Posted by KSBeachBums on 2/7/2026 1:49:00 AM (view original):
Gomiami, has a #16 seed ever upset a #1 in the history of the tournament?

Twice, actually. VB Hibernian knocked out FC Yenisey Krasnoyarsk in Cup XII and the crutchanators of soccer was a 16 when they not only beat NDFC back in Cup IV but made it all the way to the Championship Round before finally losing 6-4.

Three playoff series got underway today as the knockouts are now in full swing. #14 Fianna AFC hosted #3 FC Winnipeg Royal Lions and was looking to post a result at home against the heavily favored team from Manitoba. Things did not go their way early as Huntingdon Hinson picked up a cheap yellow in the 1st minute and the Greens yielded a goal a few minutes later when Winnipeg forward Nyék Sallay got in a strong position and headed home the game's opening goal in the 6th. After this unfortunate exchange, the Irish club settled down and played some good soccer, eventually tying the game on a Webley MacKechie volley just before halftime. The 1-1 draw held for most of the 2nd half as both teams had decent looks but neither could convert until Sallay hit a one-timer in the 83rd that sailed past Fianna goalie Quinn Stanwix to win the game 2-1.

Another very close game, as it should be between the 8 and 9 seeds, was played in the States as #9 FC Kingston played their home game against #8 FC Edinburgh Bullet Birds. All that separated the clubs in the seeding was goal differential and the game matched this evenness. Statistically, the game was a dead draw as the entire stats line was more or less the same. On the scoreboard, a couple of lead changes in the first half saw Kingston grab a 2-1 advantage as Swain Ockley scored in the 37th, then extended to 3-1 at the half after Alvaro Bownell struck a perfect ball at the edge of the box, a goal Kingston would need as the 2nd half played out. The Bullet Birds came out swinging to start the 2nd and cut the lead to 3-2 when Tymen Zonneveld took a corner and scored off his own crossing pass in the 59th. As the Edinburgh defense held firm, the offense generated several more good looks, culminating in Sandro Huntelaar's shot in the 82nd that beat Kingston goalie Toshitsugu Nagata but banged off the crossbar as the 9 seed held on for the victory.

To wrap up the evening, in a game that was not very close, #6 Not Very United was home against #11 Rushmore FC and got handled rather easily by a score of 4-0. Nathan Wyard scored twice in the first half and Mr. undercase Jonte degollado closed it out in the 77th as he painted the corner. Not Very was not able to generate much for the home fans to appreciate as Timoteo Camacho's shot in the 75th and Tate Papia's effort a couple of minutes later were the only shots on goal that came close to getting United on the board.

As would have it, all three series that played today have their return game tomorrow as the teams adjust their strategies. Additionally, the 4/13 series gets underway as well as the return game for the Top seed as Sunday will be the single biggest day of the First Round with 5 scheduled contests.

We have our first two Quarterfinalists as three games this morning saw two teams advance and the third series go to sudden death. #11 Rushmore FC had a big lead on #6 Not Very United and was playing at home. While Not Very performed much better than in the opening game, the Rushmore offense was still too strong as Rushmore takes the return game 4-3 and the series 8-3. Cidro Jose signaled that United was in better form as they scored first in the 9th minute to finally get on the board in the series and cut the aggregate to 4-1 but an answer from Rushmore's Fernando Maccarone in the 12th and another series goal by Nathan Wyard to close out the half sealed the matchup. Wyard moves up to solo 2nd in the Golden Toe with 8 goals as the scoring cream is beginning to rise to the top. Not Very will regroup and prepare for Cup XIX as they bow out.

#16 Club Deportivo Baile Brian surprised the FC Dynasty world by taking the opener against #1 Slough FC 1-0 on Friday and tried to close the series out at home in front of 16,867 in Ireland. But unlike the last game, this one had a different feel as the #1s asserted themselves from the get-go. Dorian Pyrtle tied the series at 1-1 in the 25th when he scored unassisted from the center of the box with a ball that ricocheted off the far post and in. After no more tallies to finish the half, Slough finally took the series lead a couple minutes after the 2nd half whistle when Lorenzo Armando split the trap and beat Baile Brian goalie Bilal Noblit in a one-on-one, then added to their aggregate advantage with a Unwine Beckett strike in the 61st to make it 3-1. Baile Brian made a substitution and the fresh legs paid dividends when Javontay Baker finished off a corner cross to close the deficit but the 16 seeds couldn't find the equalizer and the game ended as a 3-1 win and 3-2 series triumph for the top seed as they breathe a huge sigh of relief and enter the quarters.

