LIVESTREAM: Germany – Marburg Mercenaries @ Frankfurt Universe, May 13, 3p (9a EST

AFI | American Football | 05/13/2018

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

The Frankfurt Universe (1-0) Europe #6, face the Marburg Mercenaries, Europe #13, in the first big test for both teams in Frankfurt, Sunday, May 13 in the second round of the German Football League.

The Universe defeated the Munich Cowboys 17-0 two weeks ago while Marburg handed the newly-promoted Kirchdorf Wildcats a 33-7 loss.

These two teams met twice in 2017 with Frankfurt winning both games, 35-3 and 37-10. Frankfurt reached the German semi-finals in 2017 where they were edged 23-21 by the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions. The Mercenaries advanced to the quarterfinals where the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes defeated them 28-14.

The two teams have undergone some changes in the offseason with Marburg re-acquiring running back Silas Nacita from Frankfurt, the fourth leading rusher in the German Football League in 2017. He played for the Mercenaries in 2016 and was the third top running back in Germany that year. Alongside him in the backfield is Andrecus Lindley and Austrian quarterback Alexander Thury. Thury threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Kirchdorf while Nacita and Lindley scored a touchdown each.

Frankfurt replaced Nacita with former Dresden Monarch running back Joe Bergeron and French all star running back Andreas Betza. Bergeron gained 105 yards in the win over Munich. Quarterback Steve Cluely threw for 240 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys. His receiving corps includes two key returnees in David Giron and George Robinson. British receiver Timothy Thomas joined after playing three years with the Seinajoki Crocodiles in Finland and fellow Brit Harry Innis with an NFL background has also signed.

In addition to opening the regular season in Germany with a convincing win, Frankfurt has also played two Big6 games, destroying the Amsterdam Crusaders from Holland 40-9 and whipping France’s La Courneuve Flash 48-6.