/gd/ History

Main article: /gd/

2013 4chan Summer Cup Friendlies

Following its inception as a Fifth Founding team, /gd/'s first competitive game was in the 2013 Summer Cup Friendlies versus /s4s/ under the management of Autism-Chan, later known as M3OWMlX !!8Z/HmcSKOOT. A successful 3-1 victory marked /gd/'s first ever match, labeling them one of the more promising provisional teams. The following draw against /lit/ did little to dent the confidence of the early bloomers, who eagerly awaited their competitive fixtures.

2013 4chan Autumn Babby Cup Friendlies

After the glory and hype of the 2013 4chan Summer Cup died down, the friendlies saw a different side to the prodigal sons of the Fifth Founding. A very defence-oriented formation sparked many controversies across the 4chan cup fanbases, but the manager stuck to his guns and won an emphatic 2-0 victory against /jp/, who despite playing a 7-2-1 team, were overwhelmed on the back foot. This lead many 4chan Cup pundits to label the 7-2-1 formation "the future of football". The hype following match against /asp/ was set up to the brim. Already considered two of the best performing provisionals, the tension for the match was furthered when /asp/ fans claimed /gd/ and their defensive formation was a plague on the 4chan Cup they would singlehandedly purge, a claim even backed up by the /asp/ manager. Despite the cocksure claims from both sides, the match ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

2013 4chan Autumn Babby Qualifiers

/gd/ strode into the qualifiers for the 2013 4chan Autumn Babby Cup with the confidence of a team highly fancied to advance in the next tier of competition. Their first match was against rival art board /ic/. Although /ic/ took the lead early on, it took only 10 minutes for Helvetica and Kerning to turn the game around. As it looked like /gd/ was going to cruise into a comfortable win, about halfway into the second half, Minimalism picked up a direct red card. This would lead not only to /gd/ dropping 2 points against their rivals in a 2-2 clash, but also had them face a vicious /vr/ without one of their most important players. A game in which /gd/ barely clung on to a 0-0 draw. With the return of their medal AMF, /gd/ seamlessly cruised to a 2-0 win against /diy/ and, despite being held 1-1 against /e/ - confidently advanced to the Babbies, finishing second in their group due to a minor stutter.

2013 4chan Autumn Babby Cup

Being forced to sweat for their qualification spot in this tournament, /gd/ finally got to the Babbies with a good deal of confidence about advancing further. In their first game against /f/, /gd/'s formation was revamped into an all-out offence build, though the team played disoriented and sloppy, unused to this playing style, conceding a goal without a reply and losing their first ever competitive fixture. The following match against the dead /fit/ marked co-manager smear !!ZpszUblgJq9's managerial debut, a match he absolutely had to win to preserve /gd/'s chances of going through. Albeit facing a dead team, /gd/ had some difficulties, though a red card for Jeff Seid saw them cruise to a comfortable 2-0 victory. A win or a draw against perpetually declining /lit/ would have been enough to get /gd/ into the 2014 4chan Winter Cup. And after scraping a 1-0 win without having to do pretty much anything in defence, the team had finally reached the promised land.

With the knockouts afoot, /gd/ were set to face the powerhouse of /an/ who had been performing fantasticly in their group and were the favourite for the game. The team tried one of their now-signature unorthodox formations, shaping the formation into a sword-like build, which worked a charm to claim an/'s scalp in a surprising 2-0 upset, significantly increasing the hype around /gd/. Facing /toy/ in the quarter finals, /gd/ were plagued by tons of managerial setbacks. M3OWMlX !!8Z/HmcSKOOT was absent for the game, while smear !!ZpszUblgJq9 could not manage for the first half in which his side conceded 2 goals. Though actually managing to return for the 2nd half and instructing his team to go super offensive, his maneuver had Kerning pull back a late 88th minute tap-in, keeping hope alive. /gd/ tried their best at a comeback, though despite Helvetica dropping his shoulder and leaving /toy/'s defence dumbfounded, he failed to complete the happening as his shot veered ever so slightly off target, leaving many breathless, but ultimately putting /gd/ out of the knockouts, but with their heads held high, looking towards the 2014 4chan Winter Cup

2014 4chan Winter Cup Friendlies

In /gd/'s first official match using PES14, /gd/ managed to not only throw away a 2-goal lead to /y/, but also concede a goal in the 86th minute, which caused their PES14 debut to end with a 3-3 draw. In /gd/'s second friendly of the season, the team also managed to concede after a 2-goal lead, but Untitled-1.ai proving that he is the true pinnacle of saving, combined with Helvetica's 52nd minute goal sealed /gd/ a win. This friendlies season was important to /gd/, because their win over /lgbt/ gave the team enough ranking points to advance from Pot 4 to Pot 3 for the group draws for the 2014 Winter Cup.

