Arda Cup Football 2011

[the phantom]

(In case you missed it last round, The venue- Amon Hen)

There have been years when the bronze medal match received little discussion in the shadow of the championship contest, but not so this year. The anticipation is unbelievably high- Angband versus Pelori! Morgoth versus Manwe! Evil versus Good!

Morgoth’s Utumno squad played in the 2010 bronze medal match, losing to Turin and team Mithrim. The blame for the loss was placed on the attitude that infected Morgoth and his squad, largely spurred on by the taunting of Celegorm and Curufin regarding the futility of giving full effort in a “meaningless game”, as anything less than a championship was a failure for someone like Morgoth and the powerful team he had assembled.

This year is an entirely different story, however. In recent press conferences, Morgoth has been extremely critical of the way he handled the end of last year’s tournament. “I’m not proud of it. I allowed the Sons of Feanor to get to me last year, and cloud my thinking. The bronze match isn’t meaningless- no match is meaningless. There is pride on the line, and your greatness is judged every time you step onto the field. People left last year’s tournament thinking Utumno was inferior to Mithrim, and that matters.”

“I want to win it all. If I can’t, I will be second. If I can’t be second, I’ll be third. Every year I desire to achieve as much as I can. There are many great talents and teams out there, so no one can win it every year, so the way to separate myself from others is to not only win titles, but in the years where I don’t win, still come close. That sort of consistency is a testament to greatness.”

And while Morgoth may in truth believe everything he’s been saying in the lead up to the game, most suspect that the opponent is partly responsible for his new outlook. Morgoth has set himself against Manwe and his friends for years beyond count, and doubtless this contest is the definition of a grudge match with serious bragging rights on the line (though Manwe is widely considered too polite and/or boring to rub it in should Pelori triumph).

In years past it has been quite common for Arda Cup to hold the bronze match in the afternoon and the championship in the evening of the same day, but this year interest in the bronze match is so high that the Cup Committee elected to hold both as night matches on consecutive days.

The Coliseum is expected to be at full capacity for both matches. Angband supporters have already bought out the Utumno, Angband, Mordor, and Moria sections of the stadium, while the Ainu and Elves of Valinor have filled the slots in the Valimar and Tirion sections, and portions of Gondolin and Doriath sections. General football fans, mostly from Gondor, bought out the Numenor and Rohan sections early on, and so there will only be the minimum 40,000 seats available to the masses on the day of the match, and from the look of things more than that will turn out to scoop the tickets up, and many will go home empty handed.

The title match, on the other hand, will be much more friendly to travelers that showed up at Amon Hen without tickets in hand. The allowed number of general seats are already filled of course, and Doriath wasted no time in nabbing the Gondolin and Mirkwood sections, parts of the Tirion and Valimar sections, and of course the Doriath section. But Tol In Gaurhoth was another matter. Their fans are very vocal and very loyal, but the fan base is not terribly extensive, and so there will be many tickets available to the masses.

When asked about how much support his squad would receive in the final, NogWolf had this to say. “Doriath will be out in force, no question about that, but most of the stadium will not have a hard-line affiliation, so they shouldn’t be terribly rowdy or rabid. I expect they’ll be on Doriath’s side 90-10, but we may sway them with our play. But in the end it doesn’t matter- we’re going to play our game, and that will decide things. We’re too battle-tested to be impacted by external factors.”

It is possible, however, that NogWolf is underestimating TIG’s fanbase, primarily because of Sauron. The longtime ruler of Mordor has always been a strong supporter of Tol In Gaurhoth, ever since he first founded the squad late in the first age. Mordor and Dol Guldur are in fairly close proximity to Amon Hen, and Orcs, Trolls, and other creatures have been steadily trickling into the area sporting TIG jerseys and personalized shirts that TIG has released recently that have been all the rage in the football world.

Among the more popular shirts is one featuring NerWolf sporting a crown, with text below reading “All shall love me and despair- or I’ll rip their heads off!” Also popular is the KuruWolf shirt, reading “I’m not a Werewolf- my dwarfish beard is just really out of control.” And of course there’s the PhantomWolf shirt that kicked off the campaign early in the spring- “PhantomWolf is here. This game is now important.”

