[the phantom]

Philip McPhantom
MESPN News, Doriath

What good fortune for the residents of Doriath! Not only is their team on a roll, undefeated through four friendlies, three group games, and the first playoff contest, but they can view their team close to home yet again, right in their historic underground Menegroth arena.

When Doriath was assigned to group A at next door Himring, there were mixed reactions- it was delightfully close to home, but a group with both Himring and Tirion wasn’t the easiest of the groups to go through. But Doriath rose to the challenge, beating both tough opponents solidly by three goals and qualifying first, gaining the right to host in the first playoff round.

Their first round opponent was Minas Morgul, not a bad team, but after Tirion and Himring they weren’t overly challenging and Doriath put them down with a sound four goal thumping, putting them through to the quarterfinals. But where would they play? That was the question.

The two quarterfinal host sites were already selected before the tournament- Doriath and Weathertop, but what was not known was which quarterfinals would be played at which location. It all depended on the locations of the teams that made it through. Had Wilderland defeated Valinor to move through to face Doriath, it’s very likely that the quarterfinal would have been shifted to the eastern site, particularly if the west-based Tirion would have defeated Lothlorien, or had The Forest upset Eregion. But as things turned out, Doriath is set to play their playoff contest in their home stadium for the second game in a row!

But this time around things in the Doriath stadium probably aren’t going to be a non-stop party. They weren’t worried about Minas Morgul, but their next opponent is much more intimidating- Valinor is coming to visit. Valinor, with their Tulkas anchored defense, Yavanna in the midfield, and the flashing trio of forwards- Arien, Miriel, and Nerdanel. Valinor- a battle-tested team, having played a solid Beleriand, the defending champs Gondolin, Manwe and his mighty Pelori squad, and Sauron’s dangerous Wilderland stars. Valinor would not be caught off guard by Doriath’s talent, but perhaps Doriath would be surprised?

Not according to co-captain Melian. “Certainly it’s fair to say that Valinor is the best overall team we’ve faced this tournament, but that doesn’t mean we are unprepared. Fingon and Maedhros from Himring are a very formidable pair of forwards, and Tirion is just completely stacked up front, with Finarfin, Mahtan, Finrod, Aredhel, and Finwe. And of course we just went up against The Witch King. No… I think we’ll be sharp and ready.”

But that remains to be seen. What we do know at this point is that the home field advantage will not be as pronounced in this match as in the last. Doriath is the host site but the team is not officially the host team, and thus tickets have been allotted equally between the participants, and Valinor is quite likely to at the least approach their assigned number. Pelori will likely be drawing large numbers of Valinor residents, but Valinor will probably be more popular given their diverse makeup. Not only will various Ainu be in attendance, but the Noldor will come to support Miriel and Nerdanel, the Teleri will come out for King Olwe, and the Vanyar will make the trip for King Ingwe and Indis. The crowd could very well end up split dead even, unless some Doriath residents can buy some tickets away from those unwilling to make the long trip across the sea.

Doriath vs Valinor is not the only match to be played, however. There is also the contest between Tol In Gaurhoth and Westernesse. No doubt a large contingent of Wights, Wolves, and Orcs will be streaming down the Sirion after they have finished celebrating their recent win upon their haunted isle, but they do not have the numbers to fill a stadium the size of Menegroth, and thus Westernesse is certain to have the crowd behind them. Supporters from Arnor have already started arriving, and residents of Gondor and Numenor are on the way, doubtless in greater numbers than even Valinor. But Doriath can handle a massive flood of visitors. That’s why it was selected as a host site.

The Westernesse supporters that have already arrived are taking over some of the local establishments, and they are confident that they will be going through to the semifinals. “This is a team of destiny!” said King Arvedui earlier today. “I gave my best effort with my Eriador squad of course, but I’ve also been following Westernesse through the tournament with great interest. Armenelos took home the Arda Cup two years ago, and this year they have a similar team, only with more diverse talent. They’re so big, and strong, and calculating, and mistake-free, and work together so well. This team is going all the way!”

But Tol In Gaurhoth supporters do not agree with Arvedui. One of the only early arriving TIG supporters, MormWight, had this to say. “Westernesse going all the way? Don’t make me laugh. We Werewolves beat them for the bronze three years ago and we’ll beat them again this time. Sure, they’re physically imposing against other teams, but it doesn’t mean anything against us Werewolves! We’re just as strong, but faster- and we’ve got the flash to come back if we’re behind, and the killer instinct to put a game away if we’re ahead. This is our year!”

All opinions aside, it looks to be a great pair of games here in Doriath. Which two will move forward to the semifinals at the grand coliseum at Amon Hen? We can’t wait to find out!