Ex-employee Points Finger at Titans Owner

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Though Kamden Lewis is an icon, he isn’t free of blemishes.  His organizations on Earth and Mars are no strangers to controversy and he, himself, has been regarded as a volatile and temperamental businessman.

A most entertaining MAFL game is being played many weeks after the season finale.

This game involves attacks and volleys aimed straight at the Titans, but unlike Aero Football, these focus on the possible reasons why their dominating season did not translate to success.

The latest entrant to the game is one Gibb Brubeck, the former Operations Director from Titans’ head office. 

Brubeck claims Titans’ owner Kamden Lewis was aggressively looking to sell the Titans.  This distracting tone from the top was ultimately the trickle down theme that contributed to the demise of the Titans’ championship aspirations.

Were the Titans for Sale?

At 82 years of age, club owner Kamden Lewis isn’t getting any younger.  His lifetime achievements put other billionaires to shame – from the tech empire he build from the ground up, to championing the independent consortium for Mars colonization that realized San Olympus, to funding the start-up of MAFL and the creation of the Titans franchise.

While no clear succession plan is evident, the Lewis Empire is in no financial trouble according to its latest financial statements.

Brubeck however, points back to the fan appreciation night Kamden held as the genesis for talks with prospective buyers. 

 “The night was nothing more than an orchestrated sales platform for target prospects: Chen Tzu of the Tiangong, Darius Johnson of Columbia Hills, and Daniel Efferton of San Olympus”, said Brubeck. “These guys have also been tied to Lewis’ strip mine scandal. You just have to put 1 and 1 together to see something was cooking.” 

In response, Lewis' lawyer issued this statement, “Mr. Brubeck was recently released from his duties with the Titans organization. Clearly he did not take the separation well.  Mr. Lewis has no intention of selling the Titans."

Titans Manager, Salgado, also shared his skepticism of Brubeck’s allegations.

“I never got that impression from my interactions with Mr. Lewis”, said Salgado, “ In his frequent visits to the club house, there wasn’t any indication that he was looking to sell.  He’s deeply passionate about the sport, about San Olympus, and about Mars, so it makes little sense to me that he would consider flipping the club mid-schedule in our first season.”

When reached for comment, Efferton added, “I’ve never heard of this Brubeck guy. How would someone so junior be privy to any of Mr. Lewis’ business affairs?”

Perhaps MAFL Commissioner Aiger Masing put it best: “If you look at Mr. Lewis’ track record, he has always been about building something larger than himself.  Even if he had such intentions, when it comes down to why the Titans didn't win the championship, the simple matter of fact is this – the Comets were the better team that day.”

Comets Claim MAFL Championship!

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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!

Championship Anticipation

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Bradley's Comets face Ware's Titans at Olympus Park tomorrow.

Hundreds boarded transport vehicles earlier this week to make the pilgrimage to San Olympus to see who would rise to be the first ever MAFL champion.

“I’ve given my vacation notice for the week because this is going to be one party I don't want to miss.”, said one Europa fan boarding a transport, much to the roaring cheers of her fellow travel mates.

The flow of traffic between Marineris and San Olympus is unprecedented with transport agencies working round the clock shuttling fans the 4500 km distance.  In addition to Marineris residents, hundreds of visitors who came from abroad for Pathfinder Marathon have stuck it out to make the stop to the mountain colony even though the likelihood of acquiring tickets is virtually impossible.

The few scalped tickets that have become available onboard an PTV have reportedly sold for as much as 20 times the original fare.

With PTVs coming in from the colonies, Olympus Park will be at true stadium capacity for the first time.  They have found a way to park an additional 25 visiting transport vehicles, making this the largest single gathering outside a colony facility with more than 5000 spectators expected.

For those who can't make the stadium event, they will be able to enjoy the Championship match through the many parties being held throughout the colonies.  San Olympus itself is being completely transformed to host the surge of visitors; the main promenade, marketplace, and even cargo facilities have been retrofit to support the event.

"We are preparing our infrastructure to handle a population increase of 20%," said Steve Ulytaria, "We will have more than enough air and water, but there is only so much we can do about space."

Interest has also spilled over to Earth as a growing Earth fan base has resulted in a spike in planned coverage with double the resources deployed to cover the event.

“Our viewership numbers have increasingly grown since we started covering MAFL”, said World Associated Press President, Jada Mattata. “We acquired the necessary resources months ago once we saw the early returns. Our fans are in for a treat when they see our superior coverage.”

And will fans be treated to a superior match between the league’s two top teams – The Titans and Comets or will it be a case of the same old, same old?

The Titans are undefeated against the Comets in regular season play, having won all 3 matches.

For the Titans to continue that streak though, they will need to lean heavily on their league leading defence and their reigning MAFL goalkeeper of the year, Icilio De Sisto as their offensive game will be challenged with leading scorer Readale Nash, still bothered by a late season leg injury.

“If Nash can go, that would be huge as he’s the offensive game breaker that can help put us over”, said Ware. “If not, our team has depth and we’ve been successful all year in pulling together to cover off injuries.”

For the Comets, if they bring the same offensive fire they unleashed on Al’amal last week, they could very well overpower the Titans’ air tight defense and goalkeeping.

To help bring that fire, Ware’s infamous words, “We Own You”, have been posted up in the Comets locker room.

“Are we using it as motivation - absolutely,” said Comets Captain Liddell Bradley. “Talk is cheap though so we have to go out there and just do it. Come this Saturni, we’ll see who owns whom”.

MAFL Titans vs. Immortals Semi-finals

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After a festive awards celebration last week, the questions leading up to the first semi-final match began.

Who would prevail? The Best Team or the Team with the Best Player?