Oddly enough, when team Doriath showed up for their first in-stadium practice earlier this week, Carcharoth was wearing a ShastaWolf shirt (“If we don’t win this game, my head will explode!”). When questioned about his loyalty to team Doriath, Carcharoth waved his paw and chuckled. “No, no, I have no problems here. We’ve worked very hard to get here and I’m going to do everything I can to make certain Doriath comes out on top. I just happen to like the shirt, and I’m a big fan of ShastaWolf. He plays the game so passionately and invests everything he has in every second of any contest, and this shirt exemplifies his attitude. Anyway, I bought it well before we knew we’d be playing Tol In Gaurhoth.”

In general all the finalists have been quite complimentary towards their opposition. Surprisingly, even NilpWolf, SallyWolf, and PhantomWolf have refrained from taking jabs at Doriath, and have restrained their customary arrogance, no doubt thanks to pressure from their teammates concerned about provoking an already challenging opponent.

We’re seeing quite the opposite from the bronze match, where Morgoth and his Balrogs have traded subtle barbs with Namo and Orome ever since the semis. And so it is that two rather different but equally exciting matches are shaping up- the heated rivalry of Angband versus Pelori, and the supreme athleticism and skill of this year’s best squads- Doriath and Tol In Gaurhoth.

[the phantom]

Angband and Pelori warmed up in front of a packed out Coliseum as the fading yellow light of the sun was slowly replaced with the glow of high suspended Feanorian lamps. Pelori looked focused and sharp, with Manwe calmly organizing things, while Angband had an angry edge about them, shooting occasional hostile glances towards the Pelori half of the pitch.

The split in support was roughly 50-50 when all the lucky viewers found their seats, and head referee Boromir88 made his way onto the pitch to get things rolling. Knowing the climate, he gave both sides a warning to keep things clean, and as the game began things were clean indeed. Despite the intense feelings neither side was keen to give the refs a reason to card them and give the opposition an opening, and the squads kept things tight.

Pelori's passing was brilliant and efficient, but any time they worked it in close they couldn't crack Morgoth and the Balrogs. When Angband was in possession they were able to look dangerous temporarily by getting it to the forwards quickly, but Pelori always brought back tons of help and clogged things up. If Angband was going to score, it would need to be quick rather than built up, or on a set piece.

As the half wore on the same pattern continued- both sides were able to hold some possession, Pelori more so, but decent scoring chances were impossible to find. Ungoliant was forced to stop an Irmo header, but it wasn't a challenge, and neither was Orome's distant snipe. On the other side Manwe had little to do. Through more than 30 minutes he was only forced to make one save- an off-balanced kick from Telvildo booting the ball out of midair with little hope of careful aiming. Angband's best chance was off a quick attack where Ancalagon released Tilion nicely but Gwaihir forced Tilion's shot wide.

As the end of the half neared Pelori had possession near midfield and Manwe gave a signal, and unexpectedly all of Pelori pushed forward. The offense of Angband stayed put, staring back at Morgoth hoping for instructions. This was not in the game-plans. Pelori never did this sort of thing. And yet there they were, doing it. In the closer space they shifted to a rapidly moving one-touch passing mode, and worked the ball towards the top of the box again and again with undeniable efficiency.

With their teammates supporting them Morgoth and the Balrogs could no longer turn Pelori aside with ease, and Ilmare managed an opening for a boot. She skipped it off the ground straight off the feed, and Ungoliant barely handled the ball, deflecting it away. The defense closed, but Varda slid in first to it and sent it bounding away towards the far side, and Eonwe rose high and sent it in, and Pelori had the lead!

During the extended halftime the Pelori supporters bounced gleefully through the aisles, high-fiving and singing and grabbing refreshments. The Angband supporters on the other hand slumped about, and didn't purchase nearly as much food, though a great deal of beer was definitely handed out.

The second half started much as the first, but Pelori seemed quicker to defend than before. The commentators immediately started making comments, both positive and negative. Some pointed out how effective Pelori's defense was, and how it was their game, and that they were right to go to it. But others insisted that it was impossible to keep Angband off the scoreboard for an entire game, and that Pelori had better have something in the works to gain a second goal.

And it was the former that looked to be correct, as again and again Pelori turned Angband away. Morgoth was growing incredibly frustrated, and so did his teammates, and slowly Angband began getting violent. Pelori might have taken advantage of this, but Angband went after the right targets at the right times and instead provoked Pelori into pushing back. But despite this Pelori stayed as defensive as ever, and noting his opponent's tactics Morgoth decided to go all-in attack. Pelori bent a bit, and Manwe looked nervous, but Pelori held. And then around the 70 minute mark the thing Morgoth feared happened- Pelori let loose a surprisingly swift counter after winning possession.

