Maybe this is the Year of the Dragon as a pair of them advanced to the Semifinals after triumphs in their quarter series. The end of the road finally came to #2 Las Vegas Scorpions F.C. as their amazing tournament run full of draws finally met their match. After a 2-2 tie against #10 SwampDragons United, the return game had none of the drama that we had come to expect. Winslowe Grey scored in the 8th minute to set the pace for Swamp U and they never let off the gas pedal. Borivoj Fales' header right before halftime gave the Scorpions a brief glimmer of hope but the 2nd stanza was all Dragons, as they added three more to win the game 6-1 and the series 8-3.

Swamp U will meet their Canadian Dragon brethren in the Semis after #14 Swamp City Dragons just got past #6 FC Not Very Athletic after a scoreless draw in the first game. Athletic took the lead twice after goals from Scully Malony and Garr Manston but a hat trick by veteran German striker Ryszard Bretschneider kept the Dragons level, leading to the closing moments with the game and series tied at 3-3. Midfielder Serdar Haas, who had not scored in Cup XIX up to this point, found himself open in the 88th and he buried the winner in the upper corner from distance. A last minute shot by London Jamison hit the crossbar and the English side never got another look at the goal during stoppage time.

Finally, #12 Bad News won on the road 5-3 against the last single-digit seed left in the tournament, #4 FC Gimli Vikings. The game was a close affair and changed leads several times, with a Stearn Rentería goal in the 66th knotting the score at 3-3. What was looking like a draw turned into a French victory late when Nadir Brocard and Cristian Leonard each scored a goal in the final 10 minutes to give Bad News the home field advantage in the series return game tomorrow.

That return game in the 4/12 series is the only game on tap as the Quarterfinals have entered the home stretch. Also, the semis in the Bums has their last game scheduled for August 2.

A record 3rd Quarterfinal series has gone to Sudden Death as #4 FC Gimli Vikings overcame a 2-goal aggregate deficit on the road to draw level with #12 Bad News, as the French club was unable to hold a 5-3 lead in today's 2-0 Gimli victory. Much like the first game, the two squads had even statistical lines but unlike the opening match, once the Swedes grabbed the lead, they didn't relinquish it. Stearn Rentería and Zlatan Benda scored again for Gimli and goalkeeper Marecek Palecek played much better in net to keep the clean sheet.

With the series tied at 5-5, Gimli will host the first extra game. Bad News has told me that their season is about to flip and if the game isn't scheduled in the 1st challenge slot, they might need to delay the game to sign a couple of players. So, the Semifinalists that have already qualified might get a little extra rest before the next round of the knockouts begins.

Just to give you all an FYI, looks like the Sudden Death between Gimli and Bad News will get delayed for a few days. Both teams are actually in a world rollover, so it wouldn't surprise me if both also need a couple of new faces.

The Bums Bracket Finals are now underway as #5 Slough FC held its one goal advantage over top-seeded Not Very United, winning the series 8-7 after this morning's 2-2 draw. United had home cooking working for them and a sellout crowd of 43,000 to help them get over the hump but the game ended up being a one-on-one struggle between a pair of veteran forwards. Takeshi Takada stretched the Slough lead to two goals in the 15th when header beat David Silva to the upper corner to make the aggregate 7-5. Tate Papia, who turned 51 a few months ago, brought United back a few minutes later when his attempt deflected off a defender an in to close it back to 7-6. Both players added their 2nd goals of the game after the break but the Slough defense denied United any more shots after Elbanco Cardenas' 81st minute strike that Silva got a fingertip on, pushing it just wide of the far post. Slough was able to run out the clock and earn their right to play Hardknoxs F.C. for the consolation title.

The Bums Finals do hot have seeds and also does not have a time frame. Both teams can schedule their home game at their convenience. I will be doing a coin flip tomorrow to determine which team will host the first Sudden Death game, if necessary. Based on how the tournament has played up to this point, the extra game has a decent chance of actually happening.

We are still waiting for the extra game in the main draw as both teams' worlds (78 and 92) flip tomorrow.

After evaluating their roster, Bad News has informed me that they can play the Sudden Death game with their current lineup. That leaves FC Gimli Vikings free to schedule the game and send the challenge in the earliest slot when they are able.

I appreciate everyone's patience. We used to settle drawn playoff match-ups with a coin toss, which kept things moving swiftly but was a fairly lame way to call a series. Since we don't have a penalty shootout to turn to, this is the next best option.

