LIVE STREAM & PREVIEW: Germany – (#2) Dresden Monarchs v. (#3) Braunschweig New Yorker Lions

| American Football | 06/04/2015

This Saturday, Europe’s #2 team, the Dresden Monarchs, will host the defending German champion Braunschweig New Yorker Lions (#3) in a much anticipated rematch of the Monarch’s last second 27-26 victory over the Lions in May in Braunschweig.

In that contest the Monarchs played great football in the first half and took a 14-6 halftime lead and were poised to topple the reigning German champions handily it seemed. But the Lions, with starting quarterback Grant Enders on the sideline, had put Dutch American tight end, Evan Lendi, in Enders’ place and it took him a full half of football to start feeling comfortable. Having thrown for a mere 16 yards in the first half, Lendi roared back with 123 yards in the second as Braunschweig scored three touchdowns.

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Lions tailback David McCants put on a dazzling display scoring all four touchdowns, one on a 99 yard punt return. That was not enough though as the Dresden defense found a way to keep Lions receiver Janos Knopf from reaching the end zone on the last play of the game to come away with the heart-stopping victory.

Dresden running back Donald Russell was also outstanding in the Monarchs victory rushing 18 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns while also catching six passes for 53 yards and a third touchdown.

The value of special teams could not have been made more apparent in this game as Braunschweig missed two PATs which would have won them the game. Watch a full replay of the May 9 game.

Both teams have added players as the Monarchs have signed defensive end Blake Oliaro from the University of San Diego, while the Lions welcome the return of 2014 championship winning quarterback Casey Therriault.

The Monarchs have not played a game since May 9 and will be itching to get on the field again. Meanwhile the Lions have played five regular season games in Germany and two in the Big6.

LIVE STREAM: Dresden Monarchs v. Braunschweig New Yorker Lions
Saturday June 6, 2:30 PM (8:30 AM EDT)

Roger Kelly is an editor and a writer for AFI. A former PR Director the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League for 7 years, he now lives in Sweden writing about and scouting American Football throughout the world.