<![CDATA[Simulation Soccer League - Graded Articles]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/ Mon, 02 Nov 2026 00:42:43 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[GRADED: Weekly PT #256 - Liverpool]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10945 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 11:38:14 +0100 Starscream]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10945 <![CDATA[GRADED: Nein, ich bin kein Yogameister]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10944 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:21:12 +0100 ChiefVito]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10944 Nein, ich bin kein Yogameister ich sauf lieber Jägermeister(im not a yoga master i rather drink jagermeister)

[Image: images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRTPA2ytMt8YRBlpf2i0_H...HC2rj&s=10]
NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU]]> Nein, ich bin kein Yogameister ich sauf lieber Jägermeister(im not a yoga master i rather drink jagermeister)

[Image: images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRTPA2ytMt8YRBlpf2i0_H...HC2rj&s=10]
NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU NSU]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: Academy Task #5:The Top 5 in TPE for the S28 Class]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10943 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 21:14:13 +0100 nasbase]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10943
1. Franco Maestro 417 TPE

User: Zoone16
Bank: $1,976,250
Pos: ST/LAM/CAM
Footedness: Right

It seems only right that the top TPE earner of the class also leads in Goals (10) and Player of the Match (3). Maestro is also 3rd in average rating (7.64) and shots (32), as well as 2nd for shots on target (20). Interestingly, they have the most header attempts but one of the lowest percentages especially compared to players with a similar amount of attempts. Inex Jr. is second in attempts and was successful 73.5% of the time while Van Schneider was 3rd in attempts and was successful 69% of the time. Maestro was successful only 38.66% of the time for headers.

2. Stephen Eustáquisquid 416 TPE

User: Squid
Bank: $950,000
Pos: CM/CAM/DCM
Footedness: Left

Top midfielder in the draft class and a strong candidate for best name. Squid is 3rd in the class in Clearances (23), 2nd in successful passes (562) and 5th in assists (3). They're aggressive style of play also means they lead in Yellow Cards with 2. Due to their position, a lot of their contribution also does not show up on the stat sheet. Scouts know this though so it would not negatively affect their draft stock.

3. Michele Honcho 414 TPE

User: Frantik
Bank: $3,886,250
Pos: ST/LAM/RAM
Footedness: Left

The next best striker in TPE but 3 TPE really does not make a difference and is also in the running for 1OA. Honcho is 5th in Goals (4) and 4th in assists (3). What is interesting about Honcho is their tackling. Strikers are not usually known for it. Honcho is changing the script as they lead the class in tackles won (34) and 5th in attempts (35). Since they only missed 1 tackle they also lead in tackle percentage (at least 10 attempts) at 97.14%. Frantik also leads this top 5 in league cash which will prove well for their future earning.

4. Alyssa Barnes 400 TPE

User: Symmetrik
Bank: $137,500
Pos: RWB/LWB/RD
Footedness: Right

The top defenseman in the class and they have been stuffing the stat sheet while being the workhorse of the squad. Leads in distance ran (88.4km), 2nd in average rating (7.78), 2nd in assists (6), 2nd in chances created (12), 2nd in tackle attempts (41) while 3rd in successful tackles (33) and lastly was 3rd in dribbles (27).

5. Rylee Knock 396 TPE

User: nasbase
Bank: $193,750
Pos: LAM/ST/CAM
Footedness: Right

Who is this bust? Or no wait... it's yours truly. Rylee has been very quiet in academy so far. She is 6th in goals (4) and 5th in assists (3). Opponents have tried to defend her aggressively as she is 6th in fouls against with 12. Rylee continues to work on her acceleration after building up pace and other important ratings.

The draft will be interesting as there is solid talent in most of the major position groups so there will be options for teams at the top of the order. What strategies will be used and how will it shake out? Time will tell.

564 words]]>
1. Franco Maestro 417 TPE

User: Zoone16
Bank: $1,976,250
Pos: ST/LAM/CAM
Footedness: Right

It seems only right that the top TPE earner of the class also leads in Goals (10) and Player of the Match (3). Maestro is also 3rd in average rating (7.64) and shots (32), as well as 2nd for shots on target (20). Interestingly, they have the most header attempts but one of the lowest percentages especially compared to players with a similar amount of attempts. Inex Jr. is second in attempts and was successful 73.5% of the time while Van Schneider was 3rd in attempts and was successful 69% of the time. Maestro was successful only 38.66% of the time for headers.

2. Stephen Eustáquisquid 416 TPE

User: Squid
Bank: $950,000
Pos: CM/CAM/DCM
Footedness: Left

Top midfielder in the draft class and a strong candidate for best name. Squid is 3rd in the class in Clearances (23), 2nd in successful passes (562) and 5th in assists (3). They're aggressive style of play also means they lead in Yellow Cards with 2. Due to their position, a lot of their contribution also does not show up on the stat sheet. Scouts know this though so it would not negatively affect their draft stock.

3. Michele Honcho 414 TPE

User: Frantik
Bank: $3,886,250
Pos: ST/LAM/RAM
Footedness: Left

The next best striker in TPE but 3 TPE really does not make a difference and is also in the running for 1OA. Honcho is 5th in Goals (4) and 4th in assists (3). What is interesting about Honcho is their tackling. Strikers are not usually known for it. Honcho is changing the script as they lead the class in tackles won (34) and 5th in attempts (35). Since they only missed 1 tackle they also lead in tackle percentage (at least 10 attempts) at 97.14%. Frantik also leads this top 5 in league cash which will prove well for their future earning.

4. Alyssa Barnes 400 TPE

User: Symmetrik
Bank: $137,500
Pos: RWB/LWB/RD
Footedness: Right

The top defenseman in the class and they have been stuffing the stat sheet while being the workhorse of the squad. Leads in distance ran (88.4km), 2nd in average rating (7.78), 2nd in assists (6), 2nd in chances created (12), 2nd in tackle attempts (41) while 3rd in successful tackles (33) and lastly was 3rd in dribbles (27).

5. Rylee Knock 396 TPE

User: nasbase
Bank: $193,750
Pos: LAM/ST/CAM
Footedness: Right

Who is this bust? Or no wait... it's yours truly. Rylee has been very quiet in academy so far. She is 6th in goals (4) and 5th in assists (3). Opponents have tried to defend her aggressively as she is 6th in fouls against with 12. Rylee continues to work on her acceleration after building up pace and other important ratings.

The draft will be interesting as there is solid talent in most of the major position groups so there will be options for teams at the top of the order. What strategies will be used and how will it shake out? Time will tell.

564 words]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: Finally Using His Head]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10942 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 20:05:08 +0100 DidYouSeeThatLudicrousDisplay?]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10942
"You crazy bastard," he said with a grin, causing me to tilt my head in confusion. I must've looked like one of those dogs questioning what was in front of it's eyes. 

"We got the win! You finally let us win one, and that wasn't even the best part!" he said excitedly. Was he actually giving me credit for something good instead of throwing allegations of game fixing at me?