Before the Balrogs could get organized, Pelori had their entire midfield up in support and Orome found a sneaky Irmo for a point blank shot. The Pelori fans shouted and rocketed from their seats, but no! Ungoliant closed the distance and deflected the shot straight into the ground, and Drauglin dove to the rolling ball and sent it away!

Taking advantage of the sudden shift of momentum, Morgoth spurred his team to move forward quickly while Pelori was still lingering in disappointment, hands on heads. Balrog #2 sent it up to Tilion, he sent it to a dashing Telvildo, who sent it towards the middle for Thuringwethil, who left it for Ulfang, who sent it to the left side to Tilion. Namo and Nahar closed on Tilion, but he chipped it immediately over them, and it appeared to all spectators as if the ball was headed directly to the defending Gwaihir. But in fact Tilion had seen a dark blur headed towards the spot, and indeed a fraction of a second before Gwaihir contacted the ball, the unmistakable muscly black tail of the fearsome Ancalagon nudged the ball back to the left post to Tilion, who had never stopped his run, and he pounded it past Manwe and into the goal for the equalizer!

Angband erupted with celebration, while Pelori screamed in protest, certain that Ancalagon had not contacted the ball legally- flying creatures are not allowed to contact the ball without some portion of their body contacting the ground. The refs hadn't seen it that way, however, and the goal stood. Even on replay it was unclear, though in slow motion it appeared that the Pelori protests may have been valid.

But nonetheless the game continued on- a sprint to the finish, tied with around 25 minutes left! Morgoth pulled his troops back, keen on giving them a bit of rest before a final push. Manwe was keen to do the same thing, though, and the game stalled before the eyes of the anxious spectators. Looking to surprise the opposition again, Pelori was the first to break the stalemate, but Morgoth was ready for them, and had his team playing fine organized defense.

As the seconds ticked away Pelori stagnated and Angband began taking over. Tilion earned a lane to drive through, but Manwe batted it aside. Thuringwethil leaped high for a header, but it went wide. Ancalagon crushed a nice Telvildo cross, but Nahar got in the way and deflected it out of bounds.

With only one minute left until full time, Angband lined up for the corner. The strong leg of Tilion was to send it in, and Morgoth brought everyone forward to force the issue. Tilion rushed forward, but he sent a shockingly weak and loopy ball in that looked set to fall right on the nearest side of the box. Both teams surged towards the ball, but as Morgoth knew would happen, the strong lean vampire Thuringwethil rose above all others- upside down, and booted the ball high to the top of the opposite side of the box, where the forgotten Balrog #2 was standing with his back to the goal, waiting just as he had so many times in practice. As the ball left Thuringwethil's foot, the mighty Balrog bent his legs and rocketed into the air, and he met the pass perfectly with a thunderous bicycle kick, nearly flattening the ball before sending it on its path rocketing into the goal!

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAL!!!!!!!" The Pelori announcers shielded their microphones from the howling of their Angband counterparts and drooped their heads in anguish. The pro-Angband portion of the stands turned into a boiling sea of bodies! Objects were flying everywhere, and orcs were leaping onto their neighbors, some sections featuring crowd-surfing, and others just dissolving into a heap of flailing arms and legs!

Manwe called out to his team not to give up and to try to tie it up again, but his face and voice held little conviction. He knew the battle was lost. In no time at all the game was declared over and the Angband faithful spilled onto the field to celebrate with the team. Nearly all of team Pelori ducked off the field immediately, but Manwe made the trek towards Morgoth to shake his hand as tradition dictated.

Team Angband mock-bowed to Manwe as he made his way past, and Morgoth smiled maliciously as he handed over his jersey. Some eye-witnesses report that Morgoth told Manwe, "Here, wear this. Maybe a little talent will rub off on you." But whatever was said, Manwe maintained a straight face and exited without saying a word, leaving Morgoth and company to party the night away.

The grudge match was over. Evil had triumphed!

Angband 2-1 Pelori
tot shots 16-12
on target 7-5
GOALS:
*43, 0-1 Eonwe (Varda)
*72, 1-1 Tilion (Ancalagon)
*89, 2-1 Balrog #2 (Thuringwethil)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Angband- Ulfang, Drauglin, Balrog #3, Ancalagon, Balrog #1
*Pelori- Vana, Nahar, Eonwe, Gwaihir

[the phantom]

The falls of Rauros roared on unchanging through the morning and into the afternoon, oblivious to the stir and bustle above and below. Late-arriving fans with reserved tickets and those just showing up to party sailed into the lower docks on the Anduin in the morning hours, and the hydro-powered lifts had them up on lake level in no time.