2014 4chan Winter Cup

/gd/'s first ever performance in an Elite tier cup was a turbulent one that ultimately ended in disaster. Debuting in their first big cup match, /gd/ went out with a formation far more unorthodox than usual, with two overlapping centre-backs and barely any width to their play. The logical happened and the team conceded a 2-1 defeat to all-round-solid /mu/. Using the same formation, the outcome was no different against /gif/, who put 4 past Untitled-1.ai's net and relegated /gd/, marking their worst performance in any cup. Controversy arose as commissioner DrBorisG !!9Egy5BjxCD found claims of manager M3OWMlX !!8Z/HmcSKOOT intentionally throwing matches to get the team relegated on purpose, with his co-manager nowhere in sight to circumvent this, which resulted in the under-fire gaffer's permanent removal from /gd/'s management and all Cup-related activities. After all the smoke and debris, /gd/ got a much deserved and little expected win against /u/, dragging them down along to the 2014 4chan Spring Babby Cup. After controversy, frustration and disappointment, /gd/ look forward to a solid performance in the upcoming cup, under the helm of returning manager smear !!ZpszUblgJq9.

2014 4chan Spring Babby Cup

For the 2014 4chan Spring Babby Cup /gd/ were drawn in group F, along with /g/, /r9k/, as well as rivals /ic/ and /3/, setting the tone for two derby matches in one group phase. Facing off against /r9k/ in their first match, /gd/ had a multitude of chances, including two stellar efforts from >>>/r/ and Kerning, though both ended in a trollpost. Despite being considerably the better team on the pitch, they could squeeze only 1 point off a game that ended in a 0-0 thriller. After a dismal opening against /g/ and a goal conceded in the 4th minute, Kerning brought his A game and netted a hat-trick to bag /gd/'s first win in the Spring Babbies. In the Art Derby versus /ic/, both pride and a potential spot in the 2014 4chan Summer Cup went on the line. This understandably prompted both teams to act defensively and put priority on not conceding over scoring. Despite with a 5 man defence, /gd/ were actually the more offensive team and brilliant saves by Tehmeh were the only thing keeping /ic/ in it. A cagey match was decided with a 78th minute flying volley from Helvetica, which tore apart /ic/'s net and put /gd/ in the knockouts, as well as booking them elite cup football come Summer. In the 420 edition of the Spring Babbies, both /gd/ and their opponents - /3/ - put priority on >fun over results. The match rightfully ended 2-1 to /3/ after /gd/ pulled a Bayern and didn't dwell too much on the score, though neither party came out disappointed at the end, with /3/ bagging their first win in 10 matches and /gd/ confidently marching towards the knockouts.

2014 4chan Summer Cup

In their return to elite cup football, for the 2014 4chan Summer Cup, /gd/ were drawn in Group A, along with reigning champions /trv/, former champions /sp/ and dark horses /wsg/. For the first match of their group, as well as the first match altogether of the cup, /gd/ faced off against defending champions /trv/. The champions were on the offensive for most of the game, but a resilient /gd/ backside held out to a semen slurping 0-0 draw that gave /gd/ a glimmer of hope in their group of death. Despite this, /gd/'s survival in the Summer Cup was put into major question as the team went a second game without scoring. Going up against /wsg/, a single free kick was enough to dismantle an otherwise solid defensive wall and see /gd/ with only 1 point after 2 matches and a snowball's chance in hell at advancing. On the last day, stacked against insurmountable odds with a mountain to climb against one of the greatest teams in 4chan Cup history, /gd/ had to win by at least 2 against the GOATS of /sp/. With nothing to lose, the team threw itself hammer and tongs in attack, having the chance to take the lead as early as the 2nd minute, however Da Burrs deflected Fuck You, Pay Me's shot. The match was a head to head, back and forth grapple contest up until the 80th minute, where Kerning showed everyone why he's wearing the armband. A great attack swept past /sp/'s defence and he slotted it from a difficult angle to make /sp/ sweat. Only 6 minutes later, a beautiful series of passes lead to a historic moment. A flawless Helvetica cross fell into Kerning's feet, who instead of shooting then tricked the /sp/ defense with yet another cross. With the /sp/ defense left puzzled, the ball was sent into an open space just in front of the /sp/ goal, and none other than the courageous attacking centre back Glitch Art was there to smash the ball into the top of the net for his first ever /gd/ goal in his 1 year tenure. And what a goal it was. As the last whistle went off, seemingly sure-win /sp/ were relegated and /gd/ bagged their first ever elite cup knockouts, as well as their survival in the 4chan Cup's top tier.

