[Nogrod]

Group E @ the Grey Havens

Cirdan had invited a host of teams to play friendlies at the Grey Havens so that the elven organizers would get some experience on handling games and catering for the fans – and for sure to give the locals a taste of what would be on offer later on as the Grey Havens isn’t exactly a “cradle of football” like Armenelos or Gondolin.

But the recently built Lhûnarena with its shape of an elven ship is a spectacular stadium, even if it stands a bit aside from downtown Mithlond. And it is nevertheless still situated in a nice spot beside the river just outside the old city walls, just next to the town’s favourite waterpark and riverside gardens. Thanks to its great location, many elves found it during the friendlies and reading the local tabloids today one could even talk about football-frenzy in the Grey Havens. Well, that is, if one keeps one’s perspective in check.

But what most certainly raises the awareness of the Arda Cup in the Grey Havens is the visitors to the city. Manwë himself will honour the city with his presence alongside many of the Valar the Mithlondians hold in greatest esteem. And the wizards long gone would be there – and from the mortals, some of the greatest and also the most tragic ones ever walking the old Beleriand would come to the city to play. And that, if not football as such, is creating a fuzz in Mithlond.

Now if group D has been labelled “the group of death” for some good reasons, group E in Mithlond could be coined as the “the group of near death experience” like the conservative Mithlond Navigator put it - or “the group of no reservations allowed” as the local tabloid The Lhûnandarwinian had it.

Many betting agencies have Valimar going through the group alongside Ulmo’s The Sea made sharper by some real Númenorian talent. But many are ready to risk their coin for Hithlum believing that Túrin and Húrin will show their leadership qualities once again and can’t be eliminated from a tournament in the group stage – and still many wish to bet on the hometeam looking forwards to Eärendil, Tuor and Olwë himself to show their qualities in front of the cheering home-crowd – not ot talk of Cirdan keeping their harbour safe.

Whoever will qualify from group E will then walk straight into the toughest first qualifiers ever facing the two best teams from group D. But like said so many times before; the teams emerging as winners from that will most probably be teams contending for the whole tournament having played their toughest games already…