Two national champions played the first round of the CEFL Championship in Stockholm. Manchester Titans have tested international waters traveling to meet the Mean Machines. The home team upstaged the Brits by a pair of touchdowns in each half.
Results
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockholm Mean Machines | 7 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 42 | Win |
| Manchester Titans | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 | Loss |
Kasper Wedberg’s rushes and Anton Blomgren’s catches ended up ahead of the chains for the Mean Machines before Mateo Renteria connected with Robin Gavelin Miranda to open up the scoring session, 7-0.
Following the Titans’ punt, two long-distance passes from Renteria to Blomgren brought the Swedes to the red zone and Wedberg punched in for 14-0.
When the Titans took