Bad News is now in Week 2 and Gimli is in Week 1, so it shouldn't be too much longer. I have asked News to send a challenge back to Gimli after the first Sudden Death game is scheduled just in case we have another draw.

After a pause, we are getting back to live action in the playoffs. The Sudden Death game is scheduled for August 9th.

Also, Slough FC opens up the Bums Bracket Final at home against Hardknoxs F.C. on the 11th.

#12 Bad News made the most of its off-season signing period by acquiring veteran Italian defender Augustine Lupoli, who immediately paid dividends in the French club's Sudden Death game against #4 FC Gimli Vikings in this morning's final game of the Quarterfinals. With the series knotted at 5-5, both teams had a chance to sign an impact player to get them through to the semis but it was Lupoli who scored the opening goal for Bad News and then added a 2nd score in the 62nd to stretch the lead to 10-7 and assure his new club's advancement. Gimli's Stearn Rentería got one back late to cut the margin to 10-8 but the Swedes could get no closer. The Rentería goal did vault him to the top of the Golden Toe standings with 13 scored but that probably won't be good enough for the individual honor.

With the Quarterfinals now complete, I'll set up the Semifinal match-ups later this morning.

The Semifinals are set and scheduling can begin. Check out those seeds as none of the single-digit teams survived.

The time frame to schedule the home and away will be Aug 10th thru Aug 20th. If we go into sudden death, as we have been doing this tournament, extra days will be added.

#10 SwampDragons United and #14 Swamp City Dragons will be kicking off the semis right away as their games have already been scheduled. Best of luck to the final four teams still standing. Win and you advance to the Championship...lose and you'll be playing for the Bronze.

There was action in both the Semifinals and the Bums Finals overnight as the tournament enters the home stretch. #14 Swamp City Dragons took the opener in their sibling rivalry against #10 SwampDragons United, winning 5-2 at home in this all-Canadian, all Dragon match-up. Swamp U struck first in the 4th minute when Winslowe Grey scored off an early corner kick but Swamp City gained control by scoring three in the next 11 minutes, leaving United goalie Treshawn Aznar a little shell-shocked. While the visitors regained their composure to close within one at halftime, Swamp City put the game away in the 2nd half with a pair of strikes by Arley Movsisyan, who has just a little bit of experience in pressure situations. The FC Dynasty Cup all-time leading scorer netted in the 58th and the 63rd to give City the three goal aggregate advantage heading into the return game, which is tomorrow.

In the Bums Finals, nothing was decided after Slough FC and Hardknoxs F.C. played to a 4-4 draw in England. Slough generated a lot more opportunities but was not very efficient with their possession. They also committed a lot more fouls. Hardknoxs got a pair of goals from Javaughn Galey and Rey Bejoand, despite being pushed around a bit on the pitch, actually held a 4-3 lead late into the game. Slough salvaged the tie when Garan Roth decided to try his luck from way outside and beat keeper Jerome Groenwald to the corner in the 76th. The series goes back to the US tomorrow where the glory of 17th Place will be on the line.

Also tomorrow, the other Semifinal between #12 Bad News and #16 Club Deportivo Baile Brian gets underway with both teams in a spot they probably didn't expect to be in when the playoffs began...one step away from the Championship.

After almost 2.5 months, we have our first Championship qualifier as the Cup VI Champions #14 Swamp City Dragons erase a long drought from the final pairing and earn their way back after drawing 2-2 against their fellow Canadian Dragon squad #10 SwampDragons United to take the series 7-4 on aggregate. Down by three goals, Swamp U got a much needed early strike when Baen Geddes hit home a 4th minute header to close the gap to two but Swamp City's Ryszard Bretschneider scored twice to never allow United to get any closer. With the win, Swamp City makes it to the Championship for the first time since August 2021 and will try to become one of the few multi-Cup winners. Swamp U, while dejected from the loss, still can claim the Bronze medal as they enter the 3rd Place series.

The other half of the Semifinals will have to wait until the last game to see who advances as #12 Bad News and #16 Club Deportivo Baile Brian played to an unlikely 3-3 draw in France as News blew a 3-0 lead at halftime and had to settle for level play. The crowd of 48,479 got rocking early after Matro Solana scored 60 seconds into the match and the French club dominated the first 45 minutes, beating Baile Brian keeper Dru Vassos twice more before the whistle blew. The Irish comeback started in the 58th when club captain Raymond Petke scored his 12th goal of the tournament off a perfect corner cross and, after a late substitution to get some fresh legs onto the pitch, Baile Brian was able to get another goal off a corner set piece in the 85th as Beckan Cash scored to finally equalize. Actually, Bad News was fortunate to come away even as an Ivor Teevans strike in extra time beat News goalkeeper Jaylee Tasci but just missed the far post as time expired.

