and the Dynamo end up tied in the standings, the tiebreaker goes to the Dynamo who are 2-1 in head to head play.

A playoff berth for the Dynamo would help heal a colony torn with strife throughout the Chubarov outbreak while a playoff berth for Al’amal would reward the club for its high powered offensive style.

An underwhelming United season could still be salvaged with a playoff berth but a number of things will need to happen.  They’ll need to beat both Wuji and Dongji to end up with a 10 and 11 regular season record AND both Al’amal and the Dynamo will need to go winless in Week 20 and 21.

If United ends up tied with either Al’amal or Dynamo after the regular season, they miss the playoffs as the tiebreakers go to both Al’amal and Dynamo who each own a 2-1 regular season record over Europa.

Do you believe in Miracles?  If you do, then step right up and lay witness to Wuji.

To crawl their way up to the fourth and final playoff spot, the Wuji will need:

1. Victories over United in Week 20 and the Dynamo in Week 21 to end the season at 9 and 12.
2. Al’amal and the Dynamo to both go winless in the next two weeks to end up 9 and 12.
3. United to end up at 9 and 12 or worse.

If these three conditions all happen, shockingly, the Wuji will advance as the tiebreakers all favour Wuji:  3 – 0 over Al’amal in head to head; 2-1 over Dynamo and United in head to head.

Don’t believe it?

Based on everything you’ve seen so far in Season 1 of MAFL play, believe anything.

Tales from the Pitch: Necessity

Jovis, Makara, 13, 2077, m249

Spectator Tour Vehicle by Altia Heavy Machines, Marineris, configured for media.

There was an old Earth saying that necessity is the mother of invention, but up here, Mars is the real mother of invention. Everything that we’ve built has come out of a necessity to live, eat, work, and play in the greatest scientific feat that humanity has ever known.

I was thinking about this as I watched my Titans unceremoniously fall to the Dynamo at Korolev Stadium. Not wanting to focus too much on the game I looked around at the rest of my colleagues in the Press STV, or, Spectator Tour Vehicle. You see, it would have been both too costly and a drain on resources to cover the stadiums and create an artificial atmosphere, so the MAFL stadium are all open air. But humans can’t breathe on Mars so the players have the EV suits.

This all works well for the players because there aren’t that many of them, but when you want to fill your stadium with hordes of fans you can’t really give out hundreds of EV suits. So the Spectator Tour Vehicle was invented. In general the STV is large vehicle with rotating seats, life-support systems, and elongated windows that allow the passengers to enjoy viewing a match from the comfort within.

The press STV isn’t much different than a standard STV designed for regular spectators. It's a much smaller vehicle, of course, but with space for all of us to work and file stories, but the same basic design is there. Every STV comes equipped with a state of the art onboard game diagnostic system. This populates the heads-up display (HUD) on the windows, but also allows for an individualized data feed in each seat.

The HUD provides important game information such as current score, time remaining, and players on the pitch, but it is the personalized data feed that I love. Let’s say you want to know the home town of your favourite player, or how many penalties they’ve received this season, or what’s their favourite song? It is all there at your fingertips. I can have a personalized announcer feed, or I can even add my own soundtrack. And I love watching a couple of minutes of a game to classic music. You’d be surprised how well a match syncs up with the 1812 Overture!

Of course all of this pales in comparison to STV Megabox. Patterned after the box seats of yore, these vehicles fit only a handful of spectators, but what a ride they get. Plush seats, gourmet food, referee cam feed, and all the opulent extras that make watching the game merely a secondary endeavour. I’ve never gotten a chance to life live in one of these fancy moving parties, but I heard from a guy who heard from a guy that they are worth every penny.

And one day I’ll find a way to catch a match in these golden boxes, but for now I’m happy to sit with everyone else, shoulder to shoulder, enjoying the common bond as we cheer (or boo) the teams on the pitch. Sure, we could just be at home enjoying the virtual feeds or data sets from the camera-bots, but nothing beats being right there and seeing the players in front of you. Don’t let this season pass by without seeing at least once match dear reader. You won’t regret it.

