Welcome back to Quaffles & Bludgers! After weeks of watching these teams go head to head across the continent, we’ve finally reached the knockout stage! From here on out, all matches are do or die, life or death situations and those who lose will be sent home packing while those who win continue on for their chance to win the World Cup!
Once again, we at the Daily Prophet would like to remind readers that the Quidditch World Cup Final will be held in Apotropaia, Greece on the 15th of July. Access to the island will begin July 8th for the general public. Tickets will be offered at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class prices with seating available for each tier, available for purchase soon!
Top Bracket
#1 Nordic 620 v 600 #16 Belgium
The Nordic team kicked off the festivities, having earned themselves the top seed from their outstanding play in the qualifiers and group stage. However, what was expected to be a laugher against the bottom seeded Belgium, fans were in for a nailbiter. Belgium jumped up on the Nordic team early, their chasers playing the game of their lives, leading 300 to 40 halfway through the match. With their World Cup berth on the line, the Nords dug deep, and led by the furious frenzy of beater Magnus Laufreyn, began to claw their way back into striking distance. Though maintaining their lead, Belgium was unable to pull away entirely, and in the 118th minute of play, Laufreyn’s fellow Swede, seeker Cecilie Eklund captured the snitch, delivering her team the 620 to 600 win, as the Nords advance to the quarter-finals! Riveting stuff!
#8 U.S.A 450 v 410 #9 Spain
The next match between the two middle seeds was expected to be close, and it didn’t disappoint, with the teams trading blows back and forth in a nip and tuck affair. That all changed after a self inflicted wound, with the Spanish keeper taking a nasty shot to the face from a bludger meant for one of the U.S.A’s chasers. Though they were checked for injury during a timeout, the blow seemed to rattle something loose, as a set of uncharacteristic blunders allowed the Americans to score several unanswered goals, their lead soon ballooning up to as high as 230. A few desperation goals and a snitch catch by Spain kept the score respectable, but even this wasn’t enough, as U.S.A. walks away with the victory, and moves on to face the Nordic team in the quarter-finals!
#4 Germany 520 v 440 #13 Uruguay
The weather was gorgeous, the pitch immaculate, truly a picture perfect setting for what was a massacre, almost from start to finish. German beaters Mordushku and Parsons ensured their chasers a veritable revolving door of shots on goal, and they took full advantage. Uruguay’s beaters looked to be overwhelmed, not up to the task of protecting their team, and with their chasers spending more time dodging bludgers than chasing the quaffle, Germany jumped out to a huge lead they would maintain for the duration of the game.
Only Uruguay’s seeker lived up to expectations, securing the snitch in the 43rd minute, before the score could balloon up too much. Despite the win, this reporter spotted the german seeker pounding the pitch and letting off a tirade of what I can only assume was profanity at her failure to capture the snitch. We suspect her focus will be even sharper in the next round, and don’t envy Germany’s opponent in the next round!
#5 Morocco 410 v 20 #12 Bulgaria
The Bulgarian team defied expectations to make it into the tournament, though we at the Daily Prophet wonder if they may now regret their surprise run, after running straight into the dragon’s den that was the Moroccans. The Bulgarians struck first, scoring the match’s first goal on an acrobatic shot from international star Anna Marinov. But from that point on, they looked outmatched and out of their element, with Morocco thoroughly dominating them from start to finish. At least they can take solace that Morocco put them out of their misery quickly, catching the snitch in just under half an hour. Next, onto Germany!
Bottom Bracket
#2 Brazil 510 v 490 #15 Ireland
Like the top seeded team from the top bracket, Brazil was also expected to take care of Ireland with little difficulty. Though the score would suggest otherwise, that’s more or less what happened. The match was a relatively ho-hum affair, not as action packed or exciting as some of the previous matches. Brazil struck first, taking an early lead that they would maintain from start to finish, their scoring steady and methodical.
A gaffe of epic proportions kept their seeker from catching the snitch, as their own teammate accidentally collided with them as they went into their dive, but unfortunately for the Irish, Brazil’s 170 point lead was enough to weather the snitch catch, sending Brazil onto the quarter-finals.
#7 France 400 v 580 #10 Australia
The first upset of the tournament belongs to the Australians, who take down betting favourite France. The longest match of the tournament so far due to a heavy fog rolling in early in the match, with Australia finally ending things in the 183rd minute. Due to reduced visibility, scoring was at a premium, and in this reporter’s humble opinion, at least half of the goals scored were actually errant passes, unseen by their intended target (and by the goalie they snuck past). Not the most riveting match to watch for the fans, but Australia’s won’t be complaining, as their team moves on to face Brazil in the next round.
#3 India 640 v 300 #14 Korea
The biggest blowout in the lower bracket belongs to India, who easily handled upstart Korea. In the second match to be played in what could charitably be called “inclement weather” (or more accurately, in the middle of a bloody monsoon), the Indian team weathered the storm the best. By the time the Koreans managed to acclimate themselves, the match was already well in hand, and with the indian seeker somehow managing to hold into the drenched snitch, they extended their lead and secured a spot in the round of eight.
#6 Japan 210 v 430 #11 Scotland
For the last match of the round of 16, and the second upset, heavily favoured Japan fall to the gritty Scots, who claim the final spot in the quarter-finals. With Japan’s seeker widely regarded as perhaps the best in the world, Scotland relied heavily on the play of their chasers to punch their ticket to the next round. With their beaters devoting all their attention to controlling Japan’s chasers, Scotland’s chasers, especially Pride of Portree star Elliot Reid feasted, racking up goal after goal to build a nearly four hundred point lead. As expected, Japan captured the snitch, but unfortunately for them, still fell well short of a win.
That finishes up the first round of the knockout stage, reducing numbers from sixteen to eight! Stay tuned as our coverage continues, with the quarter-finals right around the corner!