The spectators already staying in the various inns, condos, and houses around the lake slowly trickled into the heavily built up area surrounding the Coliseum as the day wore on. The pubs and restaurants were overflowing, and spirits were high. The areas bordering the lake were largely dominated by Men and Elves, while the forested slopes climbing up from the south side of the stadium were infested with Orcs, Wights, and Wolves.

In the early evening the great Coliseum bells sounded and the revelers paid their bills and streamed towards one of the six entrances. As the seats filled in, it became clear that Tol In Gaurhoth would own the eastern portion of the arena, but the north and west were dominated by Doriath. The high-climbing southern portion of the arena was a mix of unaffiliated football fans and Doriath supporters.

All the game-goers were united in anticipation, and fans of both sides betrayed an unusual amount of nerves. Throughout the tournament Doriath and Tol In Gaurhoth had crushed every obstacle placed in their path, both of them winning by an average margin of greater than two goals per contest! Such dominant performances had pumped up the already lofty expectations of their supporters, and more confident fans could not be found anywhere.

But now they were meeting head to head- the clash of the titans! Who would cap off one of the greatest runs in the history of the tournament? All of Arda couldn’t wait to find out.

Teams Doriath and Tol In Gaurhoth made their way onto the field to enormous applause from friend and foe alike. Doriath fans were polite in general, so their reaction was expected, but some were surprised by the less than hostile greeting the Wights and Wolves gave Doriath. In this the fans were merely following the lead of their own team- NogWolf and SkipWolf always displayed a level of civility, and the more rowdy members of the squad had reigned in their insults in the various interviews leading up to the match.

In fact the starting TIG goal keeper, ShastaWolf, had admitted to being a longtime fan of both defensive stopper Carcharoth and the expert keeper Huan. “I watch their matches every chance I get. They’re very talented and a thrill to watch, and I love how they play as well. I have great respect for those two.”

Even the most overconfident and insulting member of the squad, PhantomWolf, was somewhat complimentary in the rambling statement he gave reporters on the way into the Coliseum. “They’re good, no doubt. I’ve always thought Turin was great- I mean, I actually developed parts of my game by watching film of him. I’m faster of course, but still… And yeah, their defense has been very sound. Though I think it’s a bit unfair having Melian and Luthien on the team. Come on- what guy can concentrate properly with one of those two jostling him? But thankfully when we’re in WereWight form that sort of thing doesn’t bother us. But of course NerWolf, SallyWolf, and GaladWolf become huge distractions at that point. Like last game, I was about to send it to NogWolf when NerWolf sprinted by, and I completely lost focus. She just has the most perfectly even, gleaming, deadly teeth, and that sleek long tail…. Wait, what was the question?”

The TIG faithful fervently hoped that PhantomWolf and friends would not be distracted on this day, with everything on the line, and as warm ups began TIG definitely looked focused. The WereWolfed Wights went through their usual exercises, wowing those that had never seen the freakish beasts do their pregame routine. Their balance, flexibility, and strength were just inhuman!

But thankfully for Doriath, their players weren’t exactly normal either. Hurin the Steadfast never tires and can never be caught out of position, Beleg Strongboot boots it hard and as accurately as anyone, Eol with his incredible creativity and dexterity, and of course Turin- as agile as any Elf, but stronger.

And then there was the middle of the team- Luthien, swift and bold. Mablung, dependable and hardy. Melian, wise and intuitive, and able to boost the defenders around her with her defensive mental net.

And then at the rear- Beren, determined and athletic. Elwe, tall and intimidating. Carcharoth, fast and physical. And of course the keeper- Huan, lightning quick and battle-tested.

Without a doubt team Doriath was the most diverse and talented squad TIG had faced, and they would not go down easily.

And as top tournament official and referee Boromir88 started the contest, Doriath indeed played as if losing was simply not possible, sending the ball back and forth with astonishing speed, and releasing their forwards in on ShastaWolf within the first two minutes! Only a miraculous save by the keeper kept Doriath off the board. But not for long. Just four minutes into the game Doriath sent the TIG defense into disarray with a blinding series of passes that culminated with Hurin working his way to the end line and sending the ball across the face of the goal where the practiced foot of Eol deflected it in for the early lead!

The eastern portion of the Coliseum fell dead quiet while delighted cheers broke out elsewhere. It was quite loud, but not as much as it could’ve been, as the early score actually seemed to catch the crowd unprepared. But the Doriath supporters slowly found their voices as play continued on, and various support chants popped up all around. Doriath looked as dangerous as ever and continued their fine play, and the Wolves were scrambling to keep up and adjust their strategy on the fly.

