LIVESTREAM DENMARK: Aalborg 89ers @ Copenhagen Towers, September 25, 19:00 CET (7 pm, 1 pm ET)

| AAB 89ers | 09/25/2021

The Aalborg 89ers will travel to Denmark’s capital city to take on the Copenhagen Towers in this Saturday night Danish Nationaligaen semifinal matchup.

The hosting Towers look to get the win at Gentofte stadium in front of their home fans and return to the Mermaid Bowl. The visiting 89ers however have a talented squad looking to make some noise and knock off one of the league’s top teams.

The 89ers ride into the playoffs on the back of a potent passing attack. Former Northwestern State (NCAA D1 FCS) quarterback Shelton Eppler has been one of the league’s top players putting up 17 touchdowns and 1,723 passing yards on a efficient 68% completion percentage. Eppler has been able to find Magnus Urth often in the last two games, as the Danish receiver has put up a monster 29 catches for 435 yards and three TDs. Andreas Brandsen is another key figure in this offense. The speedy running back has the ability to burn defenses as a receiver or a runner out of the backfield. 89ers head coach Austin Jones said this about his air-raid attack:

“Passing is sexy, but we need a balanced offense to be successful. We’ve got to get the run game going this week. In the two previous matchups with them, we’ve only rushed for 29 yards. That’s obviously not good enough.”

Aalborg 89ers @ Copenhagen Towers, September 25, 19:00 CET (7 pm, 1 pm ET)

Aalborg’s defense will be keyed in on the run game as linebacker Tobias Foggtmann projects to having another stat sheet stuffing game. The 6’2 240lb linebacker has put up 34 tackles on the season. At the line of scrimmage 6’5″ 290 pound defensive lineman De’mage Bailey looks to make an impact in this one. Bailey, a former Eastern Carolina (NCAA D1) product uses his size and skills to eat up blocks and collapse the pocket extremely well.  The 89ers secondary features Milos Ilic one of the top corners in the country. If the Aalborg defense can stop the run they could have a chance to make history tonight.

Copenhagen has not won the Mermaid Bowl since 2018. This year they look to change that fact, entrusting quarterback Randall Schroeder with the offense. Schroeder was a vital part of the Towers’ last championship and is looking to relive that same magic again three long years later. The Ave Maria (NAIA) product has played well throwing for 1,521 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. The former Mermaid Bowl champion benefits from two great receivers in Jakob Green and Mike Williams who have put up 569 and 431 yards a respectively. Copenhagen’s run is equally if not more dynamic as running back Anton Witmeur has the strength to pick up tough yards and the speed to go the distance. The Danish veteran averaged over 6 yards a carry over the course of the season. If Copenhagen can run the ball well today, they will likely be celebrating another championship appearance with their fans. Towers head coach Peter Herbild commented on the upcoming matchup:

“I believe we need to be very careful basing our expectations for Saturday on our past achievements. Our team has not been nearly as dominant this season and that comes down to myself and the veteran players not delivering at the same level. If we do not bring focus and effort, we might see a Mermaid Bowl without the Towers for the first time since 2015.”

The Towers will need to create a pass rush to stop a passing-based 89ers offense. Defensive lineman Magnus Larsen aims to defeat blocks and get to the Aalborg quarterback often. Expect defenders Marcus Boesen and Eivind Rolles to play well as the two were standouts all season long causing fumbles and intercepting passing.  If they can contain an explosive offense, Copenhagen could be right back in the Mermaid Bowl for the fifth straight season.

Fans are expecting another exciting back and forth game between these two squads as their last matchup features plenty of big plays. Viewers can anticipate a rocky crowd in Copenhagen cheering for their Towers to get back in the title game. For the 89ers they look to make history and break a 17 game losing streak to Copenhagen.

Watch the game live here: Aalborg 89ers @ Copenhagen Towers, September 25, 19:00 CET (7 pm, 1 pm ET)

Alex is a former NCAA and semi-pro American football player who is now located in London, where he works in digital marketing. His goal in writing for AFI is to stay involved with the game that has given him so much. Alex enjoys covering leagues and