This afternoon, the Bums Bracket could potentially complete as Slough FC and Hardknoxs F.C. play their return game all knotted at 4-4.

The first piece of Cup XIX hardware was awarded this evening as Slough FC beat Hardknoxs F.C. by an aggregate of 8-6 to claim the Bums Bracket Finals and take home the 17th Place trophy. Both teams came into the day level at 4-4 after an opening draw in England. Hardknoxs, with the home field, was able to take their first lead of the day in the 55th minute when Malachy Cadogan went unassisted and painted the corner, beating Slough goalie Nate Nosbusch with ease.

Unfortunately for them, the American crowd had only about 10 minutes to celebrate before everything went south. Takeshi Takada tied the series in the 65th when his knuckleball was muffed by Hardknoxs netminder Jerome Groenwald and Slough grabbed the lead for good with 7 minutes remaining from a deft touch by Dorian Pyrtle, who placed the ball in the one spot Groenwald couldn't cover. A stoppage time goal rounded out the scoring as Slough won the game 4-2 to become the new reigning Bums title holder and end a fine consolation run by Knoxs.

The main draw Semis swing back into action tomorrow in a winner take all match between Bad News and Club Deportivo Baile Brian.

FC Dynasty Cup XIX has arrived at the point why the tournament is played. 32 teams started chasing the Ultimate Prize and we are now down to the final two as #16 Club Deportivo Baile Brian and Swamp City Dragons will face off in the Championship. Baile Brian was tied with #12 Bad News after an opening 3-3 draw in France as the series shifted back to Ireland for the return game. After a feeling out process, Baile Brian took the lead, as it were for good, in the 22nd when veteran Greek defender Giorgis Markopoulos decided to move forward and make himself into a big target in the center of the box, where a crossing pass landed in a perfect place for him to redirect it into the far corner for the 4-3 lead.

The Irish club continued to take target practice out of the opposing goalie as Jaylee Tasci had to face 11 shots on goal out of the 12 that were directed his way. Unfortunately for News, they didn't have the same accuracy and simply couldn't break down the Baile defense. An Ivor Teevans in the 73rd put the final nail in it as Baile Brian won the game 2-0 to take the 5-3 series victory and become the first 16 seed to make it all the way to the Championship.

The loss doesn't quite end a great tun by Bad News, who now will face SwampDragons United for the Bronze. I will be doing coin flips tomorrow for both the Championship and the 3rd Place match-up to see which team will host the first tiebreaker game in case we have an aggregate tie. There are no seeds and no time frame for either series, so the teams can schedule whenever they wish. As far as the Golden Toe is concerned, there is a chance that the award can be won by a player whose team was eliminated in the quarterfinals as FC Gimli Vikings forward Stearn Rentería is still clear by two goals at 13 scored from his nearest competitor still able to catch him, that being Baile's Raymond Petke, who has scored 11. The players in the Bronze match are not eligible for their golas to add to their totals, so Renteria is a couple of games away from an unlikely accomplishment.

The Championship Sudden Death coin flip was done a few minutes ago and here are the results.

Championship Extra Game Coin Flip (if necessary)
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Club Deportivo Baile Brian was heads (Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest) and Swamp City Dragons was tails (200 Forint) based on C coming before S in the alphabet.
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You flipped 10 coins of type Hungarian 200 Forint:

Totals: 4 obverse, 6 reverse

Timestamp: 2026-08-14 23:13:12 UTC
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Tails wins 6-4, so Swamp City will host the first Sudden Death game, if necessary.

The 3rd Place Sudden Death coin flip was done a few minutes ago and here are the results.

3rd Place Extra Game Coin Flip (if necessary)
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Bad News was heads (Kennedy profile) and SwampDragons United was tails (Presidential Seal) based on B coming before S in the alphabet.
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Of course, it was a 5-5 draw, so we did it again. The 2nd time was also 5-5 but the 3rd time...fitting for the 3rd place series, finally had a winner.
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You flipped 10 coins of type US 50¢ Half Dollar:
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Totals: 8 obverse, 2 reverse

Timestamp: 2026-08-14 23:32:24 UTC

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Heads wins 5-5, 5-5, 8-2, so Bad News will host the first Sudden Death game.