Fittingly to finish off the morning, the 8/9 series will be going to sudden death as #8 FC Edinburgh Bullet Birds mirrored yesterday's result and beat #9 FC Kingston 3-2 at home, the same score Kingston won the opening game by. Walker Rowena tied the aggregate at 3-3 in the 3rd when he controlled a crossing pass and hit a shot that sailed past Kingston goalie Toshitsugu Nagata, dipping just underneath the crossbar. Kingston then added a pair of goals to retake the lead 5-3 but the Bullet Birds rallied to tie the game midway through the 2nd half with near back-to-back goals by Evan Ashby and Daylin Plunkett. Other than Plunkett's too-high shot in the 69th, no other ball came close to hitting the back of the net and the series stands at 5-5. Edinburgh will host the first sudden death tiebreaker and can send the challenge at their convenience.

Two more afternoon games which I'll pick up this evening. Congrats to the two teams that moved on as a third tries to join them later today.

Since both games are final and I have a few minutes, I'll post the evening update now.

A third team has qualified for the quarters as #3 FC Winnipeg Royal Lions defeats #14 Fianna AFC by an aggregate of 3-1. With a 1-goal lead and the home field, Winnipeg used a smothering defense to cut down all of the passing lanes and force the Greens to play on the edges. Meanwhile, the Royal Lions got an insurance goal in the 22nd when Evandro Bordonaba knocked in a perfectly placed corner cross from Fernandez Jaimes to give a 2-goal cushion that held till the end. Lindsay Hynes was the lone offensive threat for Fianna but was unable to convert. Winnipeg will now take some time off as their series with Rushmore FC will be on hold for awhile until the rest of the First Round catches up.

#13 the crutchanators of soccer played an entertaining game against #4 Metropolitan Eagles as a massive sellout crowd of 60,000 enjoyed the atmosphere...that was until Greguska Kokes spoiled the mood by scoring in the 15th minute to give the Screaming Eagles the 1-0 lead. With the fans sitting on their hands, the game remained this way until Iago Cristiani got the party started again with his 54th minute header to tie and teammate Sampo Jarvela followed it up with another crutchanators goal 20 minutes later to start the fans singing their club fight song.

Looking as if the underdogs would win the game, Bolek Horejsi broke the Eagles scoring drought and tied the game at 2-2 on a ball goalie Rueban Lazar got his fingers on but couldn't deflect away from danger and then Kokes broke the crutchanators' hearts by converting the last Eagles chance of the game with less than two minutes to go to end a wild comeback and give the Metro Eagles the 3-2 win, sending the 60,000 home shaking their heads.

crutchanators will have to forget about the late game collapse and regroup since the return game is tomorrow as well as the start of the 7/10 series.

I'd like to join the Bums if able.

Half of the quarterfinal slots have been claimed as the 4/13 series concluded this morning. #4 Metropolitan Eagles had a 3-2 advantage after winning on the road and it was their turn to host and close out #13 the crutchanators of soccer. crutchanators had different plans. Mainio Vatanen hit a shot from distance in the 26th and bent it like Beckham around the diving arms of Metro Eagles goalie Dickie Grosskopf to tie the aggregate at 3-3 and two more 1st half goals made it 5-4 going into the final 45 minutes. Shawn Lindholm gave crutchanators a critical two goal edge when he received a free kick and headed in the series winner in the 51st for a 6-4 lead and, despite some great play by the Screaming Eagles forward Bolek Horejsi, who cut the deficit to 6-5 in the 73rd, the Swedish club couldn't find it's way back. Lustrinelli Newquist's desperation shot in the 87th skipped wide of the goal face, sending crutchanators through to the next round.

Also, #7 VB Hibernian opened against #10 FC Trojans of SC in front of a enthusiastic crowd in England and witnessed an offensive barrage before most had found their seats. The visiting Trojans scored three times in the first 7 minues as Ossan Turner and Parker Digby picked a good time to score their first goals of the tournament. By the time Cabbage forward Sanchez Delagarza scored in the 41st to get Hibs on the board, the lead had swelled to 4-0. Credit goes to Hibs as they outscored the Trojans 3-1 to close things out and make the goal differential manageable for the return game on the 11th but the Trojans will hold a 5-3 lead and have the home field.

Tomorrow is an off day, so that makes it a good time to get the Bums Bracket rolling, which means last call to enter a team. I'll work on the seedings this evening and have it ready to go within 24 hours.

Since we were bounced from the tournament, we will take a Bums Bracket spot.