Would the Titans, recipients of the MAFL Best Team Award, climb another step closer to the mountain top, or would MAFL MVP Uday Lanka, lead his Immortals to a shot at Championship Immortality.

Would MVP Lanka shine as he did in their Week 3 matchup in San Olympus, with a legendary 4 goals that day?

Or would the Titans deploy their league leading team defence to neutralize the Amrita offence and hold them to a single goal like they did in Week 10 and Week 17.

Many questions which were finally answered today; The Titans responded with another 2 – 1 win.

“Sorry to spoil everyone’s expectations but the prevailing wisdom in any team sport, especially in Football, is that the best team usually prevails over the team with the best player,” said a happy Titans manager, Paulo Salgado in the post-game interview.

But Salgado wasn’t always smiling throughout the match.  In fact, Salgado wasn’t smiling for most of the match, as his team narrowly escaped defeat at the last minute.

At the 17th minute, a sliding tackle on the Immortals’ Tia Mancebo from Titans defender María Carballal, led to a Yellow Card given to Carballal and a Free Kick awarded to Mancebo.

And Mancebo delivered a fabulous free kick that whipped over the wall of Titans players, over a leaping IcilioDe Sisto, and into the far top corner to give the Immortals the 1 – 0 lead.

And things got worse for the Titans. Ten minutes later, the Titans’ Tia Shandu was given a Yellow Card for a questionable push against the Immortals’ Uday Lanka. Shandu’s disdain for the call escalated into a heated discussion and nudge of a referee-bot, which led to a full on Red Card and dismissal from the match.

The Titans were unable to gain any control over the 1st half. While Titans’ leading scorer Readale Nash was suited up, he was in the sidelines nursing the injury he suffered two weeks ago.

His absence was missed as the offensive malaise continued into the 2nd half as the Immortals were able to keep the Titans off the scoreboard for the next twenty minutes.

Thirty Minutes.  

Forty Minutes.

Thankfully, the Titans defenders were able to neutralize Lanka and the Immortals offence for an equal period of time.  

With only 6 minutes remaining in the game, disaster struck in front of the Titan goal.  An accidental collision between Titan defender Tarik Girma and goalkeeper, resulted in a dislocated shoulder for De Sisto.  Usian Busara was called in to finish match.

This turned out to be the pivotal moment.  With five minutes left and their season on the line, Salgado made his move as he shifted to an offensive attack formation – 3 forwards, 4 midfielders, and 3 defenders. No risk, no reward.

Titans mounted wave after wave of pressure on a tiring Immortals team in the dying few minutes.

And it paid off as the Immortals’ Jag Parker committed a foul outside of their own penalty area which resulted in a free kick awarded to the Titans.

After a quick team consultation, Jube Terrell took the kick.

Instead of taking the more frequently used inswinger kick, Terrell delivered an outswinger kick that bent away from the goal, out of reach from the startled wall of Immortals players and from the goalkeeper who instinctively lunged after the ball.

Captain Raenia Ware, criticized for not producing goals in the regular season, gets the all-important equalizer to keep Titans alive.

Raenia Ware streaked in from the left side, leaped and connected with a deft header that sent the ball the other direction, top right corner, and away from an overly committed goalkeeper on the left side.  Goal!  And the game was tied 1 -1 at the 89th minute.

Just when it looked like regular time was over, with both teams resigned to Overtime Penalty Kicks to decide their fate, a fantastic long pass out of the Titans defence by Maria Carballal caught the Immortals players off guard, and caught the foot of a rushing Tarik Lema Girma who controlled the ball and dispatched a superb chip over the Immortals goalkeeper from the edge of the penalty area.

For the deciding goal and win! 2 – 1 Titans over Immortals.

And as the Titans players jumped all over Grima to celebrate, the Immortals players and manager rushed the referee to confirm that the game ending whistle and signal had indeed been delivered before the goal.

No whistle, no signal. Goal stands. And then the game ending whistle and signal came shortly afterwards.

“We had control for the majority of the match but we let this one slip away in the final minutes,” said a dejected Lanka afterwards. “I wasn’t the best player today and I will take full blame for our team’s loss.”

“It ain’t over till it’s over,” said a jubilant Ware in the post-match locker room celebration. “In this game, you play hard until the final end. Our team never gave up. The Best Team won today.”

Titans advance to the Finals and await results from tomorrow's Comets vs. Al'Amal Match.

Owned

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In a battle between the league’s top two teams, the Titans defended home field advantage by beating the Comets 2 – 1.

With both teams having secured their playoff spots and rankings weeks before, this match was all about sending a statement to each other should they meet down the road in the playoffs.

“The rumours of our demise have been greatly exaggerated”, said Titans captain Raenia Ware. “I think we sent a strong message to the 2nd place Comets! We own you.”

And one could hardly blame Ware for her bravado as the Titans have beaten the Comets in all three of their regular season matchups.

Early on though, the Titans looked like they would continue their poor play of late as the Comets came out aggressively, inspired by Jayden and Mirna Warren’s pre-game speech delivered from Amrita.

In just the 2nd minute, Stephen Liu teased the Titans defenders on the left wing before sending a perfect cross to the back post, where Luz Obregón finished with a header. Comets 1 Titans 0.

And just as the Comets were building momentum, the Titans’ Pualin Cambeiro crashed into the Comets’ goalkeeper Zaida Agre at the 12th minute. Cambeiro would receive a Yellow Card for her reckless play while Agre was taken off the field with an injury that could jeopardize Agre’s future playoff participation.

And another key injury would take place, this time with the Titans at the 42th minute. The Comets’ Joel Brooks tackled a streaking Readale Nash who crashed to the ground. Nash limped off the field, arm around a trainer, with an apparent leg injury. Nash is the Titans leading scorer with 8 goals.

