| nzyowie |  |
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Let's liven this section up with some discussion about the Regional Cup. To get the ball rolling, I'm going to start with a full report of the human teams' progress. There are only 14 human teams in this region, which is pretty sad, but never mind. I guess it's a major reason why our Regional Cup starts a lot later than many other regions. But at least such a small number of teams is fairly easy to keep track of.
So on with the report and analysis:
DEFENDING CHAMPION
RedStar Light
This Korean team won the inaugural Asia/Oceania Regional Cup in an epic final against the Slumbering Skink, which was tied 33-33 when the 60 minutes were up! In ten minutes of extra time however, RedStar Light pulled away to win 40-34.
SEASON TWO PROSPECTS
The two teams that contested last season's final would have to be favourites again. However, I'd like to think that my own Shortland Streeters also have a decent shot. They have improved a lot since their embarassing second-round elimination last season at the hands of Just Vale. The latter however is a reasonable shot for a quarter-final berth, and maybe even a semi-final spot if the luck of the draw goes their way. FESCO could be a dark horse after an impressive first-up victory. I don't know much about them, but they could definitely be a team to watch.
So the bottom line is that there are three, maybe four teams with a really good chance of winning the Regional Cup. The rest are not much chop though I'm afraid.
ROUND ONE
The overwhelming majority of teams had byes in this round. However, one of the human teams was actually in action. This was AS Cattolica Adelaide, who played a bot team, Minā' Jabal 'Ali Placebo. The bot team won, however, 32-30. So one human team was lost from the competition before the rest had even played their first Regional Cup games of the season! 
ROUND TWO
Everyone was in action this round, and for the human teams, the results were as follows:
Slumbering Skink 38 Rockhampton Magic 11
As expected, the Skink quite clinically dispatched a bot team. Also of note is that they conceded the fewest goals of any of the human teams in this round.
1.FC Köln 22 Auckland Eco Team 33
1.FC Köln are in the Top Division, but you wouldn't have known it as they went down to a bot side. And so it's bye-bye to another human team.
Dunedin Huskies 29 Ka Pai 27
Unconvincing performance by another Top Division team, only just managing to hold off a bot.
FESCO 41 Melbourne Bloodthirsters 20
A very impressive performance by this relatively unknown Chinese team. Definitely one to watch in future rounds.
Just Vale 45 toopsalleh 36
Just Vale scored the most goals of any team in this round. However, to concede 36 goals against a bot suggests a team that is not very strong defensively. While they certainly shouldn't be underestimated (I know I won't be taking them lightly!), I don't think they're quite good enough to pose a serious threat at the business end.
RedStar Light 40 Northpark 24
Comfortable victory for the defending Regional Cup champions against a bot.
Shortland Streeters 44 future of tomorrow 21
The future of tomorrow are now yesterday's news after the current Top Division champions put them away with ease.
Sydney Saviours 28 nolso 20
The only match that involved two human teams. Fairly straightforward win for the Sydney Saviours.
Dúnedain 16 AL-Qosour Team 39
It's so long to another human team after a pathetic performance against a bot side. That wasn't the worst effort by a human-managed team this week though.
Kangaroos 39 Sabah Al-Nasser Riders 36
The Kangaroos were made to work pretty hard by this bot team. They made it through this time, but they'll struggle to last too many more rounds on this kind of form.
SUN_YULL 5 Outback Blasters 27
You would be forgiven for thinking that SUN_YULL was the bot and the Outback Blasters the human team. But in fact, the reverse is true. Absolute shocker from SUN_YULL. Their offence is so bad, they probably wouldn't be able to hit the water if they fell out of a boat!
yun jong handball 8 Seoul Kings 32
In an all-Korean contest, you would once again be pardoned for believing that yun yong handball was the bot. Well they weren't, and their performance easily rivals SUN_YULL's for the most disgraceful showing by a human team this week.
So five human teams have been knocked out this week, and four of them were beaten by bots. We started with 14, and now we are down to eight. Let's see what awaits those eight in the next round now.
ROUND THREE
Everyone has bots this week. 