"I saw that, congratulations! 3-0 against Montreal, right?" I replied, knowing the result, and the next thing he was going to bring up.  Despite him thinking I am setting him up, I do know the reality of their matches, since, you know, unlike Kaz, I live in reality.

"I scored a goal! Me! Perfect header right into the net. I could get used to that. Do you think next time I could score more than Dante? I want to see his reaction. He might actually explode."

Code:
Word Count: 243
]]>
"You crazy bastard," he said with a grin, causing me to tilt my head in confusion. I must've looked like one of those dogs questioning what was in front of it's eyes. 

"We got the win! You finally let us win one, and that wasn't even the best part!" he said excitedly. Was he actually giving me credit for something good instead of throwing allegations of game fixing at me?

"I saw that, congratulations! 3-0 against Montreal, right?" I replied, knowing the result, and the next thing he was going to bring up.  Despite him thinking I am setting him up, I do know the reality of their matches, since, you know, unlike Kaz, I live in reality.

"I scored a goal! Me! Perfect header right into the net. I could get used to that. Do you think next time I could score more than Dante? I want to see his reaction. He might actually explode."

Code:
Word Count: 243
]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: Inspired by Thunder39]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10935 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 18:19:37 +0100 Moka26]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10935 LON  It's been such a while since I haven't touched my editing setup... I think I might have taken it as a gaming console at times.

We were waiting for a new Sticker Factory Head, in charge of sharing renders and kitswaps to be done to everyone. In the meantime I had to keep up with training and stuff, and with my responsibilities increasing with PurpleLabs, I even managed to defer on my duties in the Tactics & Data Analysis Department of the organization. 

But at some point I wanted to come back and do cool graphics, something interesting... And then, I got called. Someone needed a design (logo + template) at the SSL Main Office. I couldn't be more happy : it was finally time to do something creative, even while staying true to the SSL brand guidelines. 

In the effervescence of working on it, I remembered about a signature poster that I saw somewhere in the archives. It was one of the past posters of Maverick Jones. What stunned me about it was its cleanliness, having the hills of Cape Town seen under a nice green shade, with white and yellow bands going over it and creating a beautiful gradient. The player name was discretely there. 

I just remembered that something was marked discretely, "Made by Thunder39". 

Right now, as we're approaching the last game of the season, I thought about making a revamp of my signature based on what was on that poster I remembered. With some little finagling I managed to find the original poster here : 

[Image: n05vril.jpeg]

Here's my result in the same vibe :

[Image: Inspired-by-Thunder39.png]

Thanks for reading.
Daniel.

LON
]]> LON  It's been such a while since I haven't touched my editing setup... I think I might have taken it as a gaming console at times.

We were waiting for a new Sticker Factory Head, in charge of sharing renders and kitswaps to be done to everyone. In the meantime I had to keep up with training and stuff, and with my responsibilities increasing with PurpleLabs, I even managed to defer on my duties in the Tactics & Data Analysis Department of the organization. 

But at some point I wanted to come back and do cool graphics, something interesting... And then, I got called. Someone needed a design (logo + template) at the SSL Main Office. I couldn't be more happy : it was finally time to do something creative, even while staying true to the SSL brand guidelines. 

In the effervescence of working on it, I remembered about a signature poster that I saw somewhere in the archives. It was one of the past posters of Maverick Jones. What stunned me about it was its cleanliness, having the hills of Cape Town seen under a nice green shade, with white and yellow bands going over it and creating a beautiful gradient. The player name was discretely there. 

I just remembered that something was marked discretely, "Made by Thunder39". 

Right now, as we're approaching the last game of the season, I thought about making a revamp of my signature based on what was on that poster I remembered. With some little finagling I managed to find the original poster here : 

[Image: n05vril.jpeg]

Here's my result in the same vibe :

[Image: Inspired-by-Thunder39.png]

Thanks for reading.
Daniel.

LON
]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: Progressing Nicely]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10939 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:48:31 +0100 jason97]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10939 London, England

Joao Mendes is progressing very well in his third season in the SSL. With only one game left in the season, we look back at what was an impressive season for the young midfielder. With only one game left, Inter London will have a chance to win the league. Although it is a long shot, they will still have the chance to play in the promotion match, which looks to be against Montreal United or North Shore United. This will give them the chance to play next season in the first division.

In the 11 games that Mendes has started so far, he has an average match rating of 7.41, putting him among the top ten in the minor league division. He has six goals and three assists, doubling his goal tally from last season. He has 9 shots on target and 22 shots, with 10 key passes. He has an 89.63% successful pass percentage, among the top 3 for midfielders in the league. Defensively, Mendes has been a beast in the midfield, with 29 successful headers, 28 tackles won, 18 interceptions, 7 clearances, and 5 blocks. Mendes also had 4 yellow cards.

This has been Mendes best season to date, and all his hard work is paying off. He is currently second in his draft class in terms of TPE, behind Ekon Ayo. Due to his progression, he is knocking on the door for Inter London's first team. He is on the verge of being called up for the Pyrenees Union team for the WSFC. It is all coming together quickly for the young Portuguese midfielder.

[267 words]]]> London, England

Joao Mendes is progressing very well in his third season in the SSL. With only one game left in the season, we look back at what was an impressive season for the young midfielder. With only one game left, Inter London will have a chance to win the league. Although it is a long shot, they will still have the chance to play in the promotion match, which looks to be against Montreal United or North Shore United. This will give them the chance to play next season in the first division.

In the 11 games that Mendes has started so far, he has an average match rating of 7.41, putting him among the top ten in the minor league division. He has six goals and three assists, doubling his goal tally from last season. He has 9 shots on target and 22 shots, with 10 key passes. He has an 89.63% successful pass percentage, among the top 3 for midfielders in the league. Defensively, Mendes has been a beast in the midfield, with 29 successful headers, 28 tackles won, 18 interceptions, 7 clearances, and 5 blocks. Mendes also had 4 yellow cards.

This has been Mendes best season to date, and all his hard work is paying off. He is currently second in his draft class in terms of TPE, behind Ekon Ayo. Due to his progression, he is knocking on the door for Inter London's first team. He is on the verge of being called up for the Pyrenees Union team for the WSFC. It is all coming together quickly for the young Portuguese midfielder.

[267 words]]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: MVP Predictions]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10938 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:35:26 +0100 Pelochyta]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10938
I don't know nothing about nothing, but here's my top 3 picks for MVP. These are in no particular order. I'm guessing that it's kind of like every other sport where scoring/offense is what truly matters and leads to winning the award, even if there's really strong defenders. I'm also guessing that your team has to be at least somewhat successful to get the award (so apologies to Zaza Banana who has impressed on a bad team).

Actually now that I think about it, is MVP split by division or level? I guess I hadn't considered that. I'm just going to assume it's by division as well. Maybe i'll get crazy and do both div 1 and div 2.

Majors Div 1

1. Dom Patterson

Dom has been successful on the offensive side of things, with 20 shots on target (2nd) and 9.13 expected goals (1st). Dom is at 8 goals, which is one behind the leaders in division 1. Patterson's match score of 7.37 is also within the top 10.