In the round of 16, /gd/ were drawn against a familiar knockout opponent - /an/. The /an/imals were pinned as favorites for the match, but it was /gd/ who held the initiative for most of the game. Despite numerous chances falling at the feet of Fuck You Pay Me, Lens Flare and Helvetica, /an/'s keeper managed to deflect them all and amaze the crowd with his performance. The ball was largely in /gd/'s court, until the dying embers of the second half, when Untitled-1.PSD rolled the ball into the feet of an /an/ attacker, who graciously accepted and slotted it into the back of the net. This lead to Untitled-1.PSD's immediate substitution on the net and sacking, though with limited time remaining - /gd/ could do nothing to salvage what could have been their game. Although ending in regret for the chances not taken, /gd/'s campaign was deemed a largely successful one, with the team moving into 12th place in the Rankings and relegating an Elite team.

2015 4chan Winter Cup

After a historical performance in the 2014 4chan Summer Cup, /gd/ bagged their participation in the 2015 4chan Winter Cup, as well as a spot in Pot 2 - their highest seeding ever. They were drawn in Group H along with group favorites /u/, familiar opponents and fellow Fetus team /e/ and the Nuevo Elite /t/.

/gd/'s Winter campaign got off to a horrible start after a bitter defeat, which saw them let a 1-0 advantage slip against /t/, allowing the nuevo elites to equalize and even turn the game on a dime. /gd/'s desperation for an equalizer saw them pour men forward and despite it working enough to get an equalizer, it left them too open at the back and /t/ comfortably slotted in a third. Despite a good pass that ended up comfortably in Helvetica's feet, the /gd/ forward somehow managed to choke it all away and the match ended in defeat, leaving /gd/ at the bottom of the group after the first round.

The second game vs /u/ looked as if it was going to follow in the same pattern, as /u/ put themselves ahead in the scores after a fumbling /gd/ goalkeeper display. 1-0 down and facing relegation after just two days once again in Winter, the /gd/ livemanager reacted with impressive results. In classic 'smear, Master of Panic Tactics' fashion, /gd/ subbed on the 77 SS Super-sub Logo Redesign, who to everyone's shock scored not just once, but twice within five minutes of being brought on the pitch to put /gd/ ahead. However in the end it all returned to nothing as /u/ equalized deep into stoppage time to tie up the final score at 2-2.

As the maths worked out, despite sitting bottom of their group /gd/ could still guarantee their advancement from a win of any scoreline against recent hot shots /e/. Within the first 10 minutes it looked like it was already over, as /e/ scored twice quickly to make it 2-0. /gd/ didn't give up though as they had pulled themselves back level 20 minutes later with Glitch Art and Kerning goals. With the momentum behind them, /gd/ looked as if they could finish this incredible comeback to achieve victory and gain promotion, but sadly /e/ soon responded to make it 3-2 going into the halftime mark. After a hapless second half from both teams, the game finish as a 3-2 /e/ victory and saw /gd/ relegated without a win at the bottom of Group H.

2015 4chan Spring Babby Cup

Once again /gd/ found themselves in the Spring Babby Cup after another terrible Winter campaign, only this time the team weren't here because the manager threw games and got banned, they were here because they just sucked.

As the draw was made, /gd/ found itself to be the last team remaining in the hat for the Pot 2 teams, placing them in Group H for the second Cup in a row. Drawn in a group with /an/, /3/, /tv/ and /v/, the group looks like it could be anyone's game. The usual powerhouse of /an/ will be trying to regain their footing, while /3/ and /v/ are looking refreshed with new managers at the helm. Despite a recent managerial dispute, /tv/ too hope to join the big guys up in the elites and crash their party. /gd/ will have to be on their toes to advance, and it will start of with a rematch of the derby match from the previous Spring Babby between the rasters and the renders.

