Tellia at the 2017 FMF World Cup

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Tellia squad

Goalkeepers:
1. Aleksandr TERZIC (AC Scoglitto)
12. Simone DI MAGGIO (FC Fiorecitta)
23. Thibault GUILLERMETY (Vecchiacitta)

Defenders:
2. Valérien HERTZ (Vecchiacitta)
3. Alessandro DE LAURENTIIS (FC Fiorecitta)
4. Pasquale DI MONTEZEMOLO (Cherry Trees [CRA])
5. Marco SCHIAVVI (Xaiville Teflons [CRA])
6. Rene SGARBINI (Vecchiacitta)
13. Niccolo PEDRAZZINI (Vecchiacitta)
15. Haskel BERNSTEIN (Romero Sport)
22. Michele DI TOMMASO (FC Fiorecitta)

Midfielders:
8. Riccardo GANAU (FC Fiorecitta)
10. Massimo SANTONI (FC Fiorecitta)
11. Marko ZAJC (Cherry Trees [CRA])
14. Mirko GIORDANO (Romero Sport)
16. Julio ROMANA (Xaiville Teflons [CRA])
17. Antonio NAVARRO (Les Verts Gaianiano)
20. Isaac MAHLER (Vecchiacitta)
21. Sezer OZKER (FC Garrak [HAM])

Forwards:
7. Gianluca SALMOIRAGHI (Biulya-aqi-Jedu [CRA])
9. Armando UGGE (FC Fiorecitta)
18. Andrea Luca PERUZZI (Porapa FC [HAM])
19. Luigi DONATELLO (Les Verts Gaianiano)

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Team Profiles – Group A

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Tellia
Road to Senya: Won WMFA Group A convincingly, though they did drop points against bottom side Minarboria during the campaign.

Star Man: Marko Zajc. The Cherry Trees midfielder offers a combination of skill and experience in the heart of the midfield. He is this Tellian side’s beating heart.

One to Watch: Isaac Mahler. Most likely an option of the bench, but Mahler’s history from withdrawing from the team over hooliganism has often distracted from his qualities as a player. Expect him to either shine or go home early.

Reasons to be excited: For once Tellia go in to a tournament without any falling-outs, fights, or players withdrawing. Given they can usually be quite unpredictable because of this, some long overdue stability in the national side coupled with some experienced players returning to the squad could bode well for the Benacians.

Reasons to worry: After loosing last year’s Benacia Cup final to Elwynn, it’s clear that the glory days of Tellian football are long behind us, having won the first three editions of that tournament in consecutive years. The 2012 World champions look a shadow of their former selves as other teams, including hosts Senya, have surpassed them in terms of quality in recent years.

Prediction: The usual trap with the Tellians is that they could just as easily win the tournament as get knocked-out in the group stage. Whilst the trophy may just be beyond them this time out, many will predict them escaping this group. However a few stumbles and it isn’t hard to imagine them going home early this year either. But fans should hope for at least a play-off round appearance.

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*Played 7th July*

Group A

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Tellia vs. Calbion

SPOILER: Click to show

Tellia 3-0 Calbion
27' - M. Santoni
60' - A. Uggè
74' - R. Ganau (pen.)

Watch the highlights here!

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*Played 11th July*

Group A
Senya vs. Tellia

SPOILER: Click to show

Senya 4-3 Tellia
3' - A. Danetskë
7' - A. Uggè
41' - A. Uggè
64' - G. Salmoiraghi
67' - J. Van Kotrisbond
76' - A. Danetskë
83' - A. Danetskë

Watch the full match here!

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*Played 15th July*

Group A
Lakkvia vs. Tellia

SPOILER: Click to show

Lakkvia 1-3 Tellia
13' - F. Vorgensen
23' - V. Hertz
62' - R. Sgarbini
81' - S. Özker

Watch the highlights here!

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*Played 19th July*

Group A

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Tellia vs. Talenore

SPOILER: Click to show

Tellia 2-0 Talenore
1' - A. Uggè
53' - G. Salmoiraghi

Watch the full match here!

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*Played 29th July*

Play-off round
Tellia vs. Hamland

SPOILER: Click to show

Tellia 3-2 Hamland (AET)
70' - S. Özker
74' - M. Schiavvi
75' - M. Henry
83' - A. Miller
98' - A.L. Peruzzi

Watch the highlights here!

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*Played 4th August*

Quarter-finals
Craitland vs. Tellia

SPOILER: Click to show

Craitland 1-3 Tellia
6' - A. Uggè (pen.)
53' - G. Salmoiraghi
61' - F. Gaärsen
63' - S. Özker

Watch the full match here!

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*Played 8th August*

Semi-finals
Alexandria vs. Tellia

SPOILER: Click to show

Alexandria 0-4 Tellia
8' - G. Salmoiraghi
41' - A. De Laurentiis
53' - G. Salmoiraghi
90' - G. Salmoiraghi

Watch the full match here!

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*Played 13th August*

After 51 games, this year's FMF World Cup comes to its pinnacle, but no matter the result, this tournament will be remembered for a number of reasons. Held in Senya for the first time, the rest of Micras got to experience the unique culture the Senyans bring to their sport, as well as adopting the high-scoring style of play that Senyan football is famous for.

After 189 goals already, the most witnessed at a finals, we've seen scoring records tumble all summer; biggest margins of victory extended, Craitland scoring more in their group than anyone before followed by Tellia scoring even more in the overall tournament, and individual players' exploits giving us more hat-tricks than the last four World Cups combined, with Danetskë hitting three in a row and Lassana-Traoré even scoring his fifth ever in Alexandria's last ever match.

Alongside goals, we'll also remember this summer for the upsets; 2015 semi-finalists Passas failing to advance and holders Hamland departing before the quarters, but also the surprise runs of the newcomers, with Vyktory and Jingdao both making the last eight on their début, and giving us some dramatic moments along the way.

But now, the final. Hosts Senya have made it difficult on themselves, although pre-tournament favourites, but have overcome the odds to make it to the final for the first time. Despite losing their opening match, a superb comeback victory over today's opponents Tellia turned their fortunes around, but a last-minute strike in their final group game was still needed to seal an unexpected 5-0 victory over Talenore; the very result they required to top their group. Since then, a relatively easy dispatch of Birgeshir was followed by a nerve-wracking semi-final shoot-out win over Mercury (the longest penalties in World Cup history - another record) to book their place in the showpiece game on home turf. Tellia, on the other hand have surprised a few with their run this far. While always seemingly in the mix, the typical friction among the players seems to have subsided, and the return of Sezer Özker to the fold has pushed them on. Senya's aforementioned heroics swindled the Tellians out of topping the group, finishing second on goal difference after three good wins, but an extra-time win over reigning champions Hamland in the play-off, a solid defeat of four-time winners Craitland and a thumping 4-0 over former winners Alexandria saw the side overcome arguably the most difficult route to the final with aplomb as chemistry wins out through the squad.

This final is anyone's to win now, however, but will it be the Senyans, aiming to become only the second team to win with home advantage, or Tellia, who want to avoid being the first team to lose two consecutive finals, who will be victorious? The time has come...

Final
Senya vs. Tellia

SPOILER: Click to show

Senya 1-2 Tellia
2' - S. Özker
36' - A. Danetskë
42' - M. Zajc

Tellia are FMF World Cup winners for the second time! Congratulations!

Commiserations to Senya, but also a huge thank you for a fantastic tournament that will live long in the memory!

Watch the full final match here!