A match played
second by second
Most online managers work out the result from the teams’ ratings and dress it up with a match report. Fakenine simulates the whole match: all 22 players are on the pitch, they move, decide and make mistakes. The result comes from what happens, not from a dice roll.
Twenty-two players who think
Every second, every player looks around and decides: the one on the ball chooses between passing, carrying, dribbling, crossing or shooting; the rest make runs, cover, press or get back into shape. What he sees depends on his vision and position, and what he achieves, on his attributes.
The ball really travels
A pass doesn't arrive by magic: the ball leaves the foot, crosses the pitch and someone can cut it out on the way. Long balls, through balls and crosses carry their risk, and the duel to receive it is won by the fastest, the strongest or the best positioned.
Everything that happens in a match
- Passes, carries, dribbles and tackles, with duels between attacker and defender.
- Shots from any distance and a goalkeeper who saves according to his level.
- Offsides, fouls and cards, with referees of different temperaments.
- Set pieces: corners, free kicks into the box, direct free kicks and penalties, with marking and takers.
- Throw-ins, goal kicks and stoppage time depending on how much play was stopped.
- Counter-attacks, pressing after losing the ball and teams dropping deep.
- Fatigue that shows late on, injuries and substitutions.
- What happens depends on the score: the team ahead may waste time, the team behind takes risks.
- Defenders who follow the forward running into their zone, and a better team that keeps the ball more and patiently looks for the gap.
- Computer-controlled teams that plan each match around the opponent: counter-attacking against stronger sides, going for it against weaker ones.
A good player is good, in any division
Attributes show: a fast striker gets in behind, a strong centre-back wins the headers and a better goalkeeper saves more. But matches between modest teams are still football matches, with goals and chances: football is played in the bottom division too, just worse.
Calibrated against real football
Goals, shots, shots on target, fouls, cards, possession and ball-in-play time are compared with professional football stats by simulating thousands of matches. If anything is out of line, it gets fixed before it reaches the game.
FAQ
Is the result random?
No. There are surprises, as in football, but the result comes from what happens in the match: who wins the duels, who gets to the ball first and who is clinical in front of goal.
Can I watch the match?
Every match has its report with the goals, cards, substitutions, stats and a heat map for each player, and a 2D viewer to watch it play out.