"Loop dat shit bitch"

— Old Man Sou

A quote referring to Glitch Art's goalhorn, which summed up /gd/'s group stage well. /gd/ confirmed themselves top of the group after winning all of their first 3 games of their 2015 Spring Babby campaign. The team scored 8 goals on their way there, and Glitch Art claimed 5 of them. /gd/ failed to claim all 12 points however, as they lost in a spaghetti filled 1-0 loss to /tv/ which included a red card for /tv/ and only 25% shot accuracy for /gd/. Nevertheless, /gd/ advanced to the Round of 16 as a top seed team.

Once again just like the previous Spring, /gd/ found themselves drawn against a hardened team who advanced from the arguably the hardest group. Instead of /tg/, this time it was bikefags of /n/. /gd/ had originally set up a rather unorthodox formation of '2-1-0-7', but unfortunately couldn't use it due to /n/ using a formation that would easily counter it. Despite this, /gd/ quickly adapted and found themselves 2-1 up at the halftime. They couldn't hold on though as /n/ equalized late to take the game to Extra Time, where they scored once again to take themselves ahead and win a well fought game 3-2. /gd/ bowed out at 10th place, and began to prepare for Summer.

2015 4chan Summer Cup

/gd/ found themselves once again in the Elites and this time they fell into Group C with Babby companions /mu/ and the Winter Elites of /sci/ and [s4s]. Seen to be one of the hardest groups, /gd/ were in for a tough time.

Their Summer campaign got off to a flying start with the 4-1 destruction of /sci/, /gd/'s biggest ever Cup win, and an astonishing 100% Pass Completion at half time. After brushing /sci/ aside, /gd/ then went up against /mu/ next. Despite scoring first, /gd/ were unable to contain the /mu/ offense as they came back in style and put 3 past the /gd/ defense. A late 90+ goal was not enough to steal a point, and /gd/ lost their second game of the campaign 3-2. This left /gd/ 3rd in the group table, and with /sci/ already relegated, it meant the game against [s4s] was a must win for /gd/.

This is where it gets interesting.

/gd/ went into the [s4s] game with nothing to lose, deploying a heavy attacking setup against the memelords. With /mu/ confirmed promotion, only one team in this game could advance, and /gd/ were making sure it was them. In a back and forward game, [s4s] and /gd/ took turns in scoring, starting with a Patrick Bateman goal for [s4s] first. The first half ended 2-2 and /gd/ entered the second half still looking for that winning goal. At the 70th minute mark, the /gd/ defense dropped all the spaghetti out of their pockets and allowed Patrick Bateman to complete his hattrick with an easy tap in goal. /gd/ were now 2 in the hole with only 20 minutes left, so they had no option but to switch to their complete panic formation with 5 attackers. With five minutes left of regular playtime, /gd/ still hadn't found the [s4s] goal and no one had a doubt in their mind that /gd/ were facing relegation.

But, in what could possibly be /gd/'s finest ever moment in the Cup, they found the light. In the 89th minute, substitute >>>/r/ put away a throughball from Glitch Art to tie the scoring at 3-3. /gd/ had only the given four minutes of stoppage time to find that other goal they so needed or they were out. In the craziest five minutes of the Cup, the game saw a flying bicycle kick from hero GK Untitled-1.AI, which then led to a Red Card for [s4s] defender Flowre who had only been on the pitch for a single minute. /gd/ were awarded a freekick and it was their last lifeline.

"Urgh, drowning in my sweat!"

— Dr Paval

/gd/ took the freekick short but after a close call /gd/ managed to win a throw-in deep in the [s4s] half. From the throw-in, Lens Flare chipped the ball into the box only for the hero pirate >>>/r/ to run and volley the ball into the top corner, completing his miracle brace to win /gd/ the game 4-3 and clinch promotion in the most incredible way possible. [s4s] were not even allowed a second to play after their kickoff and /gd/ found themselves in the Round of 16 by the skin of their teeth alongside /mu/.

/gd/ then drew /mlp/ in the Ro16, and in the so controversial match /gd/ managed to choke their way to a 1-0 loss with only 25% shot accuracy. Despite having some of the best chances to score in the game, /gd/ dropped out and /mlp/ went on to win the entire Cup, much to the dismay of everyone else.

2016 4chan Winter Cup

"Oh man, Minimalism is dead."

— Gracen

The first match of the 2016 Winter Cup between /r9k/ and /gd/ was /gd/’s non-medals’ time to shine, with >>>/r/ scoring in the first half and substitute >bumping /gd/ scoring in the second. The chicken meat of the match was spent watching players tripping over each other and themselves, /r9k/ too beta to score and /gd/ too starved to move. Having won the match, the /gd/ management promises the final payment “soon”.

