Rebirth of Cool

Saturni, Makara 7, 2077, m249

Above: United players, #8 Pernet, #75 Fuchs, and #7 Dennis revel in their overtime win against Al'amal SC.

For most of the season, Europa United has been a one note samba. Albeit it can be quite catchy at times, their strong defensive note has for the most part lacked long term range producing more lows than highs.

Yet with their win over the formidable Al’amal SC, could this be the Rebirth of Cool for United as they discovered a new range of flexibility in their play which will help them soar to new levels?

“I don’t know if we are cool”, replied United Captain Lennard Fuchs. “However, to use your analogy, if this win helps us get in sync and play more harmoniously in future, I’m on board”.

And this was a win United needed to help comfort their suffering fan base and validate their recent moves in adding Darkeem Dennis and shifting Goal Keeper Yvonne Barnato to a forward position.

United’s defensive strength continued to excel as defender Mlaska Lovric got the scoring started with a goal at the 2 minute mark.  

Lovric picked up the ball in the midfield, and played through Al’amal’s Lana Gonzalez and then rounded Birwant Rhar with ease before boosting a shot to the top corner over a leaping Ahmed al-Pour.

While tight is the United defence, even they could not fully contain the high powered Al’amal offence – tied for the league lead in Goals scored with 3 of their players in the Top 5 for Individual Goals scored.

At the 58th minute, Hamad Fayad played a volley off his chest and bicycle kicked it over United Goalkeeper Kevin Sulzberger to tie up the game. For Fayad, it was his 5th goal of the season.

While both teams had scoring chances from Darkeem Dennis and Yvonne Barnato on the United side and from Baddour, Farra, and Fayad on the Al’amal side, the game remained tied at the end of regulation time.

Penalty Kicks is where United’s new additions made a lasting impact. United captured 3 penalty shot goals from Darkeem Dennis, Yvonne Barnato and Laura Pernet.

Sulzberger, who was heavily criticized after his debut match last week against the Comets, earned his redemption this week with a brilliant performance in overtime, shutting down Al’amal’s high powered trio of Baddour, Farra, and Fayad and allowing zero penalty shot goals overall.

PKOT United 3 - 0 Al'amal

For United, the victory provided a slight degree of respite from what has been a disappointing season to date. Club Manager Matthäus Reinmann was slightly more optimistic of the victory’s impact.

“Hopefully this is the start of a new direction for us with all our new pieces gelling at the right time to build momentum for the playoff run,” said Reinmann. “I’m positive, better days are ahead”.

Reinmann’s words will be put to the test as United hosts the Amrita Immortals next week.

Earth to Mars: We like it!

Southern New York -  October 15, 2077
Earth-World Associated Press

Earth and Mars Images courtesy NASA

It was an affirming communiqué for the MAFL.

It took little time for Aiger Masing to share news with the owners, media outlets and fan channels across Mars:  "They [Earth] love the MAFL!" 

It's no secret, the league is fuelled on dreams and the deep pockets of bored Martian investors.  How else can a measly Martian population, with less human traffic than the average New Manhattan skyscraper, financially support a professional league on a planet that is barely habitable?

The launch of a professional Martian sports league wasn't of particular interest here at the time... after all, aside from the retro-novelty of it, most kids have created and played in dozens of virtual pro leagues.  But somehow, beyond expectation, the Martian Aero Football League has caught the attention of a growing audience and notable brands. 

"I think the sport communities in the East Americas were the first to support their Martian counterparts," said Martin Ge-Macuire Wong of the NYE-Sport-Association, "Our clubs and members were estatic to hear about an all-natural, minimally augmented, intramural league come to life.  The effort they are making is admirable considering it would have cost them next to nothing to built it on-top of SportzUmbark or one of the other D6X (deep sensory experience) platforms."

With a group led by Empire AAA Captial Bank looking to invest in the MAFL and mega corporations like Drinqium seeking licensing rights, Masing's little experiment has suddenly become a "little-league-that-could".

Some are calling it a sport revival; and with natural sports having been in decline for many years, it isn't altogether surprising it didn't happen here on Earth.

"It's kind of a voluntary prison camp up there.", says Wayne Koretzk, curator of the Sport Archive Museum, "They live without many of the things we take for granted.  I believe that their pace of life has given them a fresh perspective on many things, including sports."

According to reports, Drinqium has been vetting no less than 6 different Martian organizations that intend to launch new professional sports.  These include games with familiar roots, like Hockey, Basketball and Rugby, but also a few that can only be played in 1/3 g – Has anyone heard of Spiro-flow?

Drinqium, in association with Marineris colony, has already announced sponsorship to this year's Pathfinder race , a little known ultra-survivor-marathon that was born out of the explorer and nomadic development companies that prospect the farthest reaches of Mars. It certainly won't be a back-water event anymore; some are already comparing it to the classic era of the Tour de France.

