LIVESTREAM Italy: Firenze Guelfi @ Ferrara Aquile, March 9, 14:30 CET (2:30 pm, 8:30 am ET)

The Ferrara Aquile (0-2) play their first home game of the Italian Football League season Sunday, March 9 when they host the unbeaten Firenze Guelfi (3-0) at Mike Wyatt Field in Ferrara.

The Aquile opened the season with a close 15-12 loss to the Varese Skorpions but then were beaten 20-7 by the Torino Giaguari last weekend. The Guelfi have looked invincible this early in the season with three lopsided wins. They opened by thrashing the Abisola Pirates 49-0 and followed that up by whipping the Lazio Marines 42-13 and Varese Skorpions 42-6.

In the win over Lazio, the Guelfi found themselves trailing in the second quarter 13-7 but managed to take a narrow 14-13 lead. However, in the second half they exploded for 28 unanswered points for the win.

For this game the Aquile may rely again on German quarterback Salieu Ceesay following an injury to starter Aaron Allen. Ceesay has played in the United States and the European League of Football (ELF) with the Hamburg Devils, brings valuable international experience to the field.

Ceesay threw for 175 yards in last week’s loss to Torino. If Allen returns to the lineup, the passing game for Ferrara changes somewhat. The Missouri City, Texas native who played at Alcorn State, threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the opening game loss. The number one receiver for the Aquile is One Williams who has caught 11 passes for 208 yards and two scores in the two games.

The Firenze quarterbacking duo of Andrea Fimiani (492 yds/9 TDs) and Eystin Salum (207/3) have combined for 699 passing yards and 12  touchdowns through the air. Fimiani is also the Guelfi’s leading rusher with 31 carries for 311 yards and four scores.

Beating the Guelfi will be a tall order for Ferrara despite playing at home. Firenze is playing almost at a playoff level this early in the season.