LIVESTREAM: IFAF EC – Team Denmark @Team Finland, Sat. Oct. 26, 1p CEDT, (7a EDT)

AFI | 2020 IFAF Men's European Championship Group A | 10/26/2019

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

Team Denmark travels to Vantaa, Finland Saturday, October 26 where they will face the Finnish national team in a deciding game in the IFAF 2020 European Championship qualification round.

Strangely, despite their proximity to each other, these two nations have never played each other at the senior level. Finland finished third in the 2018 IFAF European Championships while the Danes wound up sixth.

Denmark defeated Team Netherlands a week ago in Denmark 22-19 in the second game of round. The opening game of this group saw Europe #4, Finland face a Dutch team in disarray after being hastily pulled together at virtually the last minute. The Finns had no trouble dispensing of Holland 55-0.

Denmark, Holland and Finland all play in Group A, Division C.

Team Finland’s head coach Tuomas Heikkinen knows that the team that Holland fielded against Denmark was far different that the one that lost badly to Finland. What is questionable for Denmark is the status of starting quarterback Alexander Kronborg who was injured last week in the win over Holland. If he can’t go, Thomas Zinck will start. Zinck caught a touchdown pass last week against the Netherlands. Danish head coach Lars Carlsen will count on running back Lasse Lykke to carry a heavy load today.

Finland will have a full 45 man roster (as opposed to the 30 that played against Holland) and will have the services of players returning from the German Football League, including linebacker Roni Salonon and receiver Micky Kyei, who both played for the new GFL champions, the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions. Miro Kadmiry will no doubt again start at quarterback while Karri Pajarinen start at running back. Pajarinen averaged 106 yards a game in Finland’s Maple League this past season.

Playing at home, Team Finland definitely has the advantage in this game, especially if the Danes will be without the services of Kronborg.