abstract
| - Heartbreak is the only word that can describe this game for fans of the home team. In a game that looked sure to be headed to a penalty shootout, players from the Republic of York stopped when they heard an inadvertent whistle from the stands, thinking that the stoppage time after the second half was over. However, the head official had not blown his whistle and the players from Carthage did not stop. This turned into a two on none breakaway from the African side and they easily put the ball past the York keeper for the game winner. Despite the protests of the home side, the goal stood and Carthage walked off the field celebrating as the York side and their fans merely starred on in disbelief.
* Denmark v. Transvaal 1-1 (5-4 PK) The second game featured the largest upset of the entire tournament as Denmark, a team that needed two wins in their last two games along with some healthy doses of help from the two teams from Down Under, shocked Transvaal, winning 5-4 on penalty kicks. The Denmark side came out with unexpected quickness and tenacity, controlling the play and peppering the Transvaal keeper with shots. In the 23rd minute, one finally slipped past. After an exceptional diving stop produced a rebound, a quick shot by a Denmark striker ricocheted off a Transvaal defended and into the back of the net. After a moment of shocked silence, the Denmark side exploded in celebration. The Springboks started pushing after that goal, their hallmark physical style starting to punish the Danes, but their shots either missed the target or flew straight into the Denmark keeper's hands. In the 72nd minute, they finally caught a break off a bad turnover by the Danes in their own zone that saw a laser shot into the lower right corner of the net to tie things up at one all. The Springboks continued to push, knowing their biggest weakness would indeed be penalty kicks. However, after the game ended in a 1-1 tie, it went to PKs, and Transvaal's weakness showed on their final shot as the try completely missed the target and the Danes swarmed the field, knowing they had beaten the favorites for the tournament.
* PRC v. Isocoles 0-0 (4-5 PK) In the game between the People's Republic of China and United Isocoles, everyone expected a defensive battle as the two teams had only combined for eight goals in twelve games, and a defensive struggle is exactly what they got. Both teams almost seemed content to simply sit in their own zones and not let the other team close to the net and let penalty kicks decide everything. And it seemed like extra penalty kicks would be needed until the Isocoles keeper guessed correctly and timed his jump perfectly on the fifth PRC shooter, tapping the ball just wide of the post. The next Isocoles shooter buried the ball in the back of the net to send them to the semifinals.
* France v. Novak 1-3 The major Cinderella story of the tournament came to an undignified end in the quarterfinals. Novak completely outclassed the French side for the entire game, scoring twice within the first ten minutes and then adding another at the 30th minute, heading into the break up 3-0. France got a late goal in the second half to put themselves on the scoreboard, but they were never really a threat to take more off Novak's lead. The Arabians advance to the semis and with Transvaal's defeat, now look to be the favored side.
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