SCANDINAVIA’S PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM CAN MAKE HISTORY IN AUSTRIA
Nordic Storm is ready for the EFA Championship Game.
On Sunday afternoon, the Danish-Swedish team secured its place in the final with a convincing 45-6 victory over the Paris Musketeers in the semifinal in Frankfurt. Nordic Storm now has just one game remaining in its first season, with the Munich Ravens awaiting in the final at Tivoli Stadion Tirol in Innsbruck on August 29.
However, the semifinal started much closer than the final score suggests.
Paris came out strong and made things difficult for Nordic Storm in the first quarter. The French side took a 3-0 lead with an impressive 55-yard field goal and later made it 6-7. But those would also prove to be Paris’ final points of the game.
Nordic Storm’s defense did not allow Paris a single touchdown throughout the entire semifinal.
Instead, Nordic Storm gradually began to take control. Not through easy points or because Paris gave anything away, but through the execution and discipline that have characterized the team throughout the season.
Nordic Storm led 7-6 after the first quarter. By halftime, the lead had grown to 28-6, and after the third quarter, the score stood at 45-6.
From there, the place in the final was never seriously in doubt.
Nordic Storm finished the game with 491 yards of offense compared to Paris’ 188 and recorded 29 first downs to the French side’s 13. Quarterback Jadrian Clark threw for 348 yards and five touchdowns, while Glen Toonga rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown.
But for Nordic Storm General Manager Kristian Gildsig, the biggest achievement was not one particular player or statistic.
“Paris made things difficult for us early on, and we had to work for our points. But the team just kept going. It was almost like watching a well-oiled machine, with everyone doing their job and trusting each other. There were no egos. The players believe in our coaches, and our coaches trust the players. That unity has been one of our greatest strengths throughout the season, and we saw it again today,” says Kristian Gildsig.
Although temperatures in Frankfurt did not reach the same levels as during Saturday’s semifinal between Frankfurt Galaxy and Munich Ravens, the game was still played in warm late-summer conditions.
In the stands, a group of Nordic Storm fans had made the trip to Frankfurt to support the team. Among them were also several Nordic Storm cheerleaders, who swapped the sideline for the stands this time and cheered alongside the other fans.
“It means a lot. We’re playing a long way from home, but we can still hear and see our own fans in the stands. People have travelled to Frankfurt to be part of this with us. Now, of course, we hope even more people will make the trip to Innsbruck and join us for the final game,” says Kristian Gildsig.
MUNICH RAVENS AWAIT IN THE FINAL
Nordic Storm’s opponent on August 29 will be the Munich Ravens, who secured their place in the final on Saturday with a 52-33 victory over Frankfurt Galaxy.
It will also be a rematch against the team Nordic Storm most recently faced at Gladsaxe Stadium on August 8.
Nordic Storm won that game 55-7 in front of a record crowd of 3,113 spectators. But the result does not tell the full story of the balance of power between the two finalists. Munich Ravens chose to rest several key players in the game at Gladsaxe Stadium ahead of their semifinal, and Nordic Storm therefore expects a very different opponent in Innsbruck.
“We know that winning 55-7 doesn’t mean the final will be easy. Quite the opposite. Munich is a very strong football team, and they will field the strongest team they can. A final is a new game, and that’s exactly how we’re going to approach it. From now on, our full focus is on the Munich Ravens and on being as well prepared as possible for August 29,” says Kristian Gildsig.
Nordic Storm can now finish its first season with the biggest achievement possible.
One game remains.
The winner will lift the EFA trophy in Innsbruck on August 29, and Nordic Storm is going all in to bring it home to Scandinavia.
ROLL STORM 🌊
📸 Eric Mühle
