Copa d'Aeia 2016

2016 FFA Copa d'Aeia

Mydrazia 2016 (Midrasian)
Copa d'Aeia 2016 official logo
Tournament details
Host country	Midrasia
Dates	26 June - 7 July 2016
Teams	16 (from 4 confederations)
Venue(s)	8 (in 7 host cities)
Final positions
Champions	Template:Country data The Campagnies Avecain (The Campagnies) (1st title)
Runners-up	Template:Country data Tarasanovia
Third place	Midrasia
Fourth place	Navack
Tournament statistics
Matches played	26
Goals scored	83 (3.19 per match)

The Copa d'Aeia 2016 was an association football tournament within Aeia. It was the first edition of the Copa d'Aeia tournament, taking place at several venues across Midrasia. The tournament was contested by 16 nations, with group stages proceeding to the quarter-final knockout stage. The tournament immediately became renowned for good performances from unlikely participants such as Vilemyr and Vrnallia, the latter of which successfully came back from 2-0 down against rivals Cheonsam to secure a 3-3 draw.

Avecain representing The Campagnies won the tournament with a 3-2 victory over Tarasanovia in the final.

Host Selection

Following the integration of the Eastern Football League into the Aeian Football Federation in 2002, as a result of the collapse of the Aeian Socialist Union, the decision was made to hold a new footballing tournament to unite the nations of Asura. After years of deliberations and the appointment of senior officials to key posts within the governing body, it was decided that Midrasia should host the tournament. The decision was made as Midrasia was one of the only nations to have existing facilities capable of hosting a large scale tournament. As a result a unanimous decision among FFA officials, it was decided that Midrasia should host the first tournament, whilst in future, nations would be required to bid for positions as tournament host.

Venues

Lotrič

Roúk

Argois

Berghelling

Almiaro

Ibbené

Vabre

A map showing the locations of the venues used at the 2016 Copa d'Aeia

The tournament was played across eight venues across Midrasia, two of the venues were located in the capital of Lotrič, where the final was held at the Stade Nationale. The vast majority of venues were located in the south of the country, with Ibbené, Vabre and Berghelling being the only northern cities to host matches.

Lotrič		Roúk	Argois
Stade Nationale	Sidariz	L'Olympique	Arena Assoluto
Capacity: 90,000	Capacity: 62,000	Capacity: 74,000	Capacity: 45,000
Berghelling	Almiaro	Ibbené	Vabre
Campfa y Per	Stade de le Sud	Repain	Stade Sigona
Capacity: 39,000	Capacity: 37,300	Capacity: 35,000	Capacity: 32,000

Group Stage

Group A

Upon its creation, group A was named the 'group of death', for the inclusion of Midrasia, Rohst and Volgaria; three particularly competent footballing nations. Vilemyr were initially written off by pundits, although soon managed to establish itself as a dark horse through several upsets, notably beating Volgaria 1-0. However the team was unable to keep up its good form losing out to both Rohst and Midrasia. Volgaria's victory over Rohst, coupled with Midrasia's 5-2 victory over Vilemyr, ensured the team would place second within the group.

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Midrasia (A)	3	2	1	0	9	3	+6	7
Volgaria (A)	3	1	1	1	3	3	0	4
Template:Country data Rohst Rohst	3	1	0	2	4	7	−3	3
Vilemyr	3	1	0	2	5	8	−3	3

27 June 2016 (2016-06-27)
Midrasia	3–0	Template:Country data Rohst Rohst	Stade Nationale, Lotrič
Volgaria	0–1	Vilemyr	Campfa y Per, Berghelling
29 June 2015 (2015-06-29)
Rohst Template:Country data Rohst	3–2	Vilemyr	Campfa y Per, Berghelling
Midrasia	1–1	Volgaria	Stade Nationale, Lotrič
1 July 2016 (2016-07-01)
Vilemyr	2–5	Midrasia	Campfa y Per, Berghelling
Volgaria	2–1	Template:Country data Rohst Rohst	Stade Nationale, Lotrič

Group B

Group B was seen as the most contentious group within the tournament, mostly due to the political disputes between Vvarden and Krieslen outside of the field. Extra policing was required for several matches, most notably the Vvarden-Krieslen game itself which saw the outbreak of several incidents of hooliganism. The group was dominated by Avecain, who became the only team to qualify for the quarter-finals with three consecutive victories. Vvarden secured second place after beating Krieslen 1-0.