Shortland Streeters vs. Holygon
Holygon should be Holygone provided the Shortland Streeters don't do anything silly with their lineup or tactics.
Just Vale vs. Auckland Eco Team
The Auckland Eco Team have already knocked out one Top Division side - can they eliminate another? I doubt it. Just Vale should be a bit too strong for them.
Dunedin Huskies vs. Amlash Hats
The Huskies only just beat a bot team this week. I'd like to think they can win again next week, but if they don't smarten up their act, they could become yet another human casualty in this Cup.
Kangaroos vs. Daejeon Kings
Like the Huskies, the Kangaroos weren't all that convincing. Their offence was decent enough, but the defence was woeful. Another human team in real danger of being knocked out.
Slumbering Skink vs. Sabahiyah Royals
The Royals should receive a right royal thrashing as they get skinned by the Skink.
FESCO vs. al lyth
Confusingly, there are actually two teams called FESCO in Oceania, but the other one is a bot. Anyway, after the hiding they gave the Melbourne Bloodthirsters, the human FESCO should again be very comfortable winners.
Sydney Saviours vs. Alor Setar Wings
The Saviours had the bad luck to draw a human team in the last round, but won with realtive ease, so this bot side shouldn't pose any serious problems for them.
RedStar Light vs. Seoul Kings
The Seoul Kings face another Korean team this week, but they will find RedStar Light a far tougher proposition than the woeful yun jong handball. Their name notwithstanding, they're up against the real kings of Asia/Oceania, and this is almost certainly (about 99.9% likely) the end of the road for them. |
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| faulcon | |
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wow. I'm not sure which shocked me more, posts in this forum (I only look every other week or so of late) or actual effort put into the post.
Nice job! 
Oh, and go skinks |
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| nzyowie | |
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ROUND THREE RESULTS
Shortland Streeters 36 Holygon 15
As expected, the Shortland Streeters were far too good for Holygon, or should I say, Holygoneburgers. 
Just Vale 28 Auckland Eco Team 32
The Auckland Eco Team have done it again! Just like last week, they have beaten a human team from the Top Division. Probably the upset of the round.
Dunedin Huskies 27 Amlash Hats 33
It's hats off to the Amlash Hats, who have eliminated yet another Top Division side. Not quite such a shock, this one, as the Huskies had only just snuck past Ka Pai last week. But a disappointing effort all the same from the Huskies.
Kangaroos 19 Daejeon Kings 35
And the award for worst performance by a human team against a bot in this round goes to the Kangaroos, who were bounced out of the Regional Cup by the Daejeon Kings. But after the struggle the 'Roos had last week, it's probably not a massive surprise.
Slumbering Skink 33 Sabahiyah Royals 17
The Skink weren't quite as miserly as last week, but still won very easily as predicted.
FESCO 32 al lyth 22
Not quite as convincing as last week, but nonetheless FESCO were not unduly troubled by al lyth.
Sydney Saviours 37 Alor Setar Wings 41
After the Saviours beat a human team last week, I thought a bot wouldn't present them with too many difficulties. But as it turned out, the Wings have flown into the next round and the Saviours are done in the Regional Cup for this season. It will be cold comfort to them, no doubt, but they scored the most goals of any human team this week. A rather bitter irony that it was in a losing cause.
RedStar Light 36 Seoul Kings 11
No surprises here. Not only did RedStar Light clinically dispatch the Seoul Kings, but they had the distinction of conceding the fewest goals by a human team in this round.
ROUND FOUR PREVIEW
So, the Big Four have made it through to the fourth round, while all other human teams are kaput.  Incidentally, this is now the last 32.
Once again, everyone has bots in this round. 
Shortland Streeters vs. Ulsan Ants
Barring an unforeseen catastrophe, I think we can reasonably expect the Shortland Streeters to squish the Ants.
Slumbering Skink vs. Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
The Skink will dine out on Thai in this round.
RedStar Light vs. alhazem
I hope alhazem enjoy some of the sights of South Korea during their visit, because they sure won't be having much fun on the handball court.