2. Shingo Takechi

Shingo is having an amazing season in the net. Shingo is 2nd in average rating among all majors div 1 players, sitting exactly .01 behind their teammate Trick Johnson. If you throw a dart at a board with goalie stats, there's a strong chance Takechi is leading or top 3 in that stat. Great season.

3. Zaza Banana

Screw the rules, I pick who I want! And I want to pick my teammate. A lot of these picks are just based on player of the match + average rating numbers and even trying to go out of my way to not pick Banana, I can't. I know Reykjavik is having a bad season but Banana is really just outperforming all the other strikers. Go Bananas!

Majors Div 2

1. Roy Rivers

Rivers is putting the ball in the net. Simple as that. One of three players with 9 goals (Zaza Banana, Luke Walker) and the second best overall average rating with 7.58.

2. Luke Walker

More goals! More high average rating! I know what I like, and I like those things.

3. Jonathon Jameston

It seems like Jameston is having a strong season in the normal metrics, and it's only made more impressive because all these stats are for Casablanca - an expansion team who has (overall) a pretty weak roster. But Jameston has risen to the challenge and helped elevate the team to 5th!

Thanks and also apologies for reading this!]]>
I don't know nothing about nothing, but here's my top 3 picks for MVP. These are in no particular order. I'm guessing that it's kind of like every other sport where scoring/offense is what truly matters and leads to winning the award, even if there's really strong defenders. I'm also guessing that your team has to be at least somewhat successful to get the award (so apologies to Zaza Banana who has impressed on a bad team).

Actually now that I think about it, is MVP split by division or level? I guess I hadn't considered that. I'm just going to assume it's by division as well. Maybe i'll get crazy and do both div 1 and div 2.

Majors Div 1

1. Dom Patterson

Dom has been successful on the offensive side of things, with 20 shots on target (2nd) and 9.13 expected goals (1st). Dom is at 8 goals, which is one behind the leaders in division 1. Patterson's match score of 7.37 is also within the top 10.

2. Shingo Takechi

Shingo is having an amazing season in the net. Shingo is 2nd in average rating among all majors div 1 players, sitting exactly .01 behind their teammate Trick Johnson. If you throw a dart at a board with goalie stats, there's a strong chance Takechi is leading or top 3 in that stat. Great season.

3. Zaza Banana

Screw the rules, I pick who I want! And I want to pick my teammate. A lot of these picks are just based on player of the match + average rating numbers and even trying to go out of my way to not pick Banana, I can't. I know Reykjavik is having a bad season but Banana is really just outperforming all the other strikers. Go Bananas!

Majors Div 2

1. Roy Rivers

Rivers is putting the ball in the net. Simple as that. One of three players with 9 goals (Zaza Banana, Luke Walker) and the second best overall average rating with 7.58.

2. Luke Walker

More goals! More high average rating! I know what I like, and I like those things.

3. Jonathon Jameston

It seems like Jameston is having a strong season in the normal metrics, and it's only made more impressive because all these stats are for Casablanca - an expansion team who has (overall) a pretty weak roster. But Jameston has risen to the challenge and helped elevate the team to 5th!

Thanks and also apologies for reading this!]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: Ekon's Idols (Part 9)]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10937 Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:22:30 +0100 rrf_1]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10937

Marijke van der Maan
"Marijke" – Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Collaborator for my nonprofit Project Teide

The last mentor to highlight in this series is Marijke van der Maan.  Marijke helps me with my outreach work, and she has taken quite the interesting journey to get here.

When she was younger, Marijke was a semi-professional cyclist for Noorderlicht Racing in the Netherlands.  She was the team’s gravel and climbing specialist, never the flashiest cyclist in the peloton but always a surprise competitor on the long relentless climbs that the rest of the field dreaded.  She wasn’t at the level where cycling could become her sole source of income, so she also worked as a professional civil engineer.  The Netherlands relies on substantial water management infrastructure to reduce flood risk across the low-lying country, and Marijke worked for years reinforcing dikes, upgrading flood defenses, and extending water systems in service of that battle.  She knew these projects were important for the safety of her community, and she respected the ingenuity of Dutch flood control, but over the years she grew weary of the repetition of these projects.  The work became stale and uninspiring.  She also felt the projects lacked long-term thinking, each flood intervention eventually losing its fight with nature.  Her colleagues seemed to believe that engineering could permanently fix any environmental threat, but Marijke saw through that illusion.

Beyond just desiring something new, Marijke also had reservations about the positive impact of her work.  Her managers tended to assume that all of their technically successful projects were automatically socially successful ones, too, but these expensive projects drove up living costs and often displaced the people living near them.  Marijke shifted her focus toward urban planning and public policy.  This is how she found her way to me and Project Teide at the intersection of immigration, education, and geosciences.  She supports the mission indirectly by representing immigration and environmental issues on urban planning committees, making sure new projects consider all types of people and prioritize sustainability when possible.  Marijke is particularly good at identifying the unintentional consequences of well-meaning plans, and she is not easily convinced by glossy presentations or over-ambitious promises by upper level executives.  She channels her grit from cycling into fighting for people who might otherwise be overlooked.

As I have gotten to know Marijke better, I have learned that her mantra for life is “pass it on”, always intending to repay kindness to the people in her life.  She credits this mindset to the abundant support she received when rehabilitating from a near-death cycling accident.  During a major gravel race in south Limburg seven years ago, Marijke suffered a catastrophic crash on a fast descent.  Gravel riding in the mountains requires patience, discipline, and focus – especially when descending – but a combination of high speed, loose terrain, and poor visibility sent her off the road.  These conditions would have been harrowing even for the best cyclist.  Marijke’s injuries were severe enough that her physical recovery was questionable for some time.  During her lengthy rehabilitation, she depended on her support network in ways she had never imagined and never desired, she admitted to me, but her friends and family always helped her out while expecting nothing in return.  Through this generosity, she came to understand that most people step up to help each other when the time requires it.  I know I should apply this same philosophy in supporting my football teammates on and off the field.

In her spare time, Marijke also makes and sells homemade hot sauces… for some reason (I never asked why).  She sets up shop at local markets and has a small circle of devoted customers that swing by when their supplies run low.  My personal favorite flavor is “Dike Breaker”, an intense sauce with slow-building heat that is smoky and fruity.  Throughout the year, she also sends me free samples of all her flavors, which I share with my Cairo City teammates at our team dinners.  It has even gotten to the point where they just call Marijke the “hot sauce lady”.  I haven’t told the guys yet, but she has been working hard in the lab to perfect a new flavor dedicated to the team, which she considers some of her biggest fans.  Here’s to hoping Cairo has a minor league promotion to celebrate where we can unveil the flavor in high spirits!]]>

Marijke van der Maan
"Marijke" – Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Collaborator for my nonprofit Project Teide

The last mentor to highlight in this series is Marijke van der Maan.  Marijke helps me with my outreach work, and she has taken quite the interesting journey to get here.