Thereafter in Group G, /gd/ was to first face the digital, and then the digits. With /gd/ winning 2-1, the match against /g/ followed in the same line as the match against /r9k/. The match after against /s4s/, however, did not. After a fairly uneventful first half, three consecutive goals secured /gd/’s position in the Round of 16. The sweet taste of victory was served with a side of mustard.

"Kerning and burning."

— DrBorisG

In the Round of 16, /gd/ was first pitted against defending champions /mlp/. /mlp/ seemed dominant in the beginning, with only the trollpost in the way of their first goal. However, a clearance by Pepsi Universe found an open Helvetica who then proceeded to lose the ball upon tripping over /mlp/’s >No Hooves. Helvetica then found the ball again, passed it to Kerning, who completed the goal as defenders began swarming the box. Just as /gd/ seemed to be on the path to victory, they were forced to rein their horses in as /mlp/ spurred on with two consecutive goals. Some spaghetti saw Helvetica’s shot saved by the keeper, the same ball received by Pepsi Universe and then saved by the keeper again before bouncing off the post and received by Kerning. Kerning then proceeded to literally walk the ball in. With the score being 2-all and about two minutes on the clock, everyone was on the edge of their seats, only to be confronted by technical difficulties. As the players continued horsing around in the four minutes of stoppage time, the match went on to extra time. A half volley from Kerning completed his “cat-trick” and a shot from Fuck You, Pay Me, saw the game close, with more than 10 shots from each side, at 4-2 to /gd/.

Following this, /gd/ would play the only other team that mustard raced the group stages. /out/ drew first blood, but /gd/ quickly answered. Some back and forth between the two teams led to a 3-all game by the end of regulation and the match went on to extra time. A goal from /out/ at the last minute left no time for an answer and the match ended with /gd/… >>>/out/ of the tournament. They will have to wait for Summer to try their luck once again.

2016 4chan Summer Cup

The 2016 Summer Cup marked the Cup’s 5th year of rigging. This fact was duly noted, reacted on and then promptly disregarded in favour of actual, virtual divegrass. /gd/ was drawn in Group F, alongside /soc/, /wsg/ and /trv/. The game with /soc/ was a 4/10, it ended in a 2-1 loss for /gd/. In the next game, /gd/ was running in circles while /wsg/ was looping. This match ended with a 2-0 win for /gd/, placing them one step closer to getting a spot in the knockouts. With /trv/, both teams were flying high on goals with wings of deeply flawed goalkeeping. An impressive volley from Glitch Art and his following brace gave /gd/ a solid lead and secured their promotion.

In preparation of the first match of the Round of 16, /fit/ was running miles. /gd/, on the other hand, was running Adobe Illustrator. This match saw an impressive steal by Glitch Art, whereby the ball was stolen from between a defender’s legs. The resulting goal was quickly equalised by /fit/, but /gd/ kept the pressure on. Their efforts paid off; a goal from Kerning near the end of the game got /gd/ back on track to run in 90’s—that is to say, in the quarter finals.

Cruising through the Elites, /gd/ hit a roadblock in the form of /o/, the future runner-up. Having topped their group in the previous stage and steamrolled /f/, /o/ was a certified lean, mean, killing machine. /o/ took the initial lead, until a lucky goal from Kerning equalised the game and put /gd/ back up to speed. Tragedy struck in the second half, when a battery of shots from /o/ showed /gd/ exactly what it took to make it your year. /gd/ would drop out in eighth place, exhausted and worn down, but more determined than ever to face new challengers in the next cup.

2017 4chan Winter Cup

Drawn in Group B with /int/, /c/ and /f/, /gd/’s first match in PES17 would be against the /c/itizens. Cards were handed out to both sides, most notably a yellow for /c/’s Fluffy at the very first minute and a straight red for Fuck You, Pay Me at the sixty third for foul play. /gd/ scored early while /c/ scored late and both teams parted with a chic 1-1 draw and 1 point each. /gd/ then faced /f/ where /gd/ would gain just as many cards as goals. The game ended 2-1, a win for /gd/ with yellow cards for Kerning and Edit This Face. Having been carded twice, Edit This Face was suspended for the next match against /int/. In that match, /gd/ would quickly gain the lead, scoring two goals within the first half. Art and culture were at peace, until the end of regulation time, where with only four minutes of stoppage left, both teams decided to park the bus. Aggressively. The match ended in memes, a 2-2 draw and both teams promoting.