After a few near shaves barely staved off by KuruWolf and NilpWolf, Beleg burst through the defense and as if he had a telepathic link he left it back for Turin who took it in stride and struck the ball like Gurthang striking down a troll, and ShastaWolf had no hope of reacting and barely more than twenty minutes in it was Doriath with a two goal lead!

Some TIG supporters merely stared open-mouthed in shock, while others reacted angrily. MithalWight stomped and put a hole in the bench in front of her, Mr. UnderWight fell to his knees and tore his clothing, and A Little Wight cursed loudly and broke her kantele over the head of the Orc sitting next to her. This was not how the game was supposed to go!

On the field things were little better, as nearly every TIG player appeared dazed and unsure of what to do. Predictably it was NogWolf that pulled them together, encouraging them to stick with things. “We knew they’d make a great run this game. They happened to make it early. No big deal.”

But despite the renewed effort things looked quite dire indeed around the 30 minute mark, as Doriath twice nearly added another goal to the tally, once off a free kick and a second time thanks to a ridiculous solo run from Eol.

As the clock ticked towards halftime, however, the Wolves finally began making headway. Doriath was well trained and efficient, but no team is entirely immune to fatigue, and the Doriath offense in particular had been running at a breakneck pace from the very start, and no race can outlast WereWolf Wights. As the clock flipped past 40 minutes, TIG earned their first serious opportunity, but Carcharoth forced NogWolf’s deflection wide. A minute later SkipWolf headed a corner nicely, but Huan was there to gather it in. And then with only seconds left in the half, GwathWolf really made Doriath squirm with a whizzing drive that Huan barely tipped away.

And so it was that despite the two-goal lead Doriath supporters were not quite ready to celebrate as the teams went to the locker rooms to prepare for the second half. The TIG section was still depressing, but not to the level that it was earlier. There was hope. Slim hope, but it was there.

As the second half began, team Tol In Gaurhoth grasped that hope and breathed new life into it. Doriath started the second as they had started the first, but a determined and motivated GaladWolf managed to steal away a pass and immediately sent it forward to PhantomWolf who was ahead of everyone down the right side. As he angled in at the post it was clear that Carcharoth and Melian coming from the middle would be there in time to prevent him from finding a better angle, but PhantomWolf went ahead and forced the issue.

As the pair of defenders was forced to close on him, PhantomWolf whirled between them and heeled the ball forcefully to the other side barely past Beren to a sprinting NerWolf who on one touch sent it perfectly back to the right post and in. Just like that, the lead was down to one goal!

Melian and Elwe called out to their squad, telling them to just continue as they had, and soon Doriath was in possession and looking dangerous again. But this time around they could no longer gain decent shots, as Tol In Gaurhoth had changed up the defense, refusing to chase the ball around and only offering help to defenders when it was Luthien or Eol with the ball, as they were judged to be the biggest threats to make a move to get entirely free of their defender and make a long run. Meanwhile Turin was bracketed by SkipWolf and KuruWolf, and he could find no openings.

As the clock went past 65 minutes the game once again turned in favor of TIG, and Doriath was put to the test. SallyWolf had a chance to chip in an awkward bouncer, but it went off the post, and InzilWolf pinged the crossbar with a header. At 74 minutes NogWolf somehow came free in the middle of the box and turned and shot, but Huan guessed right and smothered it. And then disaster!

Huan sent it over to Beren and he took off with it up the side until a defender found him at which time he sent it up and over to Luthien who controlled the ball beautifully out of the air and split right through her surprised defenders. SkipWolf looked to leave Turin and challenge her, but a motion of Luthien’s foot stopped him, thinking she was sending it to Turin in his absence. Finally NilpWolf caught up to her and forced her to give it up, and Luthien with a lovely piece of footwork lofted the ball to Turin’s head. But no! It was too high for Turin, as he well knew when he leaped up pretending to make a play on the ball, and the move froze TIG just long enough for Beleg to run in behind Turin and kick the ball out of the air on its way down! ShastaWolf guessed correctly and gave his best leap, but Beleg’s ball was the definition of perfection, scraping both the side and cross bar on its way into the net!

The Doriath portion of the stadium erupted with screams of joy! Their beloved team was up by two goals with 25 minutes left! “This isn’t over!” called several of the TIG players, attempting to encourage their fellows, but Melian put her troops into lockdown mode and TIG was frustrated again and again as time trickled away.