When she was younger, Marijke was a semi-professional cyclist for Noorderlicht Racing in the Netherlands.  She was the team’s gravel and climbing specialist, never the flashiest cyclist in the peloton but always a surprise competitor on the long relentless climbs that the rest of the field dreaded.  She wasn’t at the level where cycling could become her sole source of income, so she also worked as a professional civil engineer.  The Netherlands relies on substantial water management infrastructure to reduce flood risk across the low-lying country, and Marijke worked for years reinforcing dikes, upgrading flood defenses, and extending water systems in service of that battle.  She knew these projects were important for the safety of her community, and she respected the ingenuity of Dutch flood control, but over the years she grew weary of the repetition of these projects.  The work became stale and uninspiring.  She also felt the projects lacked long-term thinking, each flood intervention eventually losing its fight with nature.  Her colleagues seemed to believe that engineering could permanently fix any environmental threat, but Marijke saw through that illusion.

Beyond just desiring something new, Marijke also had reservations about the positive impact of her work.  Her managers tended to assume that all of their technically successful projects were automatically socially successful ones, too, but these expensive projects drove up living costs and often displaced the people living near them.  Marijke shifted her focus toward urban planning and public policy.  This is how she found her way to me and Project Teide at the intersection of immigration, education, and geosciences.  She supports the mission indirectly by representing immigration and environmental issues on urban planning committees, making sure new projects consider all types of people and prioritize sustainability when possible.  Marijke is particularly good at identifying the unintentional consequences of well-meaning plans, and she is not easily convinced by glossy presentations or over-ambitious promises by upper level executives.  She channels her grit from cycling into fighting for people who might otherwise be overlooked.

As I have gotten to know Marijke better, I have learned that her mantra for life is “pass it on”, always intending to repay kindness to the people in her life.  She credits this mindset to the abundant support she received when rehabilitating from a near-death cycling accident.  During a major gravel race in south Limburg seven years ago, Marijke suffered a catastrophic crash on a fast descent.  Gravel riding in the mountains requires patience, discipline, and focus – especially when descending – but a combination of high speed, loose terrain, and poor visibility sent her off the road.  These conditions would have been harrowing even for the best cyclist.  Marijke’s injuries were severe enough that her physical recovery was questionable for some time.  During her lengthy rehabilitation, she depended on her support network in ways she had never imagined and never desired, she admitted to me, but her friends and family always helped her out while expecting nothing in return.  Through this generosity, she came to understand that most people step up to help each other when the time requires it.  I know I should apply this same philosophy in supporting my football teammates on and off the field.

In her spare time, Marijke also makes and sells homemade hot sauces… for some reason (I never asked why).  She sets up shop at local markets and has a small circle of devoted customers that swing by when their supplies run low.  My personal favorite flavor is “Dike Breaker”, an intense sauce with slow-building heat that is smoky and fruity.  Throughout the year, she also sends me free samples of all her flavors, which I share with my Cairo City teammates at our team dinners.  It has even gotten to the point where they just call Marijke the “hot sauce lady”.  I haven’t told the guys yet, but she has been working hard in the lab to perfect a new flavor dedicated to the team, which she considers some of her biggest fans.  Here’s to hoping Cairo has a minor league promotion to celebrate where we can unveil the flavor in high spirits!]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: CS Rova Mpanjaka MD 13 recap + MD 14 preview]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10928 Mon, 12 Oct 2026 22:47:48 +0100 DarkViper2]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10928

Formations

CS Rova Mpanjaka: 4-2-3-1

Krung Thep FC: 4-2-3-1

Both teams have shown the same form going 2-2-1 in their last 5 matches and both teams are coming into this one after losing their last match. This should be a fun match


1st Half

KTH kicked off to start the match, RMP stole it away, and the highlight ends. You see why I don't cover what happens after the kickoff?

Skipping ahead to the 4th minute and Aren fjord has possession of the ball. Working the ball around the back line, Justin Fern finds Puma Superhoops and he starts pushing the ball up the right side. He tries to get a cross in and JG Wentworth blocks it. He is able to collect it but does a bit too much dribbling and Hanibal Armaros kicks it out for a RMP corner. Thomas Schwarte plays it to Joe Martin and he does a 1 touch pass to Scott Newman. Newman lets a 1 touch shot rip from distance, while he did miss he forced Turd Ferguson to make the save. The ball is deflected of the crossbar for another RMP corner. Superhoops aims for the near post and the highlight abruptly ends

Skipping ahead and it's close to the 12th minute with RMP set to restart play with a throw in. The team works the ball around and Matt Oopsie Wrongsort Turk either attempts a shot or cross, it's hard to tell because of the angle from where he's kicking the ball. Either way the ball goes out of play for a KTH goal kick

Quick jump to the 13th minute and RMp has a throw in from about the same spot as the last highlight. Schwarte plays a 2 man game with Turk and Schwarte gets a low cross to the near post. Jack Pow takes crack at goal and Ferguson makes another save. Two great opportunities for RMP to get the early lead and both time Ferguson denies them. Superhoops tracks the rebound down and tires to get another cross in and Billy Elliot deflects it out for a corner. Schwarte goes for the near post and the ball gets deflected around. Turk collects it and dribbles it to the left side. He aims a cross for the far post and Ferguson snatches the ball out of the air

Big skip as the next highlight is in the 23rd minute and RMP has a direct free kick. Newman plays it to Turk and he passes it to Pow. He takes a crack at goal and forces Ferguson to make another save as he parries the ball out for a RMP corner. Superhoops aims for the near post and the ball is defected to Martin. He passes to Superhoops and the flags go up as he was in an offside position

Now in the 28th minute and RMP has another throw in to restart play. RMP works the ball around and Pow finds Superhoops on a short cross. He takes a shot at goal with a 1 touch shot and he completely missed as the ball goes out for a goal kick. So far it's been RMP dominate highlights

Skipping to the 39th minute and KTH has a corner kick. Stephan Lichsteiner aims for the near post. Larv Itar is able to get his head to the ball, but his shot goes over the crossbar for a goal kick. The skip is barely noticeable so there's no need for another paragraph. Ahmad Ampharos plays to to Fern who just clears it out of danger. Matt Stro collects the clearance and plays it back to Bérangère-Amandine Bruère-Estrangin to restart the attack. KTH works the ball along the back line and Itar finds Wentworth, He pushes the ball up the pitch and finds Weston McNuggie who timed his run perfectly to get by RMP's back 4. He tracks a crack at goal and pushes it wide to the right for a goal kick

Skipping to the 45th minute and RMP has a corner kick. Also the 4th referee has signaled that there will be 1 minute of stoppage time. Superhoops aims for the near post and Stro is there to deflect it away. Fern tracks down the loss ball and RMP works the ball around to Turk. He attempts a 1 touch shot on goal, but his shot goes over the cross bar for a goal kick


KTH is lucky that this is a 0-0 game at halftime. RMP should have at least 1 goal on the board and that's reflected in the xG with RM having .96 and KTH having .41. Also the first half was dominated by RMP highlights as there were only 2 that featured KTH in some sort of attack