Pathfinder Marathon pits individual athletes against the vast terrain of Mars.  This year's race traverses Valles Marineris in a mind-boggling 5 stage, 1200 KM course.  Pathfinder Marathon runs on the Martian month of Aquarius, our Mid-November.

With growing interest here on Earth, sports on Mars isn't just a romantic fantasy anymore.  You can be sure other businesses will be looking to capitalize on this new import.  The potential revenue and sponsor dollars from Earth will only accelerate sports on the red planet, so it is certain that this landscape will evolve very quickly.  

Aiger Masing, "It's fitting that sports will reconnect a new generation to their counterparts here on Mars."

Pathfinder, Ultra Marathon

Mercurii, Markara, 2077, m249

Mortal-beings versus Mars.

Forged in the remote territories by explorer companies and their nomadic settlements, Pathfinder is the ultimate endurance challenge. 

A 5 stage, 10 day contest, pits individual challengers against a gruelling 1200KM mixed terrain course that starts at Noctis Labyrinthus and finishes in Marineris Colony.

Calling on the Best of the Best

This is the first year this bi-annual content has been open to colony residents, making it truly a global affair.  Challengers must meet the extensive requirements that include self-funding, medical certification, and pass the 5-day Pathfinder Bootcamp Program.  The application fee is 10,000 M-Credits, non-refundable. 

If you have what it takes to find the path, register at any CITY-KIOSK in your colony.  Application submissions for both Men's or Women's Pathfinder Marathon close on Solis, Makara 22nd.

DATES

• Pathfinder Marathon opening ceremonies Jovis, Aquarius 19, 2077, m249
• Men's Marathon begins Aquarius 20
• Women's Marathon begins Aquarius 27

Information on live spectator registration  will be made available on Martian Circuit Tourism (MCT).

Update Story: Pathfinder Bootcamp

Pathfinder Marathon, 2077 Sponsors

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?

Week 16 - Day 1 Roundup

Saturni, Capricornus 28, 2077, m249

Immortals @ Wuji

IMMORTALS CELEBRATING THEIR WIN OVER WUJI

Week 16 was a new beginning for many teams as a busy transfer period came to a close with a number of teams making moves for their future. 
 
For the Wuji, their future will be next season (and perhaps beyond) as they traded Defender Marysa Waaijer to the Marineris Comets for a pair of 19 year olds: Maurice O'neill, a Midfielder, and Khloe Mckay, a Defender.
 
And the absence of Waaijer forced the Wuji to play a more defensive 4-5-1 formation to adapt to the heavily favoured Immortals with a trapping focus on league leading scorer Uday Lanka. 
 
And while the strategy did neutralize Lanka for the entire match, it opened up opportunities for other Immortals players to step up.
 
Such as defender Jag Parkar who stepped into a fine left-foot shot from outside the penalty area that curled away from Wuji goalkeeper Trenton Seaton and into the top corner for the 1st goal of the match at the 19th minute. 
 
Enjoying his new found scoring touch, Parkar did his best Lanka impersonation with another goal at the 38th minute – this time stroking the ball low into the bottom corner for his 2nd goal of the match and season.
 
In the second half, Laurien Hagendoorn added another goal by sending an overhead kick into the net at the 71th minute for the 3rd and final goal of the match. 
 
Immortals 3 Wuji 0.
 
Wuji moves to 5 and 11 for the season. The Immortals move to 9-7 with a chance to move into 2nd place overall in the league standings but that would depend on the outcome of Game 2 between the Comets and United.
 

Comets @ United

Darkeem Dennis SUITED UP in United colours, GETTING READY FOR DEBUT

The Comets welcomed their newest member, Marysa Waaijer, hoping her balanced game would help halt their two game losing streak.
 
For United, this was hopefully the beginning of a new season with the acquisition of scoring talent Darkeem Dennis at forward and the move of goalkeeper Yvonne Barnato to the midfield. 
 
And the early returns looked promising as United looked rejuvenated on offense to start the match. A Dennis cross was converted by Captain Lennard Fuchs with a superb volley into the top corner for the 1st goal of the match at the 8th minute. 
 
And then something which seldom happened all season for United, happened!  Lightning striking twice - as United scored a 2nd goal in a match, this just two minutes after their 1st goal.
Kaveri Khosla intercepted the ball from a failed clearance attempt by Comets goal keeper Zaida Agre, and curled a shot into the corner to give United a two goal advantage over a stunned Comets team.
 
United’s anemic offence had finally awoken and surely their league leading defense would protect a two goal lead. Or would they? 
 
After the 2nd United goal, Comets manager Gordan J Pryce was seen visibly agitated, jumping up and down on the sidelines while communicating with his players. 
 
When asked after the match about Pryce’s tirade, Comets Captain Liddell Bradley simply said, “He told us what we needed to hear.”
 
Which sparked a Comets charge at the 28th minute with Ellis Black receiving a pass from new teammate Waijjer and curling a shot over new United goalkeeper Kevin Sulzberger. 
 
Half time allegedly brought more heated comments from Comets manager Pryce, which translated to a strong offensive beginning in the second half. 
 