Who was /gd/ to meet next but the dubbed “funposters” of /s4s/. This match was a bit of an oddball, being a goalfest in 2-1 machine that is PES17. The second half brought some great shots, but only for the journalists present. /gd/ took the match away with a decisive victory 5-2 and would march on to the quarter finals.

In the next game, /gd/ and /mu/ would both go to great lengths to fix their place in the semi finals: for /gd/, measured in pixels, for /mu/, metre. The heels came alive to the sound of music and a tense game between the two teams led to a 0-0 tie by the half. Only divine intervention would be able to decide the better of these two teams. Unfortunately for /gd/, divine intervention was exactly what was next on /m “I love you Jesus Christ” u/’s setlist as Vaporwave received a yellow card and Fuck You, Pay Me received his second red card of the tournament. With both teams still holding strong after F*ck You, Pay Me’s suspension, the game got an enthusiastic encore in the form of extra time where /mu/’s Mangum managed to sneak in a goal. Being unable to answer, /gd/ would go out on a song. Winter melted into Spring and /gd/ would have to wait for later to settle the score.

2017 4chan Summer Cup

After holding on to their promotion from Winter, /gd/ went on to participate in the 2017 Summer Cup. With a lacklustre performance against /g/ and /int/, a consolatory win against /co/ was not enough for /gd/ to advance.

This cup saw /gd/ being relegated to the babbies for the first time since the 2015 Summer Cup.

Smugleaf !!WROPMzfJikm announced his retirement and Incoming !!LIKZcxsmOAv took over which revived hopes of /gd/ promoting.

2017 4chan Autumn Babby Cup

Being placed in Group C with /c/, /po/ and /x/, [[/gd/’s first match was a comfy game with /c/, which ended in the comfiest of scorelines, 1-1. Following this, /gd/ was pitted against another small creative board, /po/, which became a showcase of /gd/’s alt horns somewhere along the line. After a win against /x/, /gd/ emerged top of their group and went on easily into the knockouts.

The Round of 16 kicked off with a cat-and-dog fight between /gd/ and /k/. A lot of stumbling from both sides led to 0 goals on target for both teams by half-time. With 1 goal for /k/, the situation was looking grim for /gd/. However, the tides soon turned when a bit of friendly fire from /k/’s Vining gave /gd/ enough ammunition to take the lead. All was well, until a second yellow card in the same game for Helvetica led to his immediate suspension. /gd/ may have won the battle against /k/, but they would soon lose the war as they were to face the arcanines of /r9k/ without their gold medal. The feels were with /gd/ that day as they were defeated by /r9k/. Still, /gd/ had promoted to Winter and to Winter they would go.

2018 4chan Winter Cup

After their success in the Autumn Babby Cup, /gd/ went on into the 2018 Winter Cup, more ready than ever to hold onto their promotion. Despite being heavily carded, /gd/ cleared the group stage and advanced to the knockouts.

After meeting /o/ in the group stage, it seemed almost fitting to face their brother, /n/, in the knockouts. Unfortunately, although Helvetica was sent flying one too many times, /gd/’s plans of taking the lead simply would not take off. The can of this match was Bepsi and advancing to the quarter finals remained little more than a pipe dream for /gd/. Even then, with this cup’s solid performance, /gd/ will walk straight into Summer.

2018 4chan Summer Cup

Having held on to their promotion, /gd/ would next appear in the 2018 Summer Cup. With new player Aesthetic Flags of the World and returning player Golden Ratio, /gd/ was to face old foes /r9k/ and /u/ in Group A, as well as the recently promoted /ck/. The first game with /r9k/ ended in a 1-1 draw, yet /gd/ looked much worse for wear with Minimalism and >>>/wsr/ both receiving yellow cards. As luck would have it, neither were suspended and /gd/ went on to win both their games against /u/ and /ck/, topping the group and securing a spot in the Round of 16.

In the knockouts, /gd/’s mettle was put to the test against the mighty steel of /m/, as the game moved from a draw onto penalties. A miskick from >>>/wsr/ might have ended the game in /m/’s favour, but Untitled-1 .AI had stopped crashing long enough for a save which put both teams into suicides, where /gd/ advanced by the skin of their teeth. /gd/’s next opponents would be the GOATs of /sp/ (again). While /gd/ held on strong in the first half, in a reversal of IT’S TWO, a goal from /sp/’s Punished Messi and an own goal from Untitled-1.AI put the game away in /sp/’s favour. The /sp/artans were waving flags that day and /gd/ bowed out at 7th place. As Winter approaches, /gd/ looks forward for another shot at glory.