2nd half

RMP kicks off to start the half and for once something happened as Pow dribbles the ball up the left side for an attack, but Stro does a slide tackle to knock the ball away and the highlight ends

Bit of a break in the action at the 52nd minute as Puma Superoops has to leave the game because of an injury and the SUPERSUB bot is coming in as a replacement. He'll be back in time for the final match of the season against AS Paris

Huge skip to the 64th minute for the next highlight and KTH as a throw in to restart play. Lichsteiner and Stro play a 2 man game and Lichsteiner aims a cross to the far post. SUBERSUB clears it and Wentworth tracks the ball down. KTH works the ball around to Aleksandr Skovgarrd and he takes a shot from distance. He beat AMpharos but his shot hit the post and Lichsteiner gathers the rebound. KT works the ball around and Stro tries to find McMuggie, but Fern knocks it away to Martin and he clears it out of danger. KTH looks to reset for another attack but Martin tackles the ball from Wentworth and Otto Rocket finds Hans Grudnar near the center circle and RMP looks to start a counter. It happens fast as SUPERSUB pushes the ball to Rocket and he gets a cross to Grudnar. He buries the point blank range shot into the back of the net to give RMP a 1-0 lead. Newman did a good job of stopping his run short as he was offsides and Grudnar had the perfect run to stay onside so the goal counts

Skipping to the 77th minute now and RMP as a throw in. RMP is working the ball along the back looking for an attack opportunity. Eventually they work the ball back to Ampharos and he passes it deep to Schwarte. He dribbles the ball up the left side and tries to get a cross into the box. It looks like he was trying to find Newman who was matching his pace. Itar intercepts the pass and gets the ball to Mc Nuggie and KTH starts a counter. While he was able to dribble the ball up the right side, RMP does a great job of cutting him off and he's forced to pass the ball back to Skovgaad. KTH works the ball to Hanibal Armaors and he tracks a 1 touch shot with his perfred left foot from distance. Ampharos is able to get his hand on the ball and push it wide for a corner. Lichsteiner finds Stro on the near post and Stro is able to use his head. The header is on target and Ampharos parries the ball over the crossbar for another corner. RMP tries to clear Lichstteiner's corner but fail as the ball finds its way to Elliot. He gets a cross to Skovgaard and on the half volley goes for goal. His shot misses to the left for a goal kick

Jumping to the 90+4 minute and this will be the final highlight of the game because there's 3 minutes if stoppage time. RMP has a throw in and as soon as SUPERSUB throws it in the referee signals the end of the match

Krung Thep 0 vs. RMP 1

Huge win for CS Rova as this keeps them in division 1 for s28 and it opens the door for RMP to finish 3rd in the table

MD 14 is going to be huge for the minors. North Shore United has a chance to avoid auto relegation; all they have to do is beat Krung Thep FC and NSU is in the promotion playoff and Montréal United will be auto relegated. If they draw or lose, then they will be auto relegated and MTL will be in the promotion playoffs. Over in division 2 it's a battle between Cairo and Inter London for the auto promotion spot. For Cairo it's simple; beat SD Guayaquil and you're auto promoted. If it's a draw then Inter can win but they cant win by more than 9 goals, but there's no chance the Inter can win by 9 goals. For Inter London, they have to beat AF Maaques Scarés to have a chance at winning the division and getting the auto promotion spot. Any other result for London and they're in the promotion playoffs

Looking at the schedule, Inter London plays before Cairo so Cario would know what they need to do to win the D2 championship]]>

Formations

CS Rova Mpanjaka: 4-2-3-1

Krung Thep FC: 4-2-3-1

Both teams have shown the same form going 2-2-1 in their last 5 matches and both teams are coming into this one after losing their last match. This should be a fun match


1st Half

KTH kicked off to start the match, RMP stole it away, and the highlight ends. You see why I don't cover what happens after the kickoff?

Skipping ahead to the 4th minute and Aren fjord has possession of the ball. Working the ball around the back line, Justin Fern finds Puma Superhoops and he starts pushing the ball up the right side. He tries to get a cross in and JG Wentworth blocks it. He is able to collect it but does a bit too much dribbling and Hanibal Armaros kicks it out for a RMP corner. Thomas Schwarte plays it to Joe Martin and he does a 1 touch pass to Scott Newman. Newman lets a 1 touch shot rip from distance, while he did miss he forced Turd Ferguson to make the save. The ball is deflected of the crossbar for another RMP corner. Superhoops aims for the near post and the highlight abruptly ends

Skipping ahead and it's close to the 12th minute with RMP set to restart play with a throw in. The team works the ball around and Matt Oopsie Wrongsort Turk either attempts a shot or cross, it's hard to tell because of the angle from where he's kicking the ball. Either way the ball goes out of play for a KTH goal kick

Quick jump to the 13th minute and RMp has a throw in from about the same spot as the last highlight. Schwarte plays a 2 man game with Turk and Schwarte gets a low cross to the near post. Jack Pow takes crack at goal and Ferguson makes another save. Two great opportunities for RMP to get the early lead and both time Ferguson denies them. Superhoops tracks the rebound down and tires to get another cross in and Billy Elliot deflects it out for a corner. Schwarte goes for the near post and the ball gets deflected around. Turk collects it and dribbles it to the left side. He aims a cross for the far post and Ferguson snatches the ball out of the air

Big skip as the next highlight is in the 23rd minute and RMP has a direct free kick. Newman plays it to Turk and he passes it to Pow. He takes a crack at goal and forces Ferguson to make another save as he parries the ball out for a RMP corner. Superhoops aims for the near post and the ball is defected to Martin. He passes to Superhoops and the flags go up as he was in an offside position

Now in the 28th minute and RMP has another throw in to restart play. RMP works the ball around and Pow finds Superhoops on a short cross. He takes a shot at goal with a 1 touch shot and he completely missed as the ball goes out for a goal kick. So far it's been RMP dominate highlights

Skipping to the 39th minute and KTH has a corner kick. Stephan Lichsteiner aims for the near post. Larv Itar is able to get his head to the ball, but his shot goes over the crossbar for a goal kick. The skip is barely noticeable so there's no need for another paragraph. Ahmad Ampharos plays to to Fern who just clears it out of danger. Matt Stro collects the clearance and plays it back to Bérangère-Amandine Bruère-Estrangin to restart the attack. KTH works the ball along the back line and Itar finds Wentworth, He pushes the ball up the pitch and finds Weston McNuggie who timed his run perfectly to get by RMP's back 4. He tracks a crack at goal and pushes it wide to the right for a goal kick

Skipping to the 45th minute and RMP has a corner kick. Also the 4th referee has signaled that there will be 1 minute of stoppage time. Superhoops aims for the near post and Stro is there to deflect it away. Fern tracks down the loss ball and RMP works the ball around to Turk. He attempts a 1 touch shot on goal, but his shot goes over the cross bar for a goal kick