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Template:Country data The Campagnies Avecain (A)	3	3	0	0	6	1	+5	9
Vvarden (A)	3	2	0	1	2	3	−1	6
Template:Country data Krieslen Krieslen	3	0	1	2	1	3	−2	1
Template:Country data Castrix Castrix	3	0	1	2	0	2	−2	1

27 June 2016 (2016-06-27)
Krieslen Template:Country data Krieslen	1–2	Template:Country data The Campagnies Avecain	L'Olympique, Roúk
Castrix Template:Country data Castrix	0–1	Vvarden	Stade de le Sud, Almiaro
29 June 2015 (2015-06-29)
Avecain Template:Country data The Campagnies	3–0	Vvarden	Stade de le Sud, Almiaro
Krieslen Template:Country data Krieslen	0–0	Template:Country data Castrix Castrix	L'Olympique, Roúk
1 July 2016 (2016-07-01)
Castrix Template:Country data Castrix	0–1	Template:Country data The Campagnies Avecain	Stade de le Sud, Almiaro
Vvarden	1–0	Template:Country data Krieslen Krieslen	L'Olympique, Roúk

Group C

Group C saw minnows Vrnallia up against the likes of Cheonsam and Ternca, teams with relative footballing competance. Vrnallia's 3-3 draw with Cheonsam was described as one of the best games of the tournament, with the team repeating their success with a 0-0 draw against Sagalash. The team eventually went on the beat Ternca 1-0 topping the group. Hopes for Sagalash were dashed early when the team suffered a 1-0 defeat at Ternca, then being held to a goalless draw against Vrnallia. Morale was believed to be low in the teams camp; with many players turning against manager Çavep Pllashangë after he allegedly made racist comments toward striker Madhë Dë Sadë. Miraculously however the team managed to defeat Cheonsam 2-0, giving the team the vital goal difference required to secure second place.

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Template:Country data Vrnallia Vrnallia (A)	3	1	2	0	4	3	+1	5
Template:Country data Sagalash Sagalash (A)	3	1	1	1	4	1	+3	4
Template:Country data Cheonsam Cheonsam	3	1	1	1	4	5	−1	4
Template:Country data Ternca Ternca	3	1	0	2	1	2	−1	3

27 June 2016 (2016-06-27)
Sagalash Template:Country data Sagalash	0–1	Template:Country data Ternca Ternca	Sidariz, Lotrič
Vrnallia Template:Country data Vrnallia	3–3	Template:Country data Cheonsam Cheonsam	Repain, Ibenné
29 June 2015 (2015-06-29)
Ternca Template:Country data Ternca	0–1	Template:Country data Cheonsam Cheonsam	Repain, Ibbené
Sagalash Template:Country data Sagalash	0–0	Template:Country data Vrnallia Vrnallia	Sidariz, Lotrič
1 July 2016 (2016-07-01)
Cheonsam Template:Country data Cheonsam	0–2	Template:Country data Sagalash Sagalash	Repain, Ibbené
Vrnallia Template:Country data Vrnallia	1–0	Template:Country data Ternca Ternca	Sidariz, Lotrič

Group D

Group D saw Tarasanovia and Navack face off minnows Tyronova and an underfunded Wustenlander team. After two consecutive defeats Wustenland were eliminated from the tournament, and ended the tournament as the only team with three consecutive losses. Tarasanovia became the first team to qualify following their 3-2 victory over Wustenland; however the team were beaten 1-3 by Navack, ensuring they finished in 2nd place.

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Navack (A)	3	2	1	0	2	0	+2	7
Template:Country data Tarasanovia Tarasanovia (A)	3	2	0	1	5	5	0	6
Tyronova	3	1	1	1	0	1	−1	4
Template:Country data Wustenland Wustenland	3	0	0	3	4	8	−4	0

27 June 2016 (2016-06-27)
Navack	2–0	Template:Country data Wustenland Wustenland	Arena Assoluto, Argois
Tyronova	0–1	Template:Country data Tarasanovia Tarasanovia	Stade Sigona, Vabre
29 June 2015 (2015-06-29)
Wustenland Template:Country data Wustenland	2–3	Template:Country data Tarasanovia Tarasanovia	Stade Sigona, Vabre
Navack	0–0	Tyronova	Arena Assoluto, Argois
1 July 2016 (2016-07-01)
Tarasanovia Template:Country data Tarasanovia	1–3	Navack	Stade Sigona, Vabre
Tyronova	3–2	Template:Country data Wustenland Wustenland	Arena Assoluto, Argois

