For the first time in their history,Ā Team GermanyĀ has beaten anĀ AmericanĀ national squad as they defeated theĀ USA,Ā represented by theĀ United States Federation of American Football, 14-13 at theĀ World GamesĀ inĀ Wroclaw, Poland, in a game which should not have been that close.
TheĀ USFAFĀ team, which almost did not make it to theĀ World Games, was put together, literally within a couple of days.
With barely one practice under their belts and a roster which was below the minimum 45, a rag tagĀ United StatesĀ team took the field to face a well-preparedĀ GermanĀ team Ā in the middle of the regular season inĀ Germany.
And it showed asĀ Team GermanyĀ controlled much of the play. Nevertheless,Ā Team USAĀ battled.
After a quiet first quarter, in whichĀ GermanyĀ missed a chance to take the lead on a missed field goal,Ā Team GermanyĀ opened the scoring. QuarterbackĀ Alexander HaupertĀ connected with 6ā9ā³ wide receiverĀ Aurieus AdegbesanĀ on a 43 yard touchdown pass andĀ Thomas RauchĀ kicked the extra point to give the Germans a 7-0 lead.
TheĀ United StatesĀ responded on the next series with quarterbackĀ Dustin Hawke Willingham,Ā who was struggling to find any kind of rhythm,Ā finally findingĀ Terry GaitorĀ for a 47 yard touchdown.Ā John MoorheadĀ kicked the extra point and the score was tied at halftime.
TheĀ AmericansĀ entered the third quarter with some momentum and began to take charge asĀ Hawke WillinghamĀ led his team on a long drive, capping it with a 26 yard touchdown toĀ Tyrell BanksĀ givingĀ Team USAĀ a 13-7 lead. The missed extra point proved to be crucial.
WithĀ HaupertĀ replaced at quarterback byĀ Sonny Weishaupt, GermanyĀ began to take control in the fourth quarter.Ā WeishauptĀ finally led his team on an extended drive, finishing it off with a 28 yard touchdown pass toĀ Kwame Ofori. Thomas RauchĀ kicked the extra point to take a 14-13 lead.
Team GermanyĀ then held on for the win.
Turnovers proved to be costly forĀ Team USAĀ as theĀ AmericanĀ quarterbackĀ threw four interceptions.
This was not the first time aĀ USFAFĀ team has lost toĀ EuropeanĀ competition. In 2012,Ā Team DenmarkĀ defeated them 49-20.
In the second semifinal,Ā Team FranceĀ defeatedĀ PolandĀ 28-2.Ā GermanyĀ will faceĀ FranceĀ in the gold medal final on Monday, July 24 whileĀ Team USAĀ will playĀ PolandĀ in the bronze medal game.