Four Teams Set For Semi Finals
Four teams - Canada, Japan, Spain and Thailand - are through to the semi finals of the NFL Flag Football World Championship in Cologne, Germany. The leading quartet will play for a place in the final and a chance to be crowned world champions at 12.45pm German time on Saturday.
Canada remained unbeaten in group play on Friday, posting a 4-0 record to top Group A, before seeing off Germany 45-18 in the quarter finals to set up a meeting with Japan in the semi finals. The Canadians had the edge 54-46 when the two teams met earlier in the competition.
The home team Schuldorf Bergstrasse Hillsiders from Seeheim Jugenheim were hampered by an injury to star receiver Lukas Kleinsorge in the quarter final, but managed to score first against the Ecole River Heights Middle School from near Winnipeg before the Canadians took control.
“Now we face the biggest and most important one or hopefully two games of our lives,” said Canada coach Shawn Gretchen. “Japan gave us a tough game last time and we only just came away with the win, so we know it won’t be easy.
The Fujitsu Junior Frontiers from Kawasaki representing Japan closed out the group stages with a 2-2 record, though both losses, to Thailand and Canada, came by a combined total of only nine points. They surged convincingly through in the quarterfinals by 61-36 against the Netherlands.
Spain finished on top of Group B at 3-1 and edged China 30-27 in a thrilling game during the knockout stages for the right to meet Thailand in the semi finals. The lead changed hands three times inside the two-minute warning as the European champions Pere Vives Vich from Igualada prevailed to reach the final four for the first time in five attempts.
The Chaopraya Wittayakom School (3-1) from Bangkok is defending the title won by Thailand in 2005 and beat Korea 48-15 after their opponent had turned around its winless form to qualify from Group B by beating both Germany and Spain. The Koreans led 25-21 at halftime, but crashed out when Thailand scored on the first play of the second half and then turned an immediate interception at the goal line into another score and an unassailable lead.
The New York DAC Panthers Team USA lost 48-40 against the Netherlands despite last-minute heroics from playmaker Eddie Roscigno and dropped dramatically from second to fifth in the Group B standings to meet winless Las Aguilas from Mexico in the ninth place playoff.
Further details on the FFWC can be found at the website www.NFL-Flag.com, including game recaps, statistics, a daily web log, photos and all the highlights from each day of flag football action and sightseeing.
Group A Group B
Canada 4-0 Spain 3-1
Thailand 3-1 Netherlands 3-1
Japan 2-2 Korea 2-2
China 1-3 Germany 1-3
Mexico 0-4 USA 1-3
Results
USA 12 Spain 20
Germany 32 Korea 47
Canada 38 Mexico 28
Germany 12 Netherlands 56
Japan 41 China 35
Spain 25 Korea 41
Thailand 54 China 52
USA 40 Netherlands 48
Quarterfinal Spain 30 China 27
Quarterfinal Canada 45 Germany 18
Quarterfinal Thailand 48 Korea 25
Quarterfinal Japan 61 Netherlands 36
Mexico 44 USA 14 (best of 3 games)
Results, Thursday, August 24:
Thailand 59 Canada 60
Netherlands 58 Korea 50
Japan 36 Mexico 18
Germany 20 Spain 24
Canada 41 China 34
USA 25 Korea 24
Thailand 34 Japan 33
Spain 32 Netherlands 20
China 32 Mexico 21
Germany 45 USA 24
Japan 46 Canada 54
Thailand 51 Mexico 34
Saturday, August 26
11.30am Germany vs. Holland / China vs. Korea / USA vs. Mexico (best of 3 games)
12.45pm Semi final 1: Spain vs. Thailand / Semi final 2: Canada vs. Japan / Game for 7th place
2.00pm Game for 3rd place / Game for 5th place / Mexico vs USA (if necessary)
4.00pm Final (winners SF1 vs. SF2)
The NFL is proud to partner with Reebok, EA and Gatorade and promote this prestigious coed tournament, which motivates boys and girls to participate in a fun and safe sport.