KTH is lucky that this is a 0-0 game at halftime. RMP should have at least 1 goal on the board and that's reflected in the xG with RM having .96 and KTH having .41. Also the first half was dominated by RMP highlights as there were only 2 that featured KTH in some sort of attack


2nd half

RMP kicks off to start the half and for once something happened as Pow dribbles the ball up the left side for an attack, but Stro does a slide tackle to knock the ball away and the highlight ends

Bit of a break in the action at the 52nd minute as Puma Superoops has to leave the game because of an injury and the SUPERSUB bot is coming in as a replacement. He'll be back in time for the final match of the season against AS Paris

Huge skip to the 64th minute for the next highlight and KTH as a throw in to restart play. Lichsteiner and Stro play a 2 man game and Lichsteiner aims a cross to the far post. SUBERSUB clears it and Wentworth tracks the ball down. KTH works the ball around to Aleksandr Skovgarrd and he takes a shot from distance. He beat AMpharos but his shot hit the post and Lichsteiner gathers the rebound. KT works the ball around and Stro tries to find McMuggie, but Fern knocks it away to Martin and he clears it out of danger. KTH looks to reset for another attack but Martin tackles the ball from Wentworth and Otto Rocket finds Hans Grudnar near the center circle and RMP looks to start a counter. It happens fast as SUPERSUB pushes the ball to Rocket and he gets a cross to Grudnar. He buries the point blank range shot into the back of the net to give RMP a 1-0 lead. Newman did a good job of stopping his run short as he was offsides and Grudnar had the perfect run to stay onside so the goal counts

Skipping to the 77th minute now and RMP as a throw in. RMP is working the ball along the back looking for an attack opportunity. Eventually they work the ball back to Ampharos and he passes it deep to Schwarte. He dribbles the ball up the left side and tries to get a cross into the box. It looks like he was trying to find Newman who was matching his pace. Itar intercepts the pass and gets the ball to Mc Nuggie and KTH starts a counter. While he was able to dribble the ball up the right side, RMP does a great job of cutting him off and he's forced to pass the ball back to Skovgaad. KTH works the ball to Hanibal Armaors and he tracks a 1 touch shot with his perfred left foot from distance. Ampharos is able to get his hand on the ball and push it wide for a corner. Lichsteiner finds Stro on the near post and Stro is able to use his head. The header is on target and Ampharos parries the ball over the crossbar for another corner. RMP tries to clear Lichstteiner's corner but fail as the ball finds its way to Elliot. He gets a cross to Skovgaard and on the half volley goes for goal. His shot misses to the left for a goal kick

Jumping to the 90+4 minute and this will be the final highlight of the game because there's 3 minutes if stoppage time. RMP has a throw in and as soon as SUPERSUB throws it in the referee signals the end of the match

Krung Thep 0 vs. RMP 1

Huge win for CS Rova as this keeps them in division 1 for s28 and it opens the door for RMP to finish 3rd in the table

MD 14 is going to be huge for the minors. North Shore United has a chance to avoid auto relegation; all they have to do is beat Krung Thep FC and NSU is in the promotion playoff and Montréal United will be auto relegated. If they draw or lose, then they will be auto relegated and MTL will be in the promotion playoffs. Over in division 2 it's a battle between Cairo and Inter London for the auto promotion spot. For Cairo it's simple; beat SD Guayaquil and you're auto promoted. If it's a draw then Inter can win but they cant win by more than 9 goals, but there's no chance the Inter can win by 9 goals. For Inter London, they have to beat AF Maaques Scarés to have a chance at winning the division and getting the auto promotion spot. Any other result for London and they're in the promotion playoffs

Looking at the schedule, Inter London plays before Cairo so Cario would know what they need to do to win the D2 championship]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: End of Season NSU Thoughts]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10930 Mon, 12 Oct 2026 06:49:28 +0100 SoySavant]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10930 little surprising, especially as the season's really started to wind down. After spending much of the season with just 1 win, they've managed to secure another win and 2 ties over the last 10 days (which, given the state of things, even a tie is a nice result). Will it be enough to change NSU's fate? Well, uhh... no comment, but they've at least found a way to make the fight to avoid the bottom of the standings kind of interesting as the season rapidly approaches its end. I believe NSU has 1 more game ahead of it and is 2 points behind the 2nd-worst Div 1 team, but unfortunately that's their ceiling at this point. Even then, having a chance to not get automatically relegated with only 1 match left is honestly encouraging for a very young rebuilding squad that was badly outclassed from the start. It's exciting to have something to play for all the way up to the last match in a season where, despite how things may look, it easily could have been even worse.]]> little surprising, especially as the season's really started to wind down. After spending much of the season with just 1 win, they've managed to secure another win and 2 ties over the last 10 days (which, given the state of things, even a tie is a nice result). Will it be enough to change NSU's fate? Well, uhh... no comment, but they've at least found a way to make the fight to avoid the bottom of the standings kind of interesting as the season rapidly approaches its end. I believe NSU has 1 more game ahead of it and is 2 points behind the 2nd-worst Div 1 team, but unfortunately that's their ceiling at this point. Even then, having a chance to not get automatically relegated with only 1 match left is honestly encouraging for a very young rebuilding squad that was badly outclassed from the start. It's exciting to have something to play for all the way up to the last match in a season where, despite how things may look, it easily could have been even worse.]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: Down to the Wire]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10929 Mon, 12 Oct 2026 05:25:54 +0100 jason97]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10929 London, England

With Inter London having matchday 12 off, the team gathered around the TV to watch Cairo City, the team they are chasing for the title, take on CD Alfama. Unfortunately, the result was not one that was very helpful, as Cairo City swept the floor with Alfama after winning 7-0. This put the points difference up to 5 points, with Inter London having a game in hand. As much of the last few weeks had gone, the next match for London was a must-win, or the title race would be over. As Cairo City had matchday 13 off, any result that wasn't a win would crown them champions.

Matchday 13 saw Inter London beat Athenai FC 2-1, a huge result against a tough opponent. Chris McZehrl opened the scoring with a penalty in the second minute. Athenai FC's number seven Jonathan Munoz scored a penalty of his own in the 56th minute. Joao Mendes scored the game-winning goal in the 72nd minute from a pass from Benjamin Munro. With London putting pressure on most of the second half, this was a huge goal to extend the title race until the last matchday.

So the last game is pretty simple for London. They need to win against AF Masques Sacres, who beat Inter London 2-1, and they then need Cairo City to lose against SD Guayaquil, whom they beat 3-0 in matchday 7. There is still hope, albeit a small chance, but any percentage that isn't zero percent gives us a shot.

[251 words]]]> London, England

With Inter London having matchday 12 off, the team gathered around the TV to watch Cairo City, the team they are chasing for the title, take on CD Alfama. Unfortunately, the result was not one that was very helpful, as Cairo City swept the floor with Alfama after winning 7-0. This put the points difference up to 5 points, with Inter London having a game in hand. As much of the last few weeks had gone, the next match for London was a must-win, or the title race would be over. As Cairo City had matchday 13 off, any result that wasn't a win would crown them champions.

