Despite an increase in performance compared to the previous week, the Cologne Centurions were not enough for the next win of the season in the ELF (European League of Football) on Sunday. In front of 3,500 spectators in the Hoheluft stadium in Lokstedt, head coach Christos Lambropoulos’ team lost 14:18 (0:0; 0:3; 14:0; 0:15) to the Hamburg Sea Devils and in the end mourned the missed chances. In the dramatic final quarter, Cologne made too many mistakes and lost a 14:3 lead.
Cologne’s head coach had every reason to be upset at half-time. Although his team presented themselves much stronger than in the bad 3:62 defeat in the derby against Rhein Fire last weekend, they failed again in the first half to collect important points with the offensive – and that should take revenge in the final statement. After a weak first 15 minutes by both teams, the risk-taking Centurions made some nice moves in the second quarter, but the scoreboard remained zero.
Centurions only convert five out of ten field goal attempts this season
Hamburg’s almost equally harmless attack was short on points with three points thanks to a field goal by Eric Schlomm. The missed equalizer for Cologne – due to an attempt by kicker Jens Appelt blocked by the opponent – also underscored the plight of the Centurions’ special teams. The Cologne team was only able to convert five out of ten field goal attempts this season. In the half-time interview, Lambropoulos was particularly annoyed by the penalties that kept throwing his team back and by the lack of penetrating power of the offensive: “We have the chances, but we don’t finish the attacks again.”
In the third quarter, the Cologne attackers were finally able to convert their efforts into points. Quarterback Judd Erickson, who risked his neck several times, often ran with the ball himself because there was no passing station and played fourth attempts several times, initiated the Cologne lead with a play worth seeing. The US playmaker let two defenders run into space with a body fake and then threw a dead-straight pass down the middle to Terryon Robinson to make it 6-3. Because it worked so well, Erickson tried that move again a little later – and found pass recipient Ben Fröhlich to make it 12:3. Terryon Robinson caught the additional attempt to make it 14:3.
Next Centurions home game on August 12th in the Südstadion
When Tom Kleinmann was able to intercept an attack from Hamburg at the beginning of the final quarter, Cologne might have thought they were already on the road to victory. The Centurions’ offensive seemed to have lost its power in the final section and was stopped early. On the other hand, the Sea Devils found their way back into the game and turned the game around within five minutes. Benjamin Mau and Jakob Michaelsen shortened the lead to 14:11 for Hamburg before the Cologne team suffered the next blow. After Daniel Schumacher’s free kick was too short, the Special Team couldn’t get hold of Hamburg’s fast Curtis Slater and conceded the 14:18.
The ELF is taking a break next weekend. For the Centurions, the season continues on August 12 (5 p.m.) with the game against Frankfurt Galaxy in the Südstadion.
2023-07-31 09:07:25
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