ELF: Frankfurt Galaxy get by Milano Seamen to stay in playoff contention

| American Football | 07/10/2023

By Michael Voitek

The Frankfurt Galaxy found themselves in an offensive battle against the Milano Seamen but scored late to come away with an important 40-33 victory in the sixth week of European League of Football action.

With the win, the Galaxy improve their record to 4-1 and stay in contention in the tough Western Conference. The Seamen continued the tough start to their season and fell to 1-4.

The first half of this game went back and forth with each team battling for the lead. Down 6-7, early in the first quarter, Seamen quarterback Luke Zahradka found wide receiver Marian Cebotaru for a fantastic leaping catch in the end zone.

The Seamen would add a 53-yard field goal by kicker Matteo Felli (4/5 on the day – good from 34, 21, 53, 32) before the Galaxy went on a 14-0 run to end the first half.

In his third start for the Galaxy, Steve Cluley was able to exploit a Milano Seamen defense that tried to play a lot of single high and cover zero coverages. The Frankfurt quarterback continued to throw the ball deep throughout the game with some fairly good results.

Photo: Sergio Bisi

The second half of the game was much like the first half with both teams jostling for a lead. The Seamen struck first with a nice screen play to Ali Khalife, making his return from an injury this week, for a touchdown. With the score 23-20, the Galaxy would not stop attacking the air with Cluley finding Nico Strahmann for Strahmann’s third touchdown of the game, but the Seamen would not fade away. Down 33-23, Zahradka found Jean Constant for a long bomb 59-yard touchdown, making it a field goal game. The Galaxy would take the ball down the field, grinding for each yard before a fourth and one running back dive play, that appeared to be a first down. The Milano Seamen threw a challenge flag on the play, and what a genius call it was because the play was overturned and the Seamen took possession. Milano then drove down the field and booted a field goal to tie it.

The game came down to Steve Cluley and the struggles of the Milano Seamen’s defensive backfield. Cluley found Reece Horn for a long ball first down and then, the man of the match, Nico Strahmann would pull in his fourth touchdown of the game putting the Galaxy in front for good, 40-33.

What a game for the only game airing on Saturday!

The Seamen will have to rebound in week 7 in a must win against the Munich Ravens. The Galaxy will look to keep their four-game winning streak going when they face Western Conference rival, the Hamburg Sea Devils. We’re getting into must win territory for a lot of teams heading into week seven, making these games all the more interesting (which is hard to believe).

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