Matchday 13 saw Inter London beat Athenai FC 2-1, a huge result against a tough opponent. Chris McZehrl opened the scoring with a penalty in the second minute. Athenai FC's number seven Jonathan Munoz scored a penalty of his own in the 56th minute. Joao Mendes scored the game-winning goal in the 72nd minute from a pass from Benjamin Munro. With London putting pressure on most of the second half, this was a huge goal to extend the title race until the last matchday.

So the last game is pretty simple for London. They need to win against AF Masques Sacres, who beat Inter London 2-1, and they then need Cairo City to lose against SD Guayaquil, whom they beat 3-0 in matchday 7. There is still hope, albeit a small chance, but any percentage that isn't zero percent gives us a shot.

[251 words]]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: The Star]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10927 Mon, 12 Oct 2026 03:02:15 +0100 khens4]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10927 <![CDATA[GRADED: SSL MacGuffin - S18]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10907 Mon, 12 Oct 2026 02:51:14 +0100 TubaDeus]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10907 here.

The short version is that the winner of the first ever SSL game is awarded the initial MacGuffin trophy, which is then passed on whenever the current title holder loses in competition play (Friendlies don't count). I will track how many games each team starts with the MacGuffin in order to determine the true best team in SSL history (because everyone knows the MacGuffin points are the true measure of greatness).

You can see previous entries in this series here:
S1-2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
S11
S12
S13
S14
S15
S16
S17

With the introductions out of the way, let's take a look at where we left off last time!

All Time Standings
1) Reykjavik United RKV - 66
2) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 55
3) Hollywood FC HFC - 29
4) CA Buenos Aires BA - 27
5) CF Catalunya CFCat - 26
6) Inter London LON - 19
7) A.C. Romana ACR - 17
8) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 16
9) Cairo City CFC - 15
10)  Athenai F.C. AFC - 14
11) Seoul MFC SEO - 12
12) Schwarzwalder FV SFV - 11
13) North Shore United NSU - 10
14) Montreal United MTL - 7
T-15) AS Paris Paris - 4
T-15) F.C. Kaapstad KAP - 4

We enter the S18 season with Reykjavik United holding a now sizable lead on the all time standings. However, that's nothing next to the absolute gulf between second place Tokyo S.C. and third place Hollywood FC. Very much a case of "everyone fighting for third while the two juggernauts duke it out". There has been some movement in the lower ranks recently, but there's a lot of ground to make up if anyone else wants any chance at taking the all time crown. Will anyone pose any real challenge to our top competitors? Let's dive into S18 and find out!
S18

Season Start: A.C. Romana ACR 
Total Games Held: 2
Next Loss: 0-2 vs Uniao Sao Paulo

New Title Holder: Uniao Sao Paulo USP
Total Games Held: 4
Next Loss: 0-3 @ Reykjavik United

New Title Holder: Reykjavik United RKV
Total Games Held: 11
Next Loss: 1-2 vs CA Buenos Aires

New Title Holder: CA Buenos Aires BA
Total Games Held: 1
Next Loss: 0-4 vs Schwarzwalder FV

New Title Holder: Schwarzwalder FV SFV
Total Games Held: 2
Next Loss: N/A

End of Season

Season Standings:
1) Reykjavik United RKV - 11
2) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 4
T-3) A.C. Romana ACR - 2
T-3) Schwarzwalder FV SFV - 2
5) CA Buenos Aires BA - 1

The MacGuffin was pretty stable this season, only exchanging hands four times all season. Granted, this was in no small part thanks to Reykjavik United yet again going on a massive run in the middle of the season. Seriously, that win streak was worth more MacGuffin points than four teams have in their entire time in the league! Of course, the other interesting item of note is just how many times the MacGuffin holding team lost at home this season. It happens every now and then to be sure, but usually the MacGuffin is lost when the current holders are playing away. Guess home field advantage didn't mean much this season.

All Time Standings:
1) Reykjavik United RKV - 77
2) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 55
3) Hollywood FC HFC - 29
4) CA Buenos Aires BA - 28
5) CF Catalunya CFCat - 26
6) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 20 +2
T-7) Inter London LON - 19 -1
T-7) A.C. Romana ACR - 19
9) Cairo City CFC - 15
10)  Athenai F.C. AFC - 14
11)  Schwarzwalder FV SFV - 13 +1
12) Seoul MFC SEO - 12 -1
13) North Shore United NSU - 10
14) Montreal United MTL - 7
T-15) AS Paris Paris - 4
T-15) F.C. Kaapstad KAP - 4

Too bad there's no mercy rule for MacGuffin standings. In a season with only 14 regular season games, Reykjavik United holds a 22 point lead over second place Tokyo S.C. Yes, technically there are Cup games which add varying amounts of games to the season, but that's beside the point. The critical thing here is that Reykjavik's lead over second place is greater than the number of regular season games in a season. And that's just second place. The gap between second place Tokyo S.C. and third place Hollywood FC is even larger, standing at a ridiculous 26 points. Reykjavik has nearly triple the number of points of third place all time. They actually have more than triple the number of points of sixth place Uniao Sao Paulo (who just had a solid season, by the way, and are slowly making their way up in the rankings). Sixth place. Out of 16 teams. I, just... how? Who let Reykjavik be this good for this long? Has no one heard of parity? Everyone is content just battling for second place (or, technically, third place since Tokyo S.C. has a similarly insane lead)? Everyone has got to step up their game if this series is going to develop any real drama. Sure, we've got relatively consistent movement in the middle pack, but that's just not as exciting. Tune in next time to see what next season brings!]]> here.

The short version is that the winner of the first ever SSL game is awarded the initial MacGuffin trophy, which is then passed on whenever the current title holder loses in competition play (Friendlies don't count). I will track how many games each team starts with the MacGuffin in order to determine the true best team in SSL history (because everyone knows the MacGuffin points are the true measure of greatness).

You can see previous entries in this series here:
S1-2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
S11
S12
S13
S14
S15
S16
S17

With the introductions out of the way, let's take a look at where we left off last time!