If Not Very Utd FC are eligible, add them too.

With the last minute addition of a 10th team, the Bums Bracket seeds are now official and are listed below. Since we have 10 teams, the most that have ever participated in the Bums, the top six will get a bye and will advance directly to the Quarterfinals. Seeds 7-10 will play in the First Round. The 7/10 winner will face the #2 seed and the 8/9 winner will face the #1. From there, it'll be a traditional quarterfinal setup all the way to the end.

Scheduling for the four clubs playing in the First Round may begin at your leisure. The same rules apply as with the main playoff rounds - each series is a home and away and an aggregate tie will result in the higher seed hosting the first sudden death game. The main difference between the Bums and the main draw is that there will be no time frame. If one team goes AWOL, it'll be obvious in time which club has gone on vacation.

Here's the seeding, with the bracket's namesake earning the top spot.

#1 - Metropolitan Eagles - 12 pts
#2 - Not Very United - 11 pts
#3 - Club Deportivo Baile Brian - 9 pts
#4 - Fußball-Club Köln 01/07 e. V. - 8 pts, +2 GD, 8 away goals
#5 - SwampDragons United - 8 pts, +2 GD, 6 away goals
#6 - Swamp City Dragons - 5 pts, +1 GD

#7 - Hardknocks F. C. - 5 pts, 0 GD
#8 - FC Cackalacky - 5 pts, -4 GD
#9 - FC Not Very Athletic - 4 pts
#10 - Wolfsburg Dynamit - 1 pt

Challenge over to Wolfsburg Dynamit

Have a Dr. appointment so the am games will get updated around noon.

Posted by clememp on 2/11/2026 8:34:00 AM (view original):
Challenge over to Wolfsburg Dynamit

Thought I was the 7th seated team Big Guy? I sent one the was rejected

Posted by hardknox23 on 2/11/2026 10:42:00 AM (view original):

Posted by clememp on 2/11/2026 8:34:00 AM (view original):
Challenge over to Wolfsburg Dynamit

Thought I was the 7th seated team Big Guy? I sent one the was rejected

You are. My guess is that he needs a couple of days to sign players. Wolfsburg's World 87 is in week 3. If you resend another challenge in a later time slot, that'll probably do the trick.

We are down to the final series as three more Quarterfinal spots have been secured. In sudden death, #9 FC Kingston hit the road and demolished #8 FC Edinburgh Bullet Birds by a score of 5-1 to win the tiebreaker and advance on a 10-6 aggregate. After a scoreless opening half hour, Alvaro Bownell scored the first of what would end up to be a hat trick in the 33rd with a header that Bullet Birds goalie Paulo Hudson muffed. After another pair of Kingston goals to finish the half, the game was in control and only a Tymen Zonneveld goal early in the 2nd stanza prevented the shutout. The Edinburgh offense had plenty of opportunities but lacked accuracy as 11 of the team's 17 shots were off-target, signalling the end of the Scottish club's tournament.. Bownell takes the lead in the L'Orteil D'or and becomes the first player in Cup XVIII to reach double digits as he sits with 10 goals.

Also advancing was #5 Holbæk Idrætsforening after beating beating #12 Brighton AFC 3-2 to take the series 8-3. Down 5-1 after the first game, Brighton needed to score and did manage to open up with the initial goal of the contest, a powerful blast by Jessie Moose in the 10th to chip a bit of the deficit away. But, Holbæk's quality was simply too much as they answered right back with a score by Clement Gaarde on the way to three unanswered to make the aggregate an insurmountable 8-2 at that point. The Danish club moves on and has single-handedly quadrupled the nations tournament win total as they look for even more. Brighton bows out and will be watching the rest of the games on TV.

The 7th team to move on was #10 FC Trojans of SC as they take advantage of a 5-3 lead and home field advantage to put away #7 VB Hibernian by an aggregate of 9-5 after today's 4-2 victory. The Cabbage was able to get within one after Sanchez Delagarza struck a winner in the 7th that got past Trojans goalie Dantrell Gonzalo but that was as close as they got, as the California club scored four in a row to ice the series. Reilly Glinton scored a pair of goals a few minutes apart early in the 2nd half to end any Hibs hopes as the English side is eliminated from the competition after a pretty solid tournament in which they played competitively in every single game. The Trojans, meanwhile are one step close to glory.

Tomorrow is another off day and then the final matchup begins with #15 FC Stolpen Steamroller hosting #2 Swampdragons FC.

I totally mis-read the pairings and sent an incorrect challenge... oops.