And then, agonizingly, it began to sink in that it was too late. The Wolves and Wights sank lower and lower in their seats, and the Orcs turned in disgust and streamed out. After they were turned away on a last minute corner, NogWolf and company conceded defeat on the field, and as they made their way to shake hands (or paws) with their opponents, Boromir88 blew the final whistle.

Arda Cup 2011 was at an end! Doriath had achieved immortality, cementing their name alongside all past Arda Cup champions, and in dominating fashion! The only thing left undecided was how high the experts would place them on the list of all-time great champions.

Doriath 3-1 Tol In Gaurhoth
tot shots 21-19
on target 9-8
GOALS:
*4, 1-0 Eol (Hurin)
*22, 2-0 Turin (Beleg)
*49, 2-1 NerWolf (PhantomWolf)
*74, 3-1 Beleg (Luthien)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Doriath- Elwe, Beleg
*TIG- KuruWolf, GwathWolf

[the phantom]

Anduin (3 matches)
GK Fram (12)
DF Frumgar (4)
DF Rumil (3)
DF Orophin (1)
MF Falastur (5)
MF Calimehtar (0)
MF Durin (1)
MF Leód (16)
MF *Beorn (7)
FW Telumehtar (2)
FW Earnil II (3)

Angband (7 matches)
GK **Ungoliant (26)
DF Drauglin (11)
DF Balrog #1 (14)
DF *Balrog #2 (19)
DF **Morgoth (18)
MF Balrog #3 (6)
MF Ulfang (6)
MF *Tilion (19)
FW Telvildo (10)
FW Thuringwethil (22)
FW *Ancalagon (22)

Angfauglith (4 matches)
GK Huor (8)
DF Rochallor (-2)
DF Balrog #4 (-1)
DF *Balrog #5 (0)
DF **Fingolfin (17)
MF Rían (6)
MF Azaghål (0)
MF Ecthelion (10)
FW Gwindor (8)
FW *Maeglin (24)
FW *Gothmog (14)

Barad-Dur (4 matches)
GK Ohtar (12)
DF Fellbeast #1 (1)
DF Nazgul #1 (0)
DF Gothmog II (0)
DF Anarion (2)
MF Shagrat (-1)
MF Fellbeast #2 (3)
MF Mouth (7)
MF Cirdan (2)
MF *Gil-galad (10)
FW Isildur (4)

Beleriand (3 matches)
GK Halmir (8)
DF Bregor (1)
DF Daeron (1)
DF Handir (2)
DF Gamil Zirak (5)
MF Nellas (3)
MF Telchar (-3)
MF Aegnor (7)
MF Belegund (5)
MF Angrod (2)
FW Marach (7)

Doriath (7 matches)
GK **Huan (37)
DF Carcharoth (21)
DF Elwe (23)
DF *Beren (32)
DF **Melian (32)
MF Mablung (16)
MF Luthien (16)
MF *Eol (24)
MF *Hurin (27)
FW Beleg (26)
FW **Turin (41)

Dunharrow (3 matches)
GK Aldor (10)
DF Hama (2)
DF Brego (1)
DF Snowmane (1)
DF Theoden (2)
DF Walda (5)
MF Folca (-2)
MF Thengel (4)
MF Brytta (5)
MF Theodred (6)
FW Helm (-1)

Eregion (5 matches)
GK **Elrond (37)
DF Asfaloth (14)
DF Valandil (15)
DF Erestor (19)
DF *Celebrimbor (22)
MF Lindir (9)
MF Elladen (13)
MF Figwit (4)
MF Elrohir (8)
MF *Glorfindel (27)
FW *Earendil (14)

Eriador (3 matches)
GK Arvedui (6)
DF Tom (-2)
DF Valandur (0)
DF Bert (-2)
DF Amlaith (3)
MF Argeleb (0)
MF Halbarad (4)
MF Aranarth (2)
MF Barrow-Wight (3)
MF *Aragorn (13)
FW Araphor (11)

Esgaroth (3 matches)
GK Brand (4)
DF Mayor (-1)
DF Balin (-1)
DF Thorin (-2)
MF Galion (0)
MF Attercop (0)
MF Bain (-1)
MF Tomnoddy (-2)
MF Girion (3)
FW Dain (-1)
FW Bard (4)

Gondolin (3 matches)
GK *Rog (6)
DF Penlod (0)
DF Galdor (-1)
DF Meleth (-1)
DF Thorondor (-1)
MF Elenwe (0)
MF Salgant (1)
MF Idril (6)
MF *Turgon (9)
FW Duilin (7)
FW Egalmoth (4)