All Time Standings
1) Reykjavik United RKV - 66
2) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 55
3) Hollywood FC HFC - 29
4) CA Buenos Aires BA - 27
5) CF Catalunya CFCat - 26
6) Inter London LON - 19
7) A.C. Romana ACR - 17
8) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 16
9) Cairo City CFC - 15
10)  Athenai F.C. AFC - 14
11) Seoul MFC SEO - 12
12) Schwarzwalder FV SFV - 11
13) North Shore United NSU - 10
14) Montreal United MTL - 7
T-15) AS Paris Paris - 4
T-15) F.C. Kaapstad KAP - 4

We enter the S18 season with Reykjavik United holding a now sizable lead on the all time standings. However, that's nothing next to the absolute gulf between second place Tokyo S.C. and third place Hollywood FC. Very much a case of "everyone fighting for third while the two juggernauts duke it out". There has been some movement in the lower ranks recently, but there's a lot of ground to make up if anyone else wants any chance at taking the all time crown. Will anyone pose any real challenge to our top competitors? Let's dive into S18 and find out!
S18

Season Start: A.C. Romana ACR 
Total Games Held: 2
Next Loss: 0-2 vs Uniao Sao Paulo

New Title Holder: Uniao Sao Paulo USP
Total Games Held: 4
Next Loss: 0-3 @ Reykjavik United

New Title Holder: Reykjavik United RKV
Total Games Held: 11
Next Loss: 1-2 vs CA Buenos Aires

New Title Holder: CA Buenos Aires BA
Total Games Held: 1
Next Loss: 0-4 vs Schwarzwalder FV

New Title Holder: Schwarzwalder FV SFV
Total Games Held: 2
Next Loss: N/A

End of Season

Season Standings:
1) Reykjavik United RKV - 11
2) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 4
T-3) A.C. Romana ACR - 2
T-3) Schwarzwalder FV SFV - 2
5) CA Buenos Aires BA - 1

The MacGuffin was pretty stable this season, only exchanging hands four times all season. Granted, this was in no small part thanks to Reykjavik United yet again going on a massive run in the middle of the season. Seriously, that win streak was worth more MacGuffin points than four teams have in their entire time in the league! Of course, the other interesting item of note is just how many times the MacGuffin holding team lost at home this season. It happens every now and then to be sure, but usually the MacGuffin is lost when the current holders are playing away. Guess home field advantage didn't mean much this season.

All Time Standings:
1) Reykjavik United RKV - 77
2) Tokyo S.C. TSC - 55
3) Hollywood FC HFC - 29
4) CA Buenos Aires BA - 28
5) CF Catalunya CFCat - 26
6) Uniao Sao Paulo USP - 20 +2
T-7) Inter London LON - 19 -1
T-7) A.C. Romana ACR - 19
9) Cairo City CFC - 15
10)  Athenai F.C. AFC - 14
11)  Schwarzwalder FV SFV - 13 +1
12) Seoul MFC SEO - 12 -1
13) North Shore United NSU - 10
14) Montreal United MTL - 7
T-15) AS Paris Paris - 4
T-15) F.C. Kaapstad KAP - 4

Too bad there's no mercy rule for MacGuffin standings. In a season with only 14 regular season games, Reykjavik United holds a 22 point lead over second place Tokyo S.C. Yes, technically there are Cup games which add varying amounts of games to the season, but that's beside the point. The critical thing here is that Reykjavik's lead over second place is greater than the number of regular season games in a season. And that's just second place. The gap between second place Tokyo S.C. and third place Hollywood FC is even larger, standing at a ridiculous 26 points. Reykjavik has nearly triple the number of points of third place all time. They actually have more than triple the number of points of sixth place Uniao Sao Paulo (who just had a solid season, by the way, and are slowly making their way up in the rankings). Sixth place. Out of 16 teams. I, just... how? Who let Reykjavik be this good for this long? Has no one heard of parity? Everyone is content just battling for second place (or, technically, third place since Tokyo S.C. has a similarly insane lead)? Everyone has got to step up their game if this series is going to develop any real drama. Sure, we've got relatively consistent movement in the middle pack, but that's just not as exciting. Tune in next time to see what next season brings!]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: One Academy Legend Still Striking]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10926 Sun, 11 Oct 2026 22:28:33 +0100 Butters]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10926
That 1 player in season 26 was Franco Torres of Adowa Accra FC where he managed 7 goals in just 9 appearances for him to finish 8th in scoring.

In season 25 he did not make any appearances.

in season 24 he got 9 goals in 14 appearances which was good enough for 4th overall in goals scored for Addowa Accra FC.

In season 23 he managed 5 goals in 14 appearances and finished tied for 9th position for PS Jakarta.

This season (27) Franco Torres is back at it with 5 goals in 10 appearances which is good enough for 7th position.

Needless to say this player gets himself onto the top 10 list if he gets the opportunity for any of his clubs.  It will be interesting to see if his top 10 streak can be broken anytime in the future.

Total for 4 seasons of play: 47 appearances, 26 goals, 2 different clubs. 4 Seasons in top 10 for total goals.]]>
That 1 player in season 26 was Franco Torres of Adowa Accra FC where he managed 7 goals in just 9 appearances for him to finish 8th in scoring.

In season 25 he did not make any appearances.

in season 24 he got 9 goals in 14 appearances which was good enough for 4th overall in goals scored for Addowa Accra FC.

In season 23 he managed 5 goals in 14 appearances and finished tied for 9th position for PS Jakarta.

This season (27) Franco Torres is back at it with 5 goals in 10 appearances which is good enough for 7th position.

Needless to say this player gets himself onto the top 10 list if he gets the opportunity for any of his clubs.  It will be interesting to see if his top 10 streak can be broken anytime in the future.

Total for 4 seasons of play: 47 appearances, 26 goals, 2 different clubs. 4 Seasons in top 10 for total goals.]]> <![CDATA[GRADED: Minor Div 1 Post Match Interview MD13 Bergmann]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10924 Sun, 11 Oct 2026 21:03:13 +0100 Bergmau]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=10924
Bergmann: It hurts, there were some unfortunate losses within this streak which could have been avoided, but at this point its a lot about us. We got into our own heads, didn't play the way we know we can and threw away what was a decent start to the season.

Interviewer: Sitting just two points above North Shore United in second to last place. Next week is your bye week which confirms your fate is no longer in you own hands. You need Krung Thep to draw or win against North Shore United next Matchday to secure the relegation playoffs and avoid direct relegation. You would either face Inter London or Cairo in the playoffs. How confident are you that you will be able to beat them?

Bergmann: As you said, getting to the playoffs is no longer in our hands, so we will be watching the upcoming match between North Shore and Krung Thep with a kean interest. If we manage to get into the playoffs, I believe we can win against either team. A rematch against Inter London would certainly be interesting, especially considering we played them in a friendly before this season started and had a fairly close game. It could go either way. Cairo are on a strong run of form, but they are not unbeatable. Let's wait, see and hope we get the chance. 

Interviewer: Alright, thank you for your time and good luck.]]>
Bergmann: It hurts, there were some unfortunate losses within this streak which could have been avoided, but at this point its a lot about us. We got into our own heads, didn't play the way we know we can and threw away what was a decent start to the season.

Interviewer: Sitting just two points above North Shore United in second to last place. Next week is your bye week which confirms your fate is no longer in you own hands. You need Krung Thep to draw or win against North Shore United next Matchday to secure the relegation playoffs and avoid direct relegation. You would either face Inter London or Cairo in the playoffs. How confident are you that you will be able to beat them?

Bergmann: As you said, getting to the playoffs is no longer in our hands, so we will be watching the upcoming match between North Shore and Krung Thep with a kean interest. If we manage to get into the playoffs, I believe we can win against either team. A rematch against Inter London would certainly be interesting, especially considering we played them in a friendly before this season started and had a fairly close game. It could go either way. Cairo are on a strong run of form, but they are not unbeatable. Let's wait, see and hope we get the chance. 

Interviewer: Alright, thank you for your time and good luck.]]>