[Nilpaurion Felagund]

The Weekly Wrap
by Elenrod Finrodion

The 2012 Arda Cup groups and complete rosters are set to be announced within the week, and the last league matches have all been played, giving way to the grandest football tournament of them all. But before the events gets swallowed up in the wake of the Arda Cup we present a report of what has transpired this week in the footballing Eä.

Fëanor trumps Manwë, defends title

Eldar United star striker Fëanor scored on either side of the halftime, leading his team to a 2-1 victory over Taniquetil.

Taniquetil, who got a tense 1-0 away win against Tol Sirion in the semifinals, began with an air of control over the final match in the Song of Stone Stadium, and they were rewarded in the twenty-seventh minute when a Varda through ball found Eönwë, who fired a sizzling low shot that Rog dove after too late. The Herald of Manwë scored his ninth goal in as many Champions League matches, and was now tied with Fëanor for most goals scored in the tourney. But the Elf U captain soon retook the lead in that race, scoring the equaliser six minutes before the half with an impressive jinking run before chipping the ball over Súlimo's shoulder and into the net. He struck again twelve minutes after the break, this time nudging in the rebound after Eöl's header off a corner kick struck the left post. Neither side seriously threatened to score afterwards, and after the whistle was blown Eldar United celebrated their back-to-back titles, their third in five years.

Two familiar faces and a new one win league honours

Taniquetil and FC Angband 472 successfully defended their Ainu Liga and Úvanima Serie A titles, respectively, with a comfortable margin, while upstarts Eldamar won the Elvish Premier League crown after trouncing Avari 4-0, with runner-up and previous holders Eldar United settling for a 1-1 draw with Greenwood Archers.

Arda Cup roster rumours

• The biggest story of this section has to be Glaurung's announcement that he has re-signed with Nargothrond for sixteen million. The dragon has now spent three of the last four years playing for the Noldorin stronghold.
  
  During the press conference after the final match day of the Úvanima Serie A (where Glaurung played for Angband, and Nargothrond captain Finrod for Tol Sirion):
  
  Glaurung: Last year [playing for Nargothrond] was a rough one, that's for sure. But we weren't playing up to our full potential then. Finrod can turn this team around, and then you'll see what we can really do.
  
  Finrod: Glaurung has hurt us before, that's true, when he led Angband to victory over us in the Nirnaeth Cup, but he made up for it by staying with this team during a tough time. He was the lone bright spot of the team last year, and now he'll be a great asset as we make our way back to the knockout stage--and possibly even beyond.
  
  Also, Finrod confirmed that Mîm has resigned with his team, despite rumours that Aulë been in contact with the Petty Dwarf for his Dwarves United squad.
  
  
• Three Valar and a Maia were confirmed to be in Valimar: Vána, Estë, Vairë, and Ilmarë were all signed for ten million each, according to team captain Manwë during the press conference after the Ainu Liga's last match day. Also, he addressed questions about how the Ban has scattered the Valar across teams:
  
  Manwë: We are all brothers and sisters, created by the One, but that is no reason for us to be together always. We were each given our domains to govern, and so long as all we do follow the vision we have seen when the world was first sung, then all is as the One wills it.