This awoke the Titans who were able to respond by quickly applying pressure on the Comets’ substitute goalkeeper Alessandro Clemente Ferraz who flubbed a pass to his own defenders which ended up erroneously going into his own net to give the Titans the equalizing gift. 1-1.

At the 52nd minute, the Titans would put in the decided goal as a long pass from Raenia Ware was met by Jube Terrell who drove a left-foot volley past a diving Clemente. Titans 2 Comets 1. 

And the Titans were then able to nurse that lead for the remaining 40 minutes to put the match to rest.

After the match, when relayed Ware’s comment around being, “owned by the Titans”, Comets captain chuckled, “That’s the type of arrogance and lack of respect that will kick them right in the butt come playoff time.”

Ware later issued an apology for her comment after blow-back from her own fan-base that regarded her statements as insensitive considering the circumstances with the unprecedented number of injuries.  In this regard, the Titans are also not immune as the extent of Nash's injury still unknown.

“They say I may be done for the season but they don’t know me,” said a defiant Nash in a full leg brace during the post-match interview. “I don’t care what the doctors say, I will be there for the playoffs.”

Chaos in San Olympus

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In Greek mythology, it is said that the Titans came out of Chaos.

And yet it was Chaos that came out of the Titans as their battle with Al’amal unleashed bedlam at San Olympus field.  

In an ugly, bittersweet 2 - 0 victory for Al’amal over the Titans, three Al’amal players went down to injuries thanks to a plethora of fouls committed by the Titans which led to three yellow cards and one red card.

As the players and managers left the field after the match, Al’amal manager Haajid Nasr confronted Titans manager Paulo Salgado that erupted into a  skirmish involving managers and players. League officials, unequipped for such a scenario, spent 15 minutes separating everyone as this match ended in a rather ignominious fashion.

The normally calm and reserved Haajid Nasr was unable to participate in post-match interviews leaving Captain Mussadiq Baddour to field questions.

“They’ve already got a playoff spot so this match means nothing for them, yet they butcher three of our players who are now out while we fight for the playoffs”, said Baddour.  “What’s wrong with the Titans?”

A lot is wrong with the Titans right now.  Having dropped their 3rd match in a row and 4th in five matches, the Titans are looking very vulnerable.  

And unapproachable, as the Titans refused post-match interviews.

The Titans did all their talking on the field, starting the conversation at the 10th minute of play, as Tia Shandu received a Yellow Card for roughing up Al’amal’s Arwa Farra as she dropped off a pass.

Farra responded a minute later with an outrageous chip over Titans goalkeeper Icilio De Sisto that dropped in off the underside of the crossbar, capturing her 7th goal of the season.

But the Titans response was to hit back.  

At the 25th minute of play, the Titans Jube Terrell ran towards a loose ball which was retrieved by Farra but Terrell’s momentum plowed her into Farra who crashed hard to the ground.

Unable to rise, Farra was carted off the field with an injury that team officials say will now   keep her out for at least the next 3 weeks. Hamad Fayad substituted in her place.

Terrell was firmly cautioned with a Yellow Card, yet the hits kept coming.

Titans 22 Avdi collides with Al'amal 8 Fayad.

At the 40th minute of play, the Titans Bajen Avdi recklessly crashed into a streaking Fayad, taking him down. A new replacement was needed for Farra’s replacement, as Fayad was escorted off the field. 

This time, a Red Card was issued to Avdi.

Yet despite this, the Titans kept hitting.

At the 57th minute, Tarik Lema Girma clipped Al’amal’s Birwant Rahar within the Titans’ penalty area as Rahar was streaking alone towards the Titans net.

Rahar crumbled to the ground.

For the Titans’ fourth crime, only a Yellow Card was given to Girma, much to the shock of Al’amal players.

A penalty shot was taken by Baddour, who delivered, putting Al’amal up 2 – 0.

And yet the Titans continued to hit until Al’amal finally hit back.

An ugly match in San Olympus results in a slew of casualties. Above , Titans 88 Ana Sofia Molina suffers a fractured. 

At the 65th minute, Al’amal’s Ikram Muhammad tackled Titans midfielder Ana Sofia Molina who dropped clinching her right leg, writhing in pain.  

While Molina was carried off, Muhammad was escorted off with a red card, both captains quickly negotiated a ceasefire for the remainder of the match to end the body count.

The post-game brawl will likely cause many sleepless nights at MAFL headquarters as they sort out all the potential fines.

During post-match interviews, it was revealed Molina’s injury would likely mean the end of her season.

A visibly shaken Muhammad commented, “Look if a bully keeps hitting you, you have to eventually hit back.  They were playing like a bunch of scared thugs, but I know that doesn't excuse my own actions.”

With the win, Al’amal moves up to 10 and 10 for the season keeping their playoff hopes alive. For the Titans, they continue to sink to new lows despite their league leading 15 and 5 record.

What's Wrong with the Titans?

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#40 Tany Ingram, Titans Forward, disappointed with his performance against United.  Ingram missed his round 2 penalty kick in overtime.

With a 15-4 record, the Titans can look down at the opposition from San Olympus, but for how long?  With the gap starting to close, their massive lead is starting to erode and, for the first time, vulnerability can be detected.

The Titans are guaranteed a playoff spot, however, who will be showing up to play those games?  Will it be the confident and disciplined team from the first half of the season, or perhaps the inconsistent, out-of-sync players we have seen of late?

There is no doubt that the Titans have a talented squad.  With  powerhouses like Nash and Terrell on the offence and De Sisto between the posts with the lowest goals against in the league, the Titans earned their top ranking.

After their first  back-to-back lose, everyone is curious what's happening with the club, but it is possible it has nothing to do with the Titans.

Here are a few of the theories making the rounds:

• Kamden Lewis, one of the billionaires behind the San Olympus Colony and the owner of the Titans, could be the centre of a morale issue.  According to sources close to club management, Lewis has become increasingly hard on coach and players.
• A strategic move; having secured their spot in the playoffs, they are deliberately riding out the season to manipulate the clubs.
• The recent injuries and loses have fuelled conflict among the players.  Jealousy and ego in the locker room is finally taking a toll on their on-field performance.
• They actually aren't that good... Looking at other players and clubs as they are evolving through the season, the Titans are failing to adapt, thus are getting increasingly out-played.

Whatever might be up with the Titans, this much is sure, despite their impressive season, no one can be confident that they will take the Championship.  

Only time will tell, but with only 2 weeks left in regular season, the wait will not be long!

Titans lose, again!

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Have the Titans peaked too soon?

That was the post-match question which set Titans manager Paulo Salgado off into a fiery frenzy before he stormed out of the dressing room to a stunned and speechless quorum of reporters.

No more answers. Only questions.

What adjustments did the Titans make after their stunning upset to Dong Ji last week?

How could the Titans lose again despite the return of Captain Raenia Ware who’s been out six weeks nursing an ankle injury?

How will the Titans respond to losing their second match in a row – this week to Europa United?

In a closely contested match that went to 8 rounds of overtime penalty kicks, United prevailed with a 3 – 2 PKOT win.

The scoring started with United midfielder, Edouard Rousselle providing a fantastic strike that sailed over the Titans goalkeeper Icilio De Sisto and into the top corner at the 38th minute.

At the 76th minute, Titans midfielder Ana Sofia Molina tied it up with a near-post finish on a volley following a cross from Ware.

And despite a number of chances from both sides, regulation time ended with the score tied at 1 and 1.  Straight to Penalty Kicks.

United’s Darkeem Dennis and Titans’ Readale Nash were the only to connect in the 5 rounds kick-off, sending it to sudden death shootouts.

Round 6 commenced with United’s Yvonne Barnato scoring. But before the celebration could begin, the Titans’ played Ware, who wasn't in the initial PK lineup.  Ware  retaliated with a clean shot, keeping the Titan's alive.

It wasn't to last long, however.   Round 8, United’s Robinson beat De Sisto for a goal and Sulzberger locked out Titan's Langanah  – ending the match after 16 penalty shots.

For United, they kept their playoff hopes alive, moving to 8 and 11 for the season. They finish off the season facing Wuji @ home and then Dong Ji @ Huacheng Stadium.

For the Titans, this was their 2nd loss in a row and their 3rd loss in four weeks. They face Al’amal and the Comets @ home to end their regular season.

Unthinkable Upset - Titan lose to DJ

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As much as he tried to conceal it, Titans manager Paulo Salgado was baffled. His top-ranked team had just lost 3-1 to league’s worst. Reporters assembled in the Titans’ locker room after the game gingerly tried to coax some kind of explanation out of the notoriously cantankerous coach. Was it a case of fatigue? Had his team’s runaway success made the team overconfident? Did they not prepare as rigorously as usual?

“Alright, just shut up,” he said, throwing his hands in the air. “You want the honest answer? I have no idea.”

He fiddled with the zipper on his jumper. 

“This is hands-down the most embarrassing defeat of my career.” 

Paulo Salgado loses his cool after being gutting at the hands of Dong Ji.

And well, it should be. The Titans matchup against the Huacheng Dongji — in San Olympus no less, the most boisterous of MAFL stadiums – was seen as a foregone conclusion. It was so severely lopsided that many fans in San Olympus didn’t even tune in. In fact, the first-half of the game posted the lowest viewership to-date from the colony – which is usually the MAFL’s most active market. And in doing so, those fans missed the most astonishing upset in the league’s young history. 

DJ had already signalled that it had given up on the season, selling off its star Darkeem Dennis to focus on a major rebuild. Before the game, they were 4-13, firmly in last place. 

“That should teach them,” Dongji manager Rain Chen said. “Teams always rule us out. And frankly, it pisses us off. It makes us play harder. Look at today: They were so arrogant. You could tell guys thought they could just come out and pad their stats. Shooting when they shouldn’t. Trying silly moves on our defenders. “

“You can’t count any one out in this league.”

When word of Chen’s boasts reached the San Olympus locker room, it nudged (Santiago into a full-blown tantrum. 

“Coach Chen is saying he taught you a lesson,” one Huacheng-based reporter said. 

“Bullshit,” Santiago said. “That idiot has nothing to teach me. Neither do you people.” 

He signalled to a staff member, who aggressively ushered the reporters out of the room. 

Interview: The Nash Attack

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Readale Nash is not just the youngest member on the Titan roster, he is also the youngest player in the league overall.  There is a very small club of under 20 players in the MAFL, but among these young guns, Readale has been making his own particular mark. Having contributed to more than 1/3 of all total Titan goals, this young striker stirs fear in the opposition.

On your team, the next youngest players are 20.  How does it feel to be the youngest of the Titan pack?

The guys used to ride me about my age, but I've never felt uncomfortable or insecure about it.  I can't deny my age.  Reality is, all of us are new to this 'pro athlete' thing, so I can tell you that a lot of players feel a little wet behind the ears.

What's it like being a professional Aero Footballer?

It's really something.  You grow up in school never knowing that sports can ever be more than just play or for physical activity prerequisites.  I never would have hoped for this because there just wasn't any sport-culture like on Earth.  Even when Aiger announced the MAFL, I wouldn't have imagined that I could ever be involved.

What were your plans before the MAFL?

I was thinking of applied sciences, like most of my boys at SO Collegiate.  I had applied to the engineering program at U of SO, so probably would have ended up in urbanization or infrastructure design.  Damn, that seems like a completely different reality now.  I really can't imagine what life would be life without Aero Football.

What was your favourite sport in school?

It would be Hoops. I can get good air and I loved the precision of nailing 'bullseye baskets'. Definitely Hoops.  That's how the Titan scouts actually found me. In school, football wasn't so good in the small gymnasiums, so it was never a thing. But now, the propulsion kits in the EV Suits and playing outside, it is just such an amazing game.  I dream about Aero Football now.  I wish we played more than once a week!

You're known for being a bit of prankster among your teammates.  Can you tell us a bit about what you get up to?

It was Eduard [Rotaru], right?  For sure it was him to talk about it.  Let's just say that those road trips can get pretty long.   I like to make things a little more interesting and perhaps not everyone can appreciate a good gag.  

Out on the town - Nash enjoys exploring the party scenes across the colonies.

How's the dating scene with your travels across the colonies?  Anyone special in your life?  

[Laughter] I'm working my way up to being a ladies man.   The sport doesn't help too much as Coach has a strict no-messing-around policy, so I have to take advantage of the R&R time.  I think my favourite colony is Marineris because it has such a good scene and so many fine girls.  It doesn't always help after thrashing the Comets though, but I don't do so bad, if I say so myself.

Do you feel a rivalry with Uday Lanka, the league's top scorer?

Absolutely so.  If he wasn't on top, it would be me!

Who are your biggest influences?

I'm a big believer in being your own cheerleader, so I don't have a lot of heroes.  If I have to pick, my captain [Raenia Ware] is a pretty damn good mentor.  Even though she's not too much older than me, she is a lot like the mother to the squad.  She's tough as rocks and I respect that.  I mean, she can do with a few more goals, but aside from that, she's solid.

What are you looking forward to for the remainder of the regular season?

For it to be over!  We have cleaned up the regular season, so it is all going to come down to the championship.  They say it is a whole new game in the playoffs.  I say, bring it on!

Titans Rebound

Solis, Makara 8, 2077, m249

Titans #8 Readale Nash scores his 8th of the season as San Olympus takes the match at Amrita.

In their Week 3 match, the Immortals legend, Uday Lanka was born, scoring a phenomenal 4 goals to embarrass the Titans.

In their Week 10 rematch, it was the Titans’ Readale Nash (the Cash) who provided redemption with two goals to lead the team to victory.

In Week 17, who would win the rubber match?

Any advantage to playing at Amrita’s home field would soon be nullified as dread spread throughout the colony that the Lanka Legend would be a scratch for their match. An injury suffered in last week’s match against Wuji helped explain why his presence was virtually non-existent that match.

“I tried to play through it but I just couldn’t get anything going that match”, said Lanka. “The next day, I couldn’t even get up so I knew something was up.”

And with Lanka absent, the Titans could smell blood early.

At the 19th minute, the Titan’s Readale Nash glided past defender Tanigawa Kata and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Chamunda Badal into the bottom-right corner to open up the scoring.

The Immortals responded five minutes later as midfielder Ronald Donovan passed over to teammate Tulaiha Azizi to tap in a shot past a baffled Icilio De Sisto for the equalizer.

But De Sisto would get his revenge.

At the 31st minute, as the Titans took a corner from the Immortals area, the Titans goalkeeper suddenly left his own box and raced forward!

As the Immortals and Titans players bounced the ball around, De Sisto was able to get to the loose ball, and with his back to the goal, launched himself into the air to curl a spectacular shot into the top corner over a stunned and confused Immortals team for the eventual winner!

“I’ve never seen a play like that in my life,” said Immortals manager Andam Mirza. “Hats off to them for their innovation. That took a lot of balls to pull off.”

“I was at full charge on boosts”, said De Sisto, “Raenia (Ware) and Paul (Salgado) felt we needed to try something different with our offence; the opportunity presented itself today.  I felt like I was channeling a bit of Barnato.”

“If Lanka was playing, we would have beaten the Titans just like we did in Week 3” said outspoken Immortals owner Vijya Pandey. “In yesterday’s match, I saw the Wuji mug Dong Ji players all game just like they abused Lanka last week. The league should step in and take action”.

For the Titans, this was a strong response to their loss against the Dynamos last week.  Some critics claim the Titans have peaked and will be in decline into the playoffs.

“Pandey and critics can say what they like”, said Ware. “We play one game at a time and this round, we won.”

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?

Where is Ware?

Tiangong, Capricornus, 21, 2077, m249

Raenia ware misses another game due to a slow healing injury.

That’s what Titans fans were asking at the start of Week 15.

Would the Titans win again, for the 12th week in a row, against the Tiangong Wuji?

And could they without Captain Raenia Ware, who was out again, for the 3rd week in a row?

She remains in the sidelines as she recovers from a sprain. Her absence, along with forward Jube Terrell, were evident as the Titans’ offence struggled throughout their match against the lowly Wuji.

Despite the return of scoring star, Readale Nash (scratched from Week 14 play), Wuji relied on a heavily defensive 4-5-1 formation to neutralize Nash for the whole match.

With a scoreless tie, the match was decided in Penalty Kicks where an uninhibited Nash was unleashed.

“They were mugging me all match but in Penalty Kicks, it’s just me and the Goal Keeper, and I like my chances”, said Nash, “I knew I had to score first to set the tone and take some pressure off my teammates”.

And that he did as Nash scored on the 1st penalty shot in overtime with a brilliant dagger into the top far corner away from Wuji’s Trenton Seaton.

And that one penalty goal ended up being the difference maker as the Titans nervously squeaked out a 1-0 PKOT victory over the Tiangong Wuji. 

The Titans moved to 14 and 1 for the season while Wuji dropped to 5 and 10.

After the match, Ware was asked when she would return.

“Hopefully soon, but the medical staff is just being cautious,” said Ware. “Ankle sprains are very common and normally take 2 to 4 weeks to recover from.  What we want to avoid is re-aggravating it, and then missing extended time in the playoffs.”

Titans manager, Paulo Salgado wasn’t too worried about Ware missing so much time.

“I like how our team has collectively stepped up in her absence as we’ve beaten Al’amal, the Comets, and Wuji during that span,” said Salgado. “Another bright side to all of this, is it’ll give Raenia a breather so she returns re-energized just in time for the playoffs.”
 

When asked if he was ready to lead the team in Ware’s absence, Nash quickly shot that down with the same ferocity as his kicks.

“Whoa, I’m 17.”, said Nash. “Where’s Ware? She’s everywhere. She’s like a second coach out there. Even if she’s not playing, she makes her presence felt throughout the game.”

Where Titans Live.

San Olympus, Capricornus 15, 2077, m249

54 Ware, 22 Avdî, 8 Nash, and 38 Carballal at Impromptu Fan Appreciation Event in San Olympus

Olympus Mons is the largest known volcano in the solar system.

Where else would Titan's live?

As the stories go, the founding fathers of San Olympus decided to go it alone in their quest to settle Mars because they were convinced that collaborating with other agencies would hold them back.  They were tenacious at achieving their goals and even though it was wrought with endless challenges, in many ways, they made it look easy.  

 "See you on the other side", is how Kamden Lewis closed the final press conference leading up to the mission launch date.

After 14 weeks of MAFL's first season, Titans have, like their founders, broken away from the pack.  They represent yet another achievement for the settlement.

The colony celebrates its 35 birthday in just a few months, but why wait?

Club owner, Kamden Lewis, isn't getting any younger.  

He didn't waste any time organizing tonight's impromptu fan appreciation event  minutes after the nail-biting PKOT victory against the Comets.  He ordered the team home instead of the planned overnight stay in Marineris so they could make it back in time for the celebration.  An ordinary citizen wouldn't be able to secure the entire Promenade deck of West Column, San Olympics - Lewis is far from ordinary.

Tonight, fans were treated to a festival like atmosphere a chance to get autographs and snapshots with their favourite players.

Raenia Ware, team captain, gave a thoughtful and inspiring welcome speech, thanking the fans and the colony for the tremendous support.  Her presence was particularly appreciated by many fans after having missed the last two games due to injury.  

Club manager, Paulo Salgado also shared heart-felt gratitude to the crowd,  the players and the organization, ending with a toast to Lewis.

“My dreams are simple, but without great people like Kamden Lewis, they would not have been possible.”

— Paulo Salgado, Titans Manager

Lewis, now 82 years old, did not make an address, however mingle with fans for a while before making an early exit.

Not all team members were in a celebratory mood.  

Nash was critical of the previous day's game, "It was too close of a match. Langanash came through in the end, but a game like that could have easily gone the other way.  I'm happy the team held it together, but I'm disappointed that Salgado and Wong [the club physician] held me back from the road trip just because of a cold."

Otherwise, San Olympus was glowing from the surprise revelry.  It was an incredible way to close out the weekend, but we can certainly expect more thrills and excitement from this team and this colony.

Both Nash and Ware are expected to get the all clear for week 15 when they take on Tiangong Wuji at Olympus Park.

See you on the other side!

One Would Lose

Marineris, Capricornus 14, 2077, m249

Battle of between the posts - Titans Icilio De Sisto (above) versus Comets Zaida Agre.

“Who was it going to be?  Who would fall this week?”

Titans and Comets were the buzz throughout the colonies leading up to Week 14 of MAFL play.

And that was the buzz that permeated in each transport making the trek to Marineris Stadium. There were an unprecedented 16 transports with 6 making the long trek from other colonies accounting for more than 2,000 spectators - this was the first time both parking decks were used at Marineris Stadium.

Because they all wanted to see how the first place Titans would fare against the streaking Comets in this battle of the top two teams in the league.

The Comets came in hot with a five game winning streak. The Titans – molten lava: undefeated since Week 3 and owners of a 10 game winning streak.

One streak would end this week, and one team would earn a new level of bragging rights.

As the transports streaked to Marineris Stadium, a motley crew of passengers from executives to scientists to miners and bakers, laughed, debated and sang along in a raucous celebration of sport.

“I’ve been waiting weeks for this one”, said one passenger. “I got lucky and managed to scalp a seat with the savings I have. It’ll be worth it to see the Titans finally fall today.”

And all the signs in Week 14, pointed to a potential fall for the Titans off their San Olympus mountaintop.

Playing away from home – not good.

Playing without your Captain and leading scorer – even worse.

Minutes before the game, both Raenia Ware and Readale Nash were scratched from the lineup.

For Ware this was her 2nd missed game in a row as she recovers from an injury that occurred during pre-game practise before Week 13. Team officials cited Nash as being sick with no additional detail.

And without Nash, the Titans offence was anemic with a noticeable lack of spark. Thanks to a combination of stubborn Comets defending and a dearth of quality in the Titans attack, the game was goalless at half-time.  

The depth in the Titans defence, anchored by Maria Fernanda Carballal, Terry Park, and Renatta Blundell, were also able to prevent any significant attacking momentum for the Comets.

The second half saw more of the same from both teams albeit a bit more spark from the Titans’ June Terrell who generated two scoring chances but was unable to deliver.

As one viewer observed, “It didn’t look like either team was playing to win, but rather playing to not lose.”

Which resulted in a scoreless situation at the end of regulation time – Straight to Penalty Kicks.

And while defence dominated (and dulled) regular play, it was the genius of goalkeeping from the Titans’ Icilio De Sisto and Comets’ Zaida Agre that brought the crowd back to life.

Shot 1 – Comets Captain Liddell Bradley goes top right corner as a diving De Sisto deflects it over the net.

Shot 2 – Titans Terrell goes left…and into the hands of Zaida Agre.

Shot 3 – Comets Jonathan Elliott goes right and De Sisto guesses right.

Shot 4 – Titans Tany Ingram kicks a low right corner shot which a lunging Agre gets a hand on.

Shot 5 – Comets Luz Oregon charged up and launched a rocket left that De Sisto barely tips wide.

Shot 6 – Titans Ron Perez goes top left corner which Agre anticipated with a leap and one handed catch.

“The goalkeepers can read minds”, said one fan.

Was this going to go long like Al’amal vs Wuji? <insert link to Don’t take a breath, Sudden Death>

Shot 7 – Comets Isabelle Marsh boosted a kick left which De Sisto guessed correctly.

For Shot 8, it was Titans Pardeep Langanash’s turn.

In Week 7, Langanash scored in PKOT with a boost kick to the right corner over Agre. 

So this time, Langanash faked a boost kick to the right which Agre bit ever so slightly, and then blasted a low left corner past a late recovering Agre….GOAL!

Agre, Comets Goal Keeper, fails to stop Titans #4 Langanash in the 4th round of PKOT.

Comet Fans were stunned in disbelief while the transports from San Olympus erupt!

Shot 9, Comet's last chance – Kyrie Barnet fakes left then goes right but De Sisto’s patience prevails.

“Comets Fall. Titans 1 – 0 in PKOT.”

The Titans pull off their 11th win in a row and move to 14 and 1 for the season. The Comet’s five game winning streak is snapped as they fall to 9 and 5 in the standings.

The chance for Comets redemption will have to wait until the final game of the season in Week 21 when the two teams meet again at San Olympus.

Al'amal Fails To Topple Titans

Al'amal, Capricornus 7, 249

It was a particularly dusty day in Al'amal, not enough to warrant the stadium crew to deploy the tent, but enough to cast the appropriate shadow over the record 16 spectator-transports that lined the top-side deck around the pitch.

The last home game win came in Week 8 against the Marineris Comets.  It feels like eons ago since this crowd erupted into excitement over a Farra goal, but it wasn't going to happen for her, or them, in today's contest.  

"The referee isn't doing he job," according to one local fan, "I don't care what they say about the bots and referee-systems... they are letting obvious fouls against Arwa [Farra] go without cards." 

Others site the team's over-indulgence to prop her up as a problem.

"When you see players giving up clear opportunities and instead pass to her [Farra], it is frustrating.", described Stanley Rathi, himself a phys-ed coach at an A-Levels institute, "We all want her to be top scorer in the league, but not at the expense of the match!"

By no means did the Al'amal SC roll-over and make it easy for the league's juggernaut. 

Farra narrowly missed a rebound shot at the 42 minute mark and came oh-so close to tying the match with a break-away shot that was stolen from her by Titan goalkeeper, #15 Busara.

Al'amal SC held Titans to only 3 shots on goal, but with constant pressure from the Titan forwards, the deciding factor came with #12 Jube Terrell's goal at 18 minutes into the 2nd half. 

#12 Terrell scores her 3rd of the season against Al'amal SC.

"Readale (Nash) was taunting Pour (Al'amal goalkeeper),", Terrell described, "But his pass to Perez was intercepted by Guler (Al'amal #11).  They didn't have their eyes on me, so I came in on Guler's blindside and took the shot right in front of his feet.  It felt like taking candy from a baby."

Though Titan's Captain, #54 Raenia Ware was spotted with teammates in Al'amal earlier in the week, she was not in the lineup, not present pitchside, nor in the post-game briefing.  The club, however, did not have any comments about her absence.

The Titans remain undefeated in their last 10 games.  Big question is:  Which club will finally break the Titan streak?

Is there a dark side to Titans' dominance?

San Olympus – Saturnis, Dhanus, 28

United captain Fuchs clashes with the titans

With their defeat of Europa United, the San Olympus Titans moved to 11-1 – solidifying themselves as the most dominant team in the MAFL. 

The Titans’ runaway success has shocked scouts and bookmakers, most of whom weren't expecting much from the league’s only majority-female team. But their cruise to a near-perfect season has exposed the prevailing soccer wisdom from Earth to be obsolete on Mars – where lived experience on this planet has proven far more valuable than natural talent and athletic ability. 

The Titans’ firepower this season has come exclusively from Martian-born and naturalized players — more than half of them women. And their star forward, #8 Readale Nash, is still a teenager.

“Most of this team never played before,” manager Paulo Salgado said. "You can teach the game. But those who played on earth – they’ve got habits that don’t always work here, and you can’t un-teach that.” 

Rivals, however, have cast the Titans’ success in a darker light.

“Look, it just shows you can buy your way into the top of the standings,” said exasperated Europa coach Matthäus Reinmann, after his loss to San Olympus at Olympus Park. “It’s disgraceful.”

Titans owner Kamden Lewis — the tech billionaire who was one of the founding settlers at San Olympus — is the subject of much suspicion in MAFL circles. The mercurial 82-year-old’s has been dogged by allegations of his involvement in the 2071 bribery scandal at the Olympus Mons strip mine. And rumours about his erratic, menacing visits to the team locker room have swirled in recent weeks. 

“Get out of my face,” Lewis barked on his way out of Olympus Park, flanked by the team of doctors who follow him everywhere. “They’re all just sore losers with stupid conspiracy theories.”

Payback: Titans Beat Immortals in Rematch

Lunae, Dhanus 16, 249

If their first match lay birth to the Lanka Legend, with the Immortals’ Captain scoring a phenomenal 4 goals that day, then the rematch was all about Titans’ payback, delivered by the brash Readale Nash.

“If Uday Lanka is Lanka Legend, then call me Nash the Cash. Because I am Money! Payback’s a Bitch,”

— Readale Nash #8, Titans Forward

Nash deposited both goals for the Titans leading them to a 2 to 1 victory over the Immortals. With the win, the Titans move to a league leading 9 and 1 in the standings while the Immortals go to 5 and 5. The Titans’ only loss of the season – to those same Immortals in Week 3.

In this highly anticipated rematch of their Week 3 showdown, the stars were aligned and shone brightly as the league’s top two scorers, Lanka Legend and Readale Nash were the difference makers.

Another difference maker albeit unexpected, Immortals goalkeeper Chamunda Badal.

Six of the Titans’ nine shots on goal came from interceptions of botched passes and failed clearances from Badal. Two of those shots ended up as goals by Nash.

A livid Immortals owner Vijya Pandey was ballistic afterwards, “We had that bloody game won! If our stupid goal keeper can’t do her job right, what the bloody hell is she good for? We gave them the game.”

Titans Captain, Raenia Ware disagreed with Pandey’s assessment, “We put the pressure on the Immortals all game especially on Badal. There’s a reason why we’re the best team in the league and their owner is the beast of the league.”

A mortified Badal quickly ran off the field after the whistle and could not be reached for comment afterwards as Immortals Captain, Lanka Legend shielded her from the media’s stink eye.

“We win together and we lose together. We should’ve done a better job of protecting Badal out there and not letting the Titans pressure her so much”, said Lanka.

While noble in his intention, Lanka’s assessment does not hide the reality that Badal’s blunders enabled the Titans to escape another potentially embarrassing defeat from the Immortals.

Overall, the Immortals had the advantage in terms of possession time and came out much more aggressive to start the match than the Titans.

Lanka started off the scoring with his league leading 9th goal of the season at the 16th minute. Lanka intercepted a pass from Titans’ Midfielder, Sara Kelly, dribbled across the six-yard, beating two defenders and finished with a spectacular volley into the roof of the net.

The Amrita Attack did not let up as just over a minute later, Lanka picked the pocket of Midfielder, Bajen Avdi, and passed off to teammate Akkilic Talpur.

Lanka rushed down the field and controlled a return pass off his chest from the edge of the area, turned and delivered a low shot past the outstretched hands of Titans goalkeeper Usian Busara into the far bottom corner…post. No goal.  

And that scare is likely what woke up a Timid Titans team before that point.  

They responded with a scoring chance from Bajen Avdi whose shot just sailed over the top post at the 21st minute.  

Then at the 25th minute mark, Nash waited behind Badal. Waited until she dropped the ball to sneak in, picked it off her boot and then drove it back into the net for his 5th goal of the season to tie up the match.

A minute later, Badal failed to clear the ball again and a surprised Nash volleyed the ball over the top post this time, cursing himself as he walked away from his squandered chance.  

Sensing the momentum shifting away, Lanka stole a pass from the Titan’s Tarik Lema Girma minutes later, and passed over to teammate Laurien Hagendoorn. Lanka quickly sliced through two defenders and delivered a header off a crossing pass just over a leaping Busara and…just a pinch over the top post.

Another missed Immortals’ opportunity gave the Titans’ the momentum they needed as they continued to capitalize on sloppy goalkeeper and defensive play with two more shots on goal just before the end of the first half.

In the second half, more of the same from Badal as her errors caught up with the Immortals as Nash scored the winner at the 59 minute mark. Badal weakly played a backpass from teammate Tanigawa Kata, right into Nash’s path. A Nash pass to Ware resulted in a return pass to Nash who rounded Badal and kicked into the low far corner for his 6th goal of the season.

Nash almost made it a hat trick with scoring chances at the 76th minute and 80th minute.

With a committee of Titans defenders (Maria Fernanda Carballal, Terry Park, and Renatta Blundell) smothering Lanka Legend, none of his teammates stepped up and the Immortals were unable to generate any shots on goal in the 2nd half despite strong possession time.  

Unlike their first match in Week 3, there were no substitutions, injuries or equipment failures in this match. In the Week 3 match, a miscommunication between Titans’ teammates and a remarkable boost jump into safety by Lanka, resulted in an epic car crash of a play resulting in Titans’ defender Terry Park taking out his own astonished teammate Maria Fernanda Carballal with a sliding tackle attempt.

“Us not talking in that Week 3 match,” said Carballal. “That was early in the season and like I said then, we just needed time to adjust and get to know each other, and I think our communication today was solid as we shut Lanka down this match.”

On Carballal’s assessment, Lanka replied, “Congratulations to them on their victory. However, I don’t necessarily agree with her statement. In the first half, two of our shots had beaten their keeper but both missed by maybe an inch. This match could have gone our way just like in Week 3.”

“The better team won today”, said Titans Captain Raenia Ware. “For Week 3, if we don’t go down to 10 players, I’m confident we would have gone out and had a strong second half just like today, and won that match as well.”

Lanka gently smiled when told Ware’s comment, “With all due respect, we were up 2 to 0 with Park and Carballal in that Week 3 match, after just 6 minutes of play. We would like to think our team’s play had something to do with us winning that day. ”

“That’s fine,” said Lanka calmly. “We look forward to next time when we’ll be on our home field. There’s a whole bunch of new moves we’ve been practicing that we can’t wait to unveil. ” The last time, Lanka used a practice move in a match resulted in his now infamous boost bicycle kick goal in Week 3 for the 4th goal of the game.

Week 17 @ Amrita – Titans vs. Immortals – Round 3.