The Comets pressuring attacked rattled the new United goal keeper at the 71st minute as Sulzberger’s errant pass went to Susanna Shelton who connected with a flick just into the top corner for the tying goal of the match: 2-2. 

Comets #61 Susanna Shelton SCORING TWICE TO PUSH THE COMETS TO A 4-2 VICTORY OVER EUROPA UNITED

Just 5 minutes later, Shelton received a pass from Waaijer and finished with a deft chip over Sulzberger to give the Comets a 3-2 lead. 
 
At the 82nd minute, with his back to the goal, Yamen Warren loped his foot around his marker and scored with a fantastic backheel to give the Comets a 4-2 lead which was the final score. 
 
United Coach Matthaus Reinmann commented on his team’s ironic reversal of fortune after the match, “So we finally learned how to score but somehow we’ve un-learned everything that made our defence so sound. We have to figure out the right balance soon because we don’t have much time left in the season”. 
 
United’s former goalkeeper, Yvonne Barnato quickly left the locker room after the match refusing to comment on new goalkeeper Sulzberger’s performance and the team’s loss.
 
For United, they drop to 6 and 10 for the season while the Comets snap their two game losing streak and move to 10-6, hanging on to 2nd place in overall league standings.

Tales From the Pitch: Game Ball

Well sports-fans, have I got a treat for you this week! Today we are talking about balls. And not just any balls, but the piece of technological wizardry that makes the Mars Aero Football League the must see sporting event of the Red Planet!
 
As the game was patterned after the Earth football, the size of the ball was maintained from those standards, sitting at approximately 22cm in diameter. But that is where the comparison ends. I wanted to know more about the key piece of equipment, so I visited the designer, Amanda Jacobsen, in her Sans Olympus workspace.
 
I’m greeted with a huge smile by Amanda who immediately shows me the first prototype she ever made (it sits on her desk).  It is a sphere of skeletal wires, and looks nothing like the sleek illuminated final version that greets players on the pitch each week.
 
“I knew that we would need to have something that would work in Mars’s atmosphere,” she said. “So I wanted it to be durable, and to be able to provide tech support to the referees and the league.”
 
And durable it is. Despite only weighing in at 1500 grams, the ball can withstand the harshness of Martian conditions to ensure that the delicate computer systems housed inside can provide all the necessary data.
 
This is where the genius of Amanda truly begins to show. The problems encountered by referees in traditional Earth games were somewhat solved by having a primitive video recording of the match that could be referred to in case of dispute. However, the MAFL ball takes this concept to a whole new level.
 
The ball is connected to the game infrastructure to provide officials with immediate data such as location of ball relative to out of bounds areas, players, and the goal. This allows a referee to immediately be able to provide an accurate call on offside rules, boundaries, and scoring. This in turn speeds up gameplay.
 
“I knew that other teams were working on the EV suits, but I had wanted to ensure that players were exposed to the atmosphere for as short a time period as possible,” Amanda said. “So a lot of the tech was designed to cut out waiting times that suspend play.”
 
Various sports have had basic computer systems in balls for a while, but one of this design’s functions that sets it apart is the auto-return.

“The ball itself has propulsion and hover capabilities that can be engaged when it goes outside of a set perimeter. So any errant kick will just result in the ball being returned to the closest referee.”

Amanda had taken her inspiration from the MAFL rulebook, and had wanted to create a device that would complement the core fundamentals of the game but in a way that didn’t detract from the sport.
 
“We want people watching the players after all,” she laughed. “I didn’t want my design to be disruptive so that fans care more about the ball!”
 
Mission accomplished Amanda and on behalf of all fans I salute you. My visit was illuminating and I hope that all you readers found it as educational as I did.

Rethinking Checkpoints

Veneris, Capricornus, 27, 2077, m249

Last weekend's In-Out Checkpoint at Marineris.

Marineris needs to come up with new IO policies to make it more efficient to get outside.  They aren't alone.  Aside from United, Amrita, and to some degree, San Olympus, the current processes to leave a colony have become problems with the growing demand to attend MAFL matches.

THE PROBLEM:  Leaving the safety of a colony is regulated, as it should be, but the security and customs processes have not been updated to factor the increased volume of In-Out as a direct result of the MAFL.

The league has been lobbying for changes since well before season 1, but aside from increased security lines at the check-points, the bottleneck of processing spectators has been an increasing cause of frustration.

"Our primary objective is to keep residents safe.  We will never take a casual approach to exterior movements of our people.   This type of volume was not forecasted."

The MAFL insists there are creative ways to circumvent the problem.  Despite the fact there are many, arguably better ways to enjoy the sport, the demand to actually be at the stadiums is at an all-time high.  If there were twice the number of spectator transports available, there would likely be that much more backlog at the check-points.

According to Aigar Masing, CEO of the MAFL, "It would just take a few borers to connect the stadiums to the colonies.  Marineris Stadium already has a deployable soft dome and if the colonies could connect life support and pipe in atmosphere, what could be safer colonists?"