FESCO vs. الــهــلآلــ
I have absolutely no idea what that Kuwaiti team's name means, but it shouldn't be a problem once FESCO have disposed of them. Mind you, FESCO is the one team over which I have just a smidgen of doubt. Really though, they should take their place in the final 16. |
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| Draugr | |
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| Dude, I like the initiative of writing those reports. However Im very displeased with the way you downgrade and insult people who started playing this game only days ago. Thats *not* the way to keep people interested in the game. |
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| nzyowie | |
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Draugr wrote:
Dude, I like the initiative of writing those reports. However Im very displeased with the way you downgrade and insult people who started playing this game only days ago. Thats *not* the way to keep people interested in the game. |
I'm not intentionally downgrading or insulting anyone; just commenting on the performance of the teams. So if they perform poorly, then the report will accordingly be less favourable than if they do well. And if my own team was doing abysmally, I would probably say similar things. Some of the managers losing to bots have been around in the game just about as long as I have, so I'm not quite sure why they're doing so badly. And if the others who are really getting thumped are so new, well I'm sure they'll get stronger in due course. Good luck to them in future seasons. |
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| Neonix | |
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| Mid week games tend to confuse me, and I just forget about them. I do not think I have set tactics for a single cup game since I started playing this game. |
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| nzyowie | |
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ROUND FOUR RESULTS
(Also my 50th post. )
Shortland Streeters 36 Ulsan Ants 22
The Shortland Streeters duly recorded a crushing victory against the Ulsan Ants, but it maybe wasn't quite as convincing as they would have liked. Still, pretty comfortable.
Slumbering Skink 41 Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 21
As predicted, the Skink found Thai very much to their liking, and were the most impressive human team on show this week. But like the other human teams, they weren't quite as strong defensively as they have been in some previous weeks. They were the only human side to pass 40 goals though.
RedStar Light 34 alhazem 21
Like their Asia/Oceania Top Division arch-rivals the Shortland Streeters, RedStar Light were comfortable rather than overwhelming winners, but still took their place in the final 16 without too much difficulty.
FESCO 32 ــهــلآلــ 41
(Sorry, had a bit of trouble with the Arabic lettering there.)
The upset of the round. OK, so it was the only upset, but still, a major shock. FESCO had been looking so good, but their Cup dreams came crashing down tonight, and now there are just three human teams left in the last 16.
ROUND FIVE PREVIEW
Shortland Streeters vs. Amlash Hats
The Iranian team knocked out the Dunedin Huskies back in Round 3, and I notice that they even pushed the Slumbering Skink a little bit in the last league game between the two sides. So while the Shortland Streeters should be victorious in this encounter, they may not have all that easy a time of it.
Slumbering Skink vs. Daejeon Kings
The South Korean Daejeon Kings eliminated the Kangaroos in Round 3, but don't expect the Skink to be bounced out quite so easily. Rather, it is the Kings who will almost certainly be dethroned ...
RedStar Light vs. Sydney Torrent
The Torrent will more than likely be washed away in this match. |
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| Neonix | |
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nzyowie wrote:
Neonix wrote:
Mid week games tend to confuse me, and I just forget about them. I do not think I have set tactics for a single cup game since I started playing this game. |
That's your loss.  Cup games provide very useful extra income for your team, not to mention additional experience for your players. So they are really quite important and not to be sneezed at. And I'm not sure exactly what's confusing about them. The Regional Cup is a knockout tournament rather than a league, but that's about the only difference. You set up tactics for Cup games in exactly the same way that you would for league ones. |
I'm sorry, I should have explained myself better. I am confused as to the scheduling of the games, not how the games work themselves. I, as I am sure is the same for a few around here, am quite busy during the week, so I don't have time to check to see when they are, they just seem to come up on me without realising. |
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| nzyowie | |
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Ah, OK. Scheduling is a bit tricky because the game time and New Zealand time (you're in NZ like me, I've noticed) are two different things. If it's any help, 9:00pm Team HB time currently equates to 7:00pm NZ time. The date is the same, thankfully. Can get tricky when you're playing teams in other regions, but that's not an issue with either our league games or Regional Cup games.
You can set several games ahead of time, although of course you have to be careful of training injuries, and ensure your lineup is not affected by those. |
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