AFI Recaps another wild weekend of football from Europe

AFI | Allgau Comets | 08/10/2021

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

It was another action-packed weekend of football in Europe highlighted by the IFAF European Championship playoffs.

At least one championship final berth was decided on the field in the IFAF European Championship tournament this past weekend, with the other awaiting an appeal. The German Football League had another full slate of games while the European League of Football produced plenty of action. The Czech league is approaching the playoffs while the Ukrainian American Football League semifinals took place.

IFAF European Championships

Team Sweden spotted the Finnish national team a 14-0 first-quarter lead, and then slowly turned the game around to come away with a 22-14 win and a berth in the IFAF European Championship title game.

The Italian national team in all likelihood has advanced to the IFAF European Championship title game after Team France was forced to forfeit their semifinal game following an outbreak of COVID-19 among the French players while at camp in Italy, preparing for the game. France has the right to an appeal though.

Team Austria simply outgunned the Serbian national team in IFAF European Championship playoff action defeating the visiting Serbians 48-6 in Vienna, Austria.

German Football League

The Potsdam Royals (5-1), behind 3 TDs from the leading rusher in the GFL, Jake Mayon, defeated the Berlin Rebels (1-6) 26-7 as the German Football League heads into the final third of the season.

The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns (6-0) remain undefeated after manhandling the Ravesnburg Razorbacks (3-4) 49-12 in GFL South action.

The Munich Cowboys (4-3) held the Marburg Mercenaries (2-5) to just 80 yards of offense in blanking their GFL South rivals 27-0 to hold onto fourth place in the standings with three games to go.

In a wild GFL North shootout, the Dresden Monarchs (5-1) outlasted the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes (2-5) to come away with a 61-48 win. Both quarterbacks, KJ Carta-Samuels for Dresden and Joe Joe Germinerio for Kiel were superb tossing 7 TD passes each.

The Allgäu Comets (4-1) scored early and often in a 69-0 rout of the Stuttgart Scorpions (1-6) in GFL South action. Comets RB Glen Toonga led the team, rushing for 199 yards and 4 TDs to become the 2nd leading rusher in the GFL.

European League of Football

The Leipzig Kings (3-4) captured their second straight win in the ELF and third overall in defeating the slumping Stuttgart Surge (2-5) 49-23. Kings QB Michael Birdsong tossed 5 TD passes in the win while the Leipzig defense recorded 8 sacks.

The Barcelona Dragons (2-5) demonstrated their full offensive range against the Cologne Centurions (4-3), especially in the fourth quarter when they scored four touchdowns, to capture their second victory of the ELF season.

The Frankfurt Galaxy (6-1) avenged an earlier narrow loss to the previously unbeaten Hamburg Sea Devils (6-1), whipping them 35-9 in the surprise result of the European League of Football weekend.

Czech League of American Football

In the Czech Republic, the Ostrava Steelers (2-2) fell behind 13-7 to the Prerov Mammoths (0-4) at the end of the first quarter but then took over the game, pulling away for a comfortable 56-26 win.