Though it may be feasible, it all comes down to priorities.

In a prepared statement by Colony Council, they said, "Marineris has supported the MAFL since the beginning and has expended considerable resources to help make it happen.  We couldn't be more pleased that the league has become a success and will continue our support; we just can't ignore the other responsibilities of the state. Our way of life is only possible due to calculated resource management."

Even if MAFL and the clubs had the means to privately fund this type of project, it would take time.  Oxygen production capacity would represents the biggest challenge to overcome.

"It is all possible.",  according to James Brennis, a Vallis Engineer, "All of it, including the atmosphere.  But even if they green-lit this tomorrow, there's no way it could happen this season.  All the robots are accounted for."

Until we see stadiums connected to colonies, the only solution will come with more efficient IO processes.  

Europa and Amrita's pre-checkin and personal tracking systems on spectator vehicles are proven low-cost solutions to the weekend bottlenecks.

“No one should have to wake up early on a Saturni or Solis just to queue for an hour to get on a transport.  What is this... Earth?”

— Aigar Masing

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.

Week 15 Roundup

Solis, Capricornus 22, 2077, m249

Saturni's match at Huacheng -  Manager Andam Mirza rallies the Immortals at half-time.

Immortals @ Dong Ji

It was a tale of two Martian cities in Week 15.

He’s back!

At least that’s what Immortals’ fans are hoping as Uday Lanka (Legend) scored his league leading 10th goal at the 64th minute to lead the Immortals to a 1-0 victory over Dong Ji.

For Lanka, it was his first in 3 weeks and like many he’s delivered this year, it was a glorious goal.

Lanka intercepted a pass from Dong Ji’s Olga Lobo da Costa, and passed over to teammate, Akkilic Talpur. Lanka broke like a gazelle and charged up for a diving header past a leaping goal keeper Xue Su for the winning goal!

With the win, the Immortals moved to 8 and 7 for the season and third place in the standings while Dong Ji sunk to the league basement with a 4 and 11 record.

He’s gone!

Dong Ji’s chances of winning may have been better had star Darkeem Dennis not been a last minute scratch due to his pending transfer to United - the season’s first blockbuster player move. Either way, Dong Ji's prospects for the remainder of the season are dim.

As teams gear up for the playoff stretch, the question remains, who’s on the move next?

Wuji @ Titans

Not moving at all would be Captain Raenia Ware as she was a scratch for the third week in a row. 

Her absence along with forward Jube Terrell resulted in many nervous moments for Titans fans as the league leaders struggled against the league laggards with no goals during regular time play.

Frustrated with Wuji defenders draped over him all match, Titans leading scorer, Readale Nash channeled his frustration into a furious kick into the top far corner away from goal keeper Trenton Seaton in overtime.  Nash’s goal was the only one in overtime as the Titans defeated Wuji 1-0 in PKOT.

The Titans rise to 14 and 1 while Wuji sink to 5 and 10 for the season.

Will we see Ware return in Week 16 against the Novymir Dynamo @ Novymir or @ Korolev Field.

United @ Dynamo

Dynamo #66 Sergey Samrend takes the win against United. With strong performances in the last two games, Samrend has not pocketed 4 goals in the season.

As the ongoing quarantine continued due to the Chubarov outbreak, a tense United team travelled at to the newly constructed Korolev Field to take on the Dynamo.  They arrived only minutes before the check-in deadline.

According to anonymous sources, a strong quorum of United players approached Coach Matthäus Reinmann and Chairperson Natasha Kennedy earlier in the week, asking to boycott the Week 15 match due to safety concerns.

Kennedy quickly scuttled the uprising to avoid raising the ire of MAFL officials and potentially threatening the Darkeem Dennis transfer. 

Korolev is 1200 KM south of Novyimir and no cases have been reported outside of that settlement.  Furthermore, players are not required to enter a hosting colony, so any exposure can be avoided.  Despite this reassurance, United players linked arms in a visual sign of protest during opening ceremonies.

Alas, the United players were not able to stay linked during the match, as they were unable to successfully protest the atrocious offence they continued to demonstrate. 

A goal from Dynamo #66 Sergey Samrend was the difference as the Dynamo won 1-0 to move to 6 and 9 for the season while United dropped to a similar record.

After the match, United Captain Lennard Fuchs was asked about all the drama surrounding the team.

“Ecstatic that Darkeem will be joining us soon because we need a game changer, so can’t wait for that. Also can’t wait to get the hell out of here. This stadium doesn’t feel right and being so close to the outbreak is scaring the shit out of us.”

Al'amal @ Comets

Fragile was the Comets’ defence in Week 15 as Al’amal SC unleashed an offensive outbreak, scoring twice in the first two minutes of the match.

Just 46 minutes in, Al’amal’s Naaila el-Amer stole the ball from Comets midfielder Amanda Coronel, charged up and boosted a shot that sailed over Comets’ defenders and goal keeper Zaida Agre for goal number one.