Gondor (3 matches)
GK *Ecthelion II (7)
DF Romendacil (0)
DF Felarof (0)
DF Boromir I (0)
MF Folcwine (-1)
MF Narmacil (2)
MF Ostoher (0)
MF Turambar (5)
MF *Arwen (2)
FW Eldacar (8)
FW Eorl (2)

Himring (3 matches)
GK Maglor (10)
DF Uldor (3)
DF Amrod (1)
DF Ulwarth (3)
DF Amras (4)
MF Borlach (1)
MF Ulfast (5)
MF Borthond (3)
MF Bór (4)
FW Fingon (11)
FW *Maedhros (14)

Hithlum (3 matches)
GK Imlach (6)
DF Baragund (-1)
DF Lorgan (1)
DF Algund (-1)
DF Galdor (1)
MF Gloredhel (0)
MF Gundor (-2)
MF Aradan (2)
FW Celegorm (14)
FW Curufin (17)
FW Hador (16)

Lothlorien (5 matches)
GK *Galadriel (22)
DF Amroth (8)
DF Shadowfax (9)
DF Celeborn (16)
DF **Gandalf (10)
MF Gimli (3)
MF Nimrodel (7)
MF Haldir (4)
MF Boromir II (17)
MF Legolas (22)
FW **Feanor (25)

Minas Morgul (4 matches)
GK Earnur (10)
DF Nazgul #2 (1)
DF Angamaite (-1)
DF Sangahyando (2)
DF *Nazgul #3 (7)
MF Fuinur (-3)
MF Herumor (7)
MF King Dead (8)
FW Beruthiel (1)
FW Castamir (3)
FW *Witch King (8)

Minas Tirith (3 matches)
GK Cirion (6)
DF Grimbold (-2)
DF Firefoot (-2)
DF Denethor II (-3)
DF Beregond (-1)
MF Elfhelm (4)
MF Imrahil (3)
MF Eowyn (3)
MF Faramir (0)
FW Tarondor (7)
FW Eomer (2)

Misty Mts (4 matches)
GK Caradhras (16)
DF Chief Wolf (5)
DF Landroval (4)
DF Meneldor (4)
DF Watcher (5)
MF Great Goblin (2)
MF William (-2)
MF Narvi (3)
MF Saruman (13)
MF *Durin’s Bane (11)
FW Azog (7)

Mithrim (3 matches)
GK Tuor (8)
DF Sador (-1)
DF Brodda (0)
DF Gethron (-1)
DF Grithnir (-1)
DF Annael (0)
MF Aerin (-2)
MF Morwen (5)
MF Asgon (-1)
MF Nienor (0)
FW Andróg (3)

Mordor (3 matches)
GK Silent Watcher (8)
DF Gollum (1)
DF Nazgul #4 (0)
DF Radbug (2)
DF *Nazgul #5 (5)
MF Gorbag (4)
MF Snaga (-1)
MF Nazgul #6 (2)
MF Grishnakh (8)
MF *Nazgul #7 (11)
FW Shelob (6)

Nargothrond (3 matches)
GK Barahir (6)
DF Baran (0)
DF Guilen (-1)
DF Gelmir (-1)
DF Arminas (-1)
MF Mim (-1)
MF Gildor (0)
MF Emeldir (0)
MF *Glaurung (14)
MF Finduilas (6)
FW Beor (2)

Numenor (3 matches)
GK Silmariën (8)
DF Tar Meneldur (3)
DF Tar Cirytan (4)
DF Tar Calmacil (4)
DF *Ar Zimrathan (3)
MF Tar Elendil (-1)
MF Ar Gimilzor (-1)
MF Tar Ancalimon (3)
MF Vardamir (-1)
MF *Tar Miriel (8)
FW Tar Surion (4)

Pelori (7 matches)
GK *Manwe (24)
DF Gwaihir (8)
DF Nahar (8)
DF Nienna (15)
DF *Namo (16)
MF Vana (4)
MF Orome (6)
MF Irmo (3)
MF Ilmare (11)
MF *Varda (22)
FW Eonwe (21)

Shire-Bree United (3 matches)
GK Butterbur (6)
DF Harry (0)
DF Bill (0)
DF Lumpkin (-1)
DF Ferny (-2)
MF Gerontius (-1)
MF Frodo (0)
MF Samwise (4)
MF Pippin (-2)
FW Bandobras (2)
FW Merry (0)