Transfers, Trades and Musical Chairs

Jovis, Capriconrus 26, 2077, m249

Today, clubs across the MAFL posted official announcements confirming trade rumours and line up changes.

As this is the first experience of this kind for many fans, particularly those who have grown up on Mars without any prior context, it was an unexpected emotional reality of the game.

Here's the rundown...

Wuji and Comets

Marysa Waaijer traded to Marineris Comets. 

Waaijer, though born on Mars, is not a native of Tiangong.  Of Dutch origins, her family were among the original pioneers of Europa in 2046.  Waaijer only moved toTiangong in Kumbha 248 after being recruited by Bobby Chung, Wuji head manager.

“She was one of my first picks outside the colony,”, said Chung, “And now she must be my first pick to leave.  She will be missed, but this is a deal we need to build the team for the future.”

Marysa Waaijer traded to Comets

Waaijer issued this statement: “The fans of Tiangong have welcomed me since day-1 and they have supported me and the team through our best and worst.   Though saddened to leave, I am excited about what the future will bring at Marineris.”

In return for Waaijer, Wuji are receiving… Maurice O’neal, a Midfielder, and Khloe Mckay, a Defender.  This expands the slim Wuji roster to 19 players.

The Comets have the largest squad in the league.  Both O

Comets Chairman, Elizabeth Foster, expressed  

Novyimir

Adam Stepanovich, Dynamo’s Head Manager has finally made the decision to change what's between the posts.  Kyrylyuk has has a dismal season with worst goals against record in the league… an unbelievable 31 goals that have slipped by.

Danilovich replaces Kyryluk between the posts.

This was a long time coming, but what did come as a surprise is that the job went to 11 Boris Danilovich.  There were other contenders among the existing team, with Defenders 43 Heriberto Couto and 39 Dijen Axa have regularly played goal in practise, Stepanovichhas opted for a role reversal with Danilovich swapping positions with Kyryluk.

Hopefully, Kyryluk is able to translate his ability to allow the ball into the net in the reversedirection.

Titans, Al’amal, and Amrita

These clubs were steadfast, confirming today that no changes will be made to their rosters.

The Titans have an unbelievable 14-1 record, but have recently be mired by injuries that have noticeably affected their otherwise flawless performance.  With a roster of 21 players, they have a lot of strong secondary players to rely on.

Both Al’amal and Amrita are neck-and-neck with identical records this season with 8 wins and 7 losses.  Neither are ready to mix things up at this point in the season as they fight for top position.

Dong Ji

Huacheng was the first to go public with their intentions of selling Dennis to United in what they called ‘an offer they could not refuse’.

With 2 new untested players called up from the juniors, #47 Chen Xie and #96 Lim Hou, it is uncertain if this will re-energize the club.  It has, however, fuelled suspicion of racism in Huacheng, to which the club flatly denies. 

Dennis did not seem disappointed by the opportunity to leave Huacheng.

United

In addition to theirplay with Dennis, Reinmann officially announced his plan with goalkeeping and bolstering his offensive line.  58 Barnato and 31 Parnet will become a forwards, 48 Sulzberger will take goal, and Barlas will be moving to a midfield position.

“This is all I have for now,” said Reinmann, “This will not be a magic fix, but we will start here and make subsequent adjustments accordingly.  What I want to focus on now is on our match this Saturni.”

Sources close to Barnato suggest that she is not entirely pleased with the club’s decision.  Though she was a successful striker in her youth, she has always stated that playing goal was her passion.  She was not available for comment.

With the Transfer Window now closed, clubs will not be able to trade, but can continue to make internal adjustments at their own discretion.

This Saturni and Solis will put these new configurations to the test.

MAFL Midway

Solis.Dhanus, 22, 249

It’s been a thrilling ride so far in the inaugural MAFL season and to celebrate the midway point of the season, the league broke out into a big spontaneous party.

A Penalty Kick Over Time Party! Because Week 11 of MAFL play was all about the PKOT.