Knockout stage

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	3 July – Stade Nationale, Lotrič
	Midrasia	1(3)
					5 July – Stade Nationale, Lotrič
	Vvarden	1(2)
					Midrasia	1
	3 July – L'Olympique, Roúk
					Template:Country data The Campagnies Avecain	3
	Template:Country data The Campagnies Avecain	4
									7 July – Stade Nationale, Lotrič
	Volgaria	1
									Template:Country data The Campagnies Avecain	3
	3 July – Sidariz, Lotrič
									Template:Country data Tarasanovia	2
	Template:Country data Vrnallia	1
					5 July – L'Olypmique, Roúk
	Template:Country data Tarasanovia	2
					Template:Country data Tarasanovia	2
	3 July – Arena Assoluto, Argois
					Navack	0			Third place
	Navack	2
									6 July – L'Olympique, Roúk
	Template:Country data Sagalash Sagalash	0
									Midrasia	2
									Navack	0

Controversies

Hoolinganism

Violence and rioting took place in two games during the tournament, most notably during the Rohst - Volgaria's Group A match. Although much emphasis had been placed on the Vvarden-Krieslen match in Group B, due to ongoing political disputes between the two nations, the presence of armed security personell did much to quell the situation. Despite this, 15 arrests were made on the day, mostly from rioting which took place in Montbard Square several hours after the game had finished. During the clashes, 7 people were taken to hospital with injuries, although all made recoveries following the incident.

Clashes between Volgarian and Rohstian supporters were the most notable incidents of hooliganism throughout the tournament, with several clashes between ultranationalists within the stadium itself following the conclusion of the pivotal match. The match, which ended in Volgarian victory sending the team through to the knockout stages, saw several incidents take place following the final whistle. 17 people were injured in the ensuing clashes, and as many as 20 people were arrested in the stadium itself. Armed guards were not present, as there was not believed to be any perceived threat. Despite this, Midrasian officials commended the stadium's security staff at dealing with the situation in a timely manner. Despite this, further clashes took place within Lotrič, with a further 32 arrests. Police were required to use tear gas to disperse large crowds of rioters. Several people were taken to hospital with injuries, although nobody was in a serious condition. Many arrested supporters were later released with fines for property damage and disorderly conduct, several other were blacklisted from further travel, whilst 5 rioters were charged with assault and later imprisoned. The governments of both Volgaria and Rohst later released statements condemning the violence and all those who perpetrate it, custodial sentences were handed to many of the rioters upon return to their home nations.

Pllashangë racism allegations

On the 30th June, following the tied Sagalash-Vrnallia group match, Sagalash manager Çavep Pllashangë, who belongs to the majority Sagalë ethnic group, made the following statement to reporters: "these losses and draws, I think it is Dë Sadë and his sort who are responsible, they cannot play well and they don't have a good ethic."

The specific mention of Madhë Dë Sadë, a player from the Stëlangjë minority which makes up about 12.5% of Sagalash's indigenous population, led to the Stëlangjë advocacy group Grrupë I Stëlangje ("The Stëlangjë People's Group") accusing the manager of racism against an ethnic group, which is punishable in Sagalash with up to three years' imprisonment. The group's leaders demanded his immediate sacking. Chairwoman Shelini Dohë Qurum said that the statement demonstrated a "medieval" attitude and the group would consider bringing legal action against Pllashangë.

Pllashangë defended his remark as being not racist, but only attempting to highlight what he believed to be a culture of laziness amongst some players on the team, and said that he would not resign from the team. Prime Minister Biçek Pëdërëh defended him, congratulating his formation of an ethnically diverse team.

On July 1st Sagalash managed to beat Cheonsam 2-0, putting them through to the Copa d'Aeia quarter finals against Navack. Dë Sadë himself scored the first goal of the match. Speaking afterwards, he declared that he would be quitting the team for the remainder of the competition, as he would not "play for a team where I get no respect from the man who is supposed to be motivating us."

Later the same day Pllashangë made a written statement to the national newspaper Times of Sagalash in which he reaffirmed that his statement about Dë Sadë was not racist and that he was opposed to the racism committed by some members of the Sagalë nation against their neighbours, as well as other forms of discrimination. He apologised for his comments about Dë Sadë and congratulated him for helping to bring the Sagalan team past the group stage. He also announced that he was planning to resign from his managerial position following the tournament, telling readers "[f]ootball is not where I act at my best, nor where I help others to act their best."

Grrupë I Stëlangje announced on July 4^th that they would not be pursuing further action against Pllashangë.

A spike in racially-motivated crimes was reported in Sagalash following the incident. A Stëlangjë man named as Varak Kolompu was arrested while attempting to start a fire at a Sagalë bakery in Dushu in the Konvastëlë DAR. Two Sagalë men were arrested in separate incidents of incitement in the capital, Budash. The Budash Metropolitan Police Commissioner-General Gavas Ekuk urged calm and tolerance following the arrests.