The Downer (3 matches)
GK King Bus (8)
DF Soap Pope (0)
DF Burnt Bert (-2)
DF Philip Hampton (-1)
MF John Fillis (1)
MF Morsul (-2)
MF Lalwende MP (5)
MF Saucepan Man (5)
MF Peter Hampton (2)
MF Hookbill (2)
FW Alien (1)

The Forest (4 matches)
GK Old Man Willow (8)
DF Haleth (-3)
DF Fimbrethil (-1)
DF Treebeard (-2)
MF Goldberry (0)
MF Quickbeam (5)
MF Skinbark (-2)
MF River Woman (8)
FW Saeros (1)
FW Thranduil (10)
FW *Bombadil (18)

Tirion (4 matches)
GK Orodreth (12)
DF Elemmakil (0)
DF Elemmírë (2)
DF Caranthir (9)
DF *Aule (5)
MF Enerdhil (-1)
MF Finarfin (6)
MF Mahtan (3)
MF *Finrod (16)
FW Aredhel (14)
FW Finwe (15)

Tol Eressea (4 matches)
GK Amandil (16)
DF Tar Aldarion (10)
DF Osse (7)
DF *Salmar (9)
DF *Ulmo (16)
MF Voronwe (1)
MF Lindo (5)
MF Eriol (1)
MF Earwen (7)
MF Elwing (10)
FW Uinen (2)

Tol In Gaurhoth (7 matches)
GK ShastaWolf (34)
DF KuruWolf (17)
DF NilpWolf (17)
DF *SkipWolf (22)
MF GaladWolf (12)
MF SallyWolf (12)
MF InzilWolf (11)
MF *PhantomWolf (27)
FW GwathWolf (17)
FW NerWolf (18)
FW *NogWolf (24)

Valinor (5 matches)
GK Ingwe (16)
DF Indis (3)
DF Vaire (3)
DF Tulkas (3)
MF Nessa (1)
MF Este (2)
MF Yavanna (9)
MF Olwe (2)
FW Nerdanel (17)
FW *Miriel (17)
FW Arien (22)

Westernesse (5 matches)
GK *Tar Atanamir (24)
DF Tar Palantir (10)
DF Elendil (10)
DF Malbeth (17)
DF **Tar Telperien (15)
MF Hyarmendacil (8)
MF Mardil (9)
MF Ar Adunakhor (15)
FW Tar Minastir (11)
FW Elros (24)
FW Ar Pharazon (17)

Wilderland (4 matches)
GK Grimbeorn (14)
DF Great Warg (5)
DF Alatar (10)
DF Oropher (8)
DF *Pallando (9)
MF Radagast (4)
MF Bolg (2)
MF Khamul (11)
FW Smaug (14)
FW *Sauron (20)
FW Scatha (9)

[the phantom]

Every year there are players that rise above the rest when it comes to earning their owners Phantasy points. This year, these are the players that really knew how to light up the score sheet on a per-game basis.

Phantasy All-Star Team

GK **Elrond (Eregion)
DF **Fingolfin (Angfauglith)
DF *Celebrimbor (Eregion)
DF *Beren (Doriath)
DF **Melian (Doriath)
MF *Glaurung (Nargothrond)
MF Leod (Anduin)
MF *Glorfindel (Eregion)
FW Curufin (Hithlum)
FW **Turin (Doriath)
FW *Maeglin (Angfauglith)

[the phantom]

There were a lot of standout performers in this year's Arda Cup, so the choices were difficult, but in the end we feel we have selected a very worthy collection of players who really produced for their teams and did everything they could to push their sides towards the ultimate prize.

AFA First Team

GK **Elrond (Eregion)
DF *SkipWolf (TIG)
DF *Celebrimbor (Eregion)
DF *Beren (Doriath)
DF **Melian (Doriath)
MF *PhantomWolf (TIG)
MF *Hurin (Doriath)
MF *Glorfindel (Eregion)
FW *NogWolf (TIG)
FW **Feanor (Lothlorien)
FW **Turin (Doriath)

AFA Second Team

GK **Huan (Doriath)
DF Malbeth (Westernesse)
DF *Ulmo (Tol Eressea)
DF **Fingolfin (Angfauglith)
DF *Balrog #2 (Angband)
MF Legolas (Lothlorien)
MF *Finrod (Tirion)
MF *Varda (Pelori)
FW Elros (Westernesse)
FW *Maeglin (Angfauglith)
FW Thuringwethil (Angband)