The PKOT Party got started when the Immortals and United invited themselves over with a scoreless match in regulation which was then decided in Penalty Kicks as Immortals forward Ran Naik curved the winner over the outstretched hands of United goalkeeper, Yvonne Barnato into the opposite top corner. PKOT 3 to 2 for the Immortals.

The Immortals moved to 6 and 5 while United dropped to 5 and 6 in the standings.

Next ones to crash the PKOT Party were the Comets and Wuji.

Their match ended in a 1 to 1 tie with Marysa Waaiger scoring for Wuji and Isabelle Marsh knotting it up for the Comets.  In Overtime, Comets forward Kyrie Barnett charged up to power her shot through the hands of Wuji goalkeeper Trenton Seaton for the clincher. PKOT 3 to 2 for the Comets.  

The Comets moved to  2nd place in the standings with a 7 and 4 record while Wuji remained at the bottom of the standings with a 3 and 8 record.
 

Not wanting to miss out on all the fun, the Titans and Dongji also joined the party.  Last place Dongji put a scare in the first place Titans with Zhao Jiao scoring at the 1:03 mark. However, Readale Nash (the Cash) responded 4 minutes later with his 7th goal of the season. In Overtime, Titan’s Jube Terrell blasted a blur to the right of a frozen Dongi goalkeeper. PKOT 2 to 1 for the Titans.

The Titans soared to a 10 and 1 record with Dongji tied at the bottom with Wuji at 3 and 8.

In the fourth and final match of Week 11, Mussaddiqu Baddour of Al’amal SC opened up the scoring at the 9 minute mark against the Novyimir Dynamo.  Ilya Jaroslav Petrovich tied it up at the 43 minute mark.

With just one half left, all the makings of a full on league PKOT party were in play.

Until that buzz kill, Mariya Nikitovna spoiled the party.  Her goal at the 57th gave the Dynamo a 2 to 1 win in regular match play.

With the win, the Dynamo moved to 4 and 7 for the season while Al’amal went to 6 and 5.

“I’ve never seen anything like that”, said MAFL commissioner, Aigar Masing. “I know some traditionalists loathe the overtime Penalty Kicks but even they have to admit it was a lot of fun to watch.”

And fun has been plentiful at the MAFL midway so far. What have been some of the key attractions?

Step right up and see Immortals clash with Titans for league supremacy.

The Titans’ only season loss was to the Immortals in Week 3 as the Lanka Legend scored 4 goals that day.  In the week 10 rematch, the Titans gained revenge with a win from Nash the Cash’s two goals and a little help from sloppy goalkeeping.
 

Lanka Legend and Nash the Cash are also battling for individual supremacy as they are leading the league in goals with 9 and 7 respectively. How many more goals will these two score in the Week 17 grudge match between the Immortals and Titans?

How many goals will the Tiangong Wuji score in the second half? Despite their heavy spending, the Wuji can’t buy a goal with an anemic 8 goals. Even Lanka Legend has scored more.  Will their spending eventually pay off in the 2nd half and lift them out of the basement?

Their fellow basement brethren, the Tiangong Dongji, can score thanks to Darkeem Dennis and his 4 goals. Despite their spending, they can’t buy a win in overtime having 5 of their 8 losses in PKOT. Now if they could just clone Dennis….

Or talk to the Marineris Comets and learn how their balanced attack has helped them run off a three game winning streak vaulting them into 2nd place in the standings. Can they continue this momentum in the 2nd half?

Can Europa United learn that successful balance too? Despite a Martian air lock tight defence which has allowed just 7 goals, they have a mediocre 5 and 6 record. Like the Wuji, the opposing net might as well be lost in a Martian sand storm.

The Dynamo’s net however, is as big as the Valles Marineris canyon. Opponents have scored 26 goals against them. The next worse team – the Wuji with 16 goals allowed. And yet how have the Dynamo won more games than Wuji and Dongji?

And has anyone noticed the Al’amal SC are in 3rd place? And that four of their players are in the Goal Leaders rankings – the most of any team. If you don’t know, Musaddiq Baddour or Arwa Farra, you will soon.

And what else will pop out in the 2nd half of this MAFL ride? Hold tight and keep your eyes open.