Barely a minute later at the 1 minute and 25 second mark, Coronel again lost the ball to Al’amal from the edge of the area.  This time it was Husain el-Guler who shot with the outside of her right foot, curling it inside the far post for goal number two.

Quickly substituting Coronel out of the match may have stopped the bleeding temporarily but the wounded Comets failed to muster any visible signs of life as they floundered around the field for most of the 1st half until Al’amal star Arwa Farra delivered the final dagger.

#18 Arwa Farra delights the home crowd with her 6th goal of the season.

At the 30 minute mark, Farra chested the ball to Captain Musaddiq Baddour, received the return pass and cut inside the Comets defenders before curling a right-foot shot into the far corner for goal number three and her sixth of the season.

The Comets finally responded with a goal at the 76th minute from Samantha Park but too little, too late.

Al’amal’s 3-1 win moved them to a third place tie with an 8 and 7 record.  The Comets dropped their 2nd in a row and slipped to 9 and 6 for the season.

The Comets’ hold on 2nd place in the league is vulnerable heading into next week.

Liddel Bradley, Comets Captain, can't hide his disappointment.

Al’amal will face Dong Ji while the Immortals face Wuji. The Comets? They take on a rapidly evolving United team with Darkeem Dennis potentially making the line up and former goal keeper, Yvonne Barnato moving to a new position.  What will happen?

Look forward to seeing you in Week 16.

Getting Between Here and There

Capricornus 21, 2077, m249

Members of United squad pose in front of their club transport, Bob.

Mars is vast. 

The nearest two MAFL colonies are 2100 KM apart.  

The farthest-most is more than 7000 KM, which translate to a gruelling 4-day round trip... another kind of endurance test for MAFL players.

"It's the only way to travel.", says Ferando Anthony, equipment manager of Europa United, "We have a lot of players and a lot of gear to transport, even if it is from the Colony to the local stadium, so it is the most practical means to get around."

Anthony can't say enough about 'Bob', the name of their robot driver.  United have a C-Class tractor, originally designed to tow borers and other heavy machinery.  On a full charge, Bob can make 800 km before needing to recharge.  This is why road trips are scheduled to disembark either in the late evening or early AM before daylight if a substation isn't en route.

modified C-Class industrial Tractors manufactured by BINMonk Motors are used by 4 of the 8 MAFl Clubs.  Tractor tow trains of up to 4 trailers.

It is a necessity of the sport, something club owners, players and staff are well aware of prior to signing on. 

"The long trips can be tedious, but it is also one of the great perks.", says Carlinhos Varela, United defender, "We get to visit almost all of the major settlements...  That isn't something the average Martian can say."

If you've ever visited VEX or any of the other nomadic explorer settlements, club transports take it to the next level.  They are the best-of-the-best when it comes to mobile habitations. These extraordinary vehicles are the heart of a team and are effectively a full facility on wheels..  Not only do they help get a team from point A to point B, they are the locker room, control centre, sleeping quarters, galley, medical bay, and tech shop.  

"In an Express Tunnel, Bob can safety achieve 240 kph,", says Anthony, "It will be nice when construction on the Cross Martian Corridor is completed.  It will shave off a lot time.  We get nailed on surface routes especially when terrain gets rough or weather  slows us down."

The triangle section of the Corridor between Marineris, Europa and Al'amal is expected to be open by end of summer, but connections East to Tiangong and West to San Olympus is another matter.  The Huacheng Silk Channel Project has 8 robot borers running continuously in an effort to launch the first colony-to-colony hyperloop this mYear.  Once open, this will promises a 4 hour direct journey from city-centre terminals, completely avoiding any exterior-hab-activity.

Cross Martian Corridor - Exposed tunnel segment by valles Marineris toward europa.

Until then, teams will continue to be shepherded by their robot drivers and traverse Mars in their club transports.  Today, according to Bob, the remaining leg to Korolev (about 700 km) will get them in by 21:45, that is,  assuming Reinmann's drills don't take longer than the 4 hour recharge cycle.

“Training in the middle of nowhere while Bob is juicing up is something I look forward to. We all get outside; players, managers and staff, like me.  This is the great outdoors, Martian-style!”

— Ferando Anthony, United Equipment Manager

United face the Dynamos in Korolev's temporary stadium tomorrow afternoon. 

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.”

Lanka's 10

Capricornus 21, 2077, m249

#7 Uday Lanka becomes the first player to hit 10 goals.

It was on Solis, Vrishika the 21st, Week 3, fresh in the MAFL season, and being great apparently wasn’t enough that day for Amrita Immortals’ Captain, Uday Lanka.

He had to be Phenomenal.

After already delivered a hat-trick in the first-half, giving the Immortals a comfortable 3 to 0 lead, Lanka had the to do something extraordinary.

With subtle coordinations, Immortals teammate Laurien Hagendoorn boost jumped her throw-in to a streaking Lanka who boosted a bicycle kick into the goal.  4 goals in a single match! 

This was the match that made Lanka a Legend.

Not only had he set a new bar for scoring, but he had single-handedly conquered the Titans; to-date, their only defeat.

Since his last PK goal in Week 11, however, Lanka's guns have fallen silent.  

Was it beginner's luck?  A matter of immature clubs yet to find their feet?  The effectiveness of deliberate counter-measures to stifle the league's top striker?  Or was it (as some have claimed) a slump?

Whatever the case, Lanka broke the silence with a stunning goal against Xue Su this afternoon to become the first MAFL player to break 10!

“It’s an incredible feeling. It’s been like being out of sync with the ball, but it has made today that much sweeter!”

— Uday Lanka, Immortals Captain

No doubt, Immortals owner Vijya Pandey hopes this re-ignites his star player.  With only 6 games left in the regular season, the Immortals are in a 3 way battle with Al'amal and the Comets to take down the Titans.

Today's match brings Immortals to 8 - 7 at the expense of Dong Ji who were clearly still stunned with this morning's announcement of #7 Dennis's impending transfer to Europa.

Dennis Goes West

Capricornus 21, 2077 - m249

Dennis will not be in the lineup of against the Immortals this afternoon as DJ announces a deal is underway to transfer him to Europa.  According to league Regulations, the registration window closes by the end of Week 15.

Huacheng Dongji will sell its star striker, Darkeem Dennis, to Europa United for 550,000 M-Credits in an unprecedented deal that has rocked the MAFL. 

League insiders viewed the move as Dongji acknowledging its season was lost, preferring to work on developing its prospects rather than make a futile push for the playoffs with a volatile star rumoured to be a toxic presence in the locker room. 

The deal will also provide a cash infusion to the struggling club, that has faced dismal attendance and fan engagement with a league-low 4-10 record more than halfway through the season. Dongji announced it will call up two junior forwards, Xie Chen and Lim Hou, from its affiliate club to fill Dennis’s role. 

“Look, we’ve had a rough start. That’s undeniable,” Dongji manager Rain Chen said. “But I think what we’re saying today is we’re focused on our future.”

Acquiring Dennis is the centrepiece of an overhaul inside the middling United, where management has decided its current squad is outmatched and in need for more talent to contend with the league-leading San Olympus Titans. 

For weeks, United has reportedly been shopping trades for several players, including defender Denica Jasienski. The team is also expected to shuffle goaltender Yvonne Barnato into a midfield role.

 But United could be making a spectacular mistake. While Dennis skyrocketed to the top of the leaderboard with four goals early in the season, his production has since stalled – prompting some scouts to suggest that he was merely quick to adapt to the game in its early days, rather than a bonafide star player. Sources inside Dongji say Dennis, a 27-year-old American who grew up in Wendland, never truly settled into life in Huacheng. 

“He can’t handle adversity,” one former teammate said. “Every loss, it was another outburst with him. Blaming people. Throwing shit. It was enough.”

Dennis shrugged at suggestions that he had been at odds with his Dongji teammates.

“Listen man, I’m just grateful for everything,” he said.  

Tales From the Pitch: My Brush With Greatness

Capricornus 20, 2077, m249

I have butterflies in my stomach. I haven’t been this excited/nervous since I was kid. Hanging in front of me is an official MAFL EV suit, and I’m about to suit up and see firsthand what it feels like to barrel down the pitch and score a goal before legions of my adoring fans.

At least I hope that is what will happen. It is also equally likely that I’ll fall flat on my face or suffer some sort of compound fracture. Or a combination of the two.

To start off here is a science lesson: Mars’s gravity is 38% of Earth’s. That means if I weighed 200 lbs back on Earth I weigh 76 lbs here. Moving to Mars is the best diet I’ve ever gone on. It also means that if I could jump a meter on Earth I can now jump almost 3 meters here. That’s why that John Carter guy was able to jump around and rescue a princess in that old-timey story.

All the MAFL stadiums are open air, and because we humans haven’t been able to exist without oxygen yet all players are required to wear a EV (environmental) suit that houses life-support, communications, and propulsion systems. You’d think that all the tech would make the suit bulky and cumbersome but it fits like a glove. And I look amazing, like I’m some kind of superhero! Staring at myself in the mirror gives me the confidence boost I need so I put on my helmet and race out to the pitch. Today, I’m an official Titan, clad in purple and gold.

I’m not alone though. There are a handful of other reporters and, I think, a couple of contest winners who are also getting to participate in today’s festivities. We are greeted by Jamarico Benson, the team's assistant coach and trainer, who starts us through some warm up drills.

And here, dear reader, is where I learned that wind-sprints and burpees are awful even at 38% gravity. Sure, I felt cooler doing them in my EV suit, but after about five minutes I thought I was going to need the life support system because of an infarction.

My demeanor totally changes though when we are greeted on the pitch by a familiar voice. It’s a voice that we’ve heard in countless interviews and sound bites: team captain Raenia Ware has come out to run us though some kicking drills.

This is where I start to lose any bit of professional cool I once had. I’m grinning like an idiot at how excited I am. She runs it all down for us and we each get a regulation MAFL ball. I place it on the ground and line up my shot, thinking of the thousands of screaming fans channeled through the com that must assault the players’ ears during a real match. I envision that this kick with determine a championship win for my team during a high-pressure shoot-out.

Running up to the ball, I perfectly connect and see soar through air against a red sky. I don’t want to blow my own horn but is perfect, a postcard image.

“We end up playing a short friendly match where I prove that I am the least useful player but I don’t care. That one perfect kick is everything I needed today.”

Being out on the pitch has given me a greater appreciation for what the athletes do, and not just because they have flashy tech suits. Everything about Mars is alien. We needed to retrain ourselves even with simple tasks like kicking a ball, and that is what MAFL ultimately represents: our victory as a new people. Every aspect of this game demonstrates how we came together as a people as tamed the red planet. And I think that’s awe-inspiring.

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!

Week 14 Roundup

Solis, Capricornus 15, 2077, m249

Dynamo #66 Sergey Samrend and Wuji #76 Vygintas Repsas

Novyimir @ Tiangong

The Chubarov outbreak weighed heavy on the minds of Novyimir Dynamo players as Week 14 opened.

Playing an away match against the Tiangong Wuji, the Dynamo were able to channel their anxiety into aggression with an attacking style that opened scoring at the 6th minute when Sergey Samrend clipped a perfect cross past goalkeeper Trenton Seaton.

Four minutes later, a plunging header from Dynamo’s Yaee Etefu gave the Dynamo a 2-0 lead.  Wuji finally responded back at the 73rd minute as a near-post corner led to Vygintas Repsas’ sweeping finish past Dynamo’s Illya Kyrylyuk.

However, too little too late as Dynamo won 2 – 1 snapping the Wuji’s modest 2 game winning streak.

The Dynamo and Wuji both end up with identical 5 and 9 records for the season.

“I hope our victory can help take people’s minds off the problems back home”, said Dynamo defender, Mariya Nikitovna. “They tell me next week we play in Korolev against Europa United but we’ll see. I just can’t wait to go home and see my family and friends”.

San Olympus @ Marineris

TiTan's De Sisto's wins the battle of the goalkeepers at Marineris Stadium

The wait for who would fall between the league’s top two teams, the Titans and Comets drew unprecedented attendance to Marineris Stadium.

They watched a match missing Titans Captain Raeina Ware and leading scorer Readale Nash, and offensive spark, as the match ended in a scoreless tie. In overtime, the Titans Pardeep Langanash put in the winner helping the Titans move to 13 and 1 for the season – undefeated in 11 matches.

The Comets moved to 9 and 5 for the season. 

For a full match recap read One Would Lose.

Amrita @ Al'amal

Al'amal SC #8 Fayad post game celebration of a rare hat trick.

In the week’s 3rd match, Al’amal’s Hamad Fayad made his case for entry into the league’s Sweet Sixteen players, with a hat trick to help his team beat the Amrita Immortals 3 – 0.

Fayad’s hat trick moved him into a tie for 4th place on the season’s goal leader board with stars such as fellow team mate Musaddiq Baddour, Dongji’s Darkeem Dennis, and Dynamo’s Ilya Jaroslav Petrovich.

With the win, Al’amal moves to 7 and 7 with the Immortals dropping to an identical record for the season.

Immortals’ star Uday Lanka was held scoreless for the third straight match. 

Outspoken Immortals’ owner, Vijya Pandey, was livid after the match. “The referees were purposefully ignoring all the fouls Al’amal was inflicting on our players. They were mugging Lanka all match.”.

And while they are looking for offences, they should also look for the offences of both the Tiangong Dong Ji and Europa United.

United #58 Yvonne Barnato earns the win in an unprecedented Goalkeeper vs. Goalkeeper Penalty Kick.

In the final match of Week 4, both teams were at least able to score a goal each - United’s Laura Pernet at the 26th minute, and Dong Ji’s Yazhu Fan at the 94th minute before heading to overtime.

This is nightmare-time for Dong Ji as they had lost 5 times in overtime prior to this match.

In Penalty Kicks, both teams played to a 2 to 2 standstill after 8 shots with goals from United Captain Lenard Fuchs and Laura Pernet and Dong Ji’s Qigang Lian and Darkeem Dennis.

For the final round of shots, United Coach Matthäus Reinmann called in his goal keeper, Yvonne Barnato, to the disbelief of many of her teammates including Fuchs visibly shaking his head.

After Dong Ji’s Olga Lobo da Costa missed their final penalty shot, Barnato calmly came up, boosted up, and delivered a thunderous shot right through the hands of her goalkeeping counterpart Xue Su.

For the Win! United 3 – 2 over Dong Ji in PKOT.  Dong Ji’s 6th loss in overtime.

After the match, Fuchs said, “Coach is one crazy bastard. Ballsy move for sure!”

“I have to admit, I was shocked myself but I couldn’t let Coach down or they’d be killing him and me for that decision”

— Yvonne Barnato, #58 United Goalkeeper

Reinmann calmly explained his rationale, “Well, Yvonne is our top scorer so you go with your best. Until we get some more scorers on this team, I’ll keep going to her”.

When asked if United was looking to solve their offensive ineptitude with player movement, Chairperson Natasha Kennedy carefully responded, “No comment”.

The win moves United to 6 and 8 for the season while Dong Ji owns sole possession of the basement with a 4 and 10 record.

After the match, Dong Ji’s Darkeem Dennis looked distraught and commented, “Something’s got to change. We can’t keep going like this.”

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.

Tales From the Pitch: Our Beautiful Game

San Olympus, Capricornus 13, 249

My grandfather was a sports writer. He loved words and he loved sports, so it was a natural fit for him. I guess that is why I am now in this business, not just because I want to follow in his footsteps, but because of the love of sport he had instilled in me.

Every sports enthusiast can point to that exact moment that made them a lifelong fan. Maybe it was seeing your favourite team come back from insurmountable odds, maybe it was seeing your favourite player score an impossible goal, or maybe it was being present when sports history was made.

My grandfather was born in 1988 back on Earth (obviously) in the United States of America. When he was six years old the USA was a first-time host to the World Cup of soccer. The rest of the world called it football, but my grandfather called it calcio like the rest of the Italians. Football really was the world’s game back then but the USA didn’t have much love for the sport, but that all changed in 1994.

Matches were held all across the country, casual fans were introduced to football, and attendance averaged 69,000 spectators per match. And in the finals Brazil faced off against my grandfather’s team, Italy. The match was scoreless and went to a shootout, but unfortunately for the Italians it would be Brazil who would win that day.

Now how could a match in which my grandfather’s team lost be the event that gave him the love of sport? Because he got to see his team, play in his country, and advance round after round. He was invested in that final match, and at the age of 6, wanted his team to win more than anything. It was that moment, that passion, that would drive him throughout this career.

This past week I decided to take my daughter Maisy to her first MAFL match.  We made the trip to Al’amal. We live in Sans Olympus so I told her that we were contractually obligated to cheer for the Titans. My daughter could not have been less enthused. But the boredom of seeing her dad work melted away when she stepped foot in that stadium.  

She bombarded me with questions: How long can they be outside? How can they jump so high? Who is the best team? And when the match started she felt silent, mesmerized by the action on the pitch. The game had barely started when forward Jube Terrell scored a fierce goal. If my daughter were writing this article she would tell you that it was the greatest moment in sports history. Her face exploded with joy. Her team had scored a goal! Not that other team, but hers! And I look at that elation and I thought of my grandfather and saw him in my daughter’s smile. The rest of the match was a back and forth with strong defensive plays, but the Titans held on for the win. To Maisy they were now legend.

That whole night my daughter talked about how when she grows up she wants to play for the Titans and how Jube Terrell is her favourite player and I’m reminded that what MAFL is building on the Red Planet is special.  With every match new fans are created, family moments are built, and that passion is ignited.

Earth called football “the beautiful game”. Well this is our game, my daughter’s game, and it is beautiful.

Dynamo Scramble to Find Alternate Stadium

CID is actively investigating the  "Chubarov" outbreak.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Week 13 Round-up

Tiangong, Capricornus 8, 249

With the final whistle at Tiangong stadium, week 13 closed with more MAFL twists and turns.

The Chinese clubs both took surprising wins stirring up the sentiment from the swamp.   

Dongji's 2-1 win came at the expense of Novyimir, pulling them down to share a last place standing.

For Wuji, back-to-back wins promises up new life for the team.  It is also the first time this season that they find one of their team members on the leaderboard. Waaijer earned her 3rd goal in today's match against United.

The western clubs, San Olympus and Mariners, keep their winning streaks going.  12 and 9 wins respectively. 

#12 Terrell takes to the air to capture the deciding goal at 18 minutes into the 2nd half.

The Titans victory over Al'amal was compliments of #12 Jube Terrell; whereas the Comets demonstrated firepower with a 3-0 assault on the Immortals.

Comets #42 Chanara Benjamin gets results at 32nd mark.

The last time they faced each other was 6 weeks ago, with Titans taking the match only after PKOT!

The excitement is palpable.  The Titans face the Comets on their home turf!  The Comets have never lost a home game... and the Titans have only given up one game (and that was an away match)!

The Immortals and Al'amal may be licking their wounds after this round of defeats, but they too face off in a 3rd and 4th spot battle. 

It is also noteworthy to mention that this was a week where the women took charge.  Of the 10 goals scored over Saturni and Solis, 8 were made by female players!  If you haven't read the You Kick Like a Girl posted on Dhanus 16th, you should, it truly resonates!

Regardless how you are looking at the sport, whether it is from boys vs girls, from the top, middle or bottom, the MAFL continues to excite.

Stay tuned for going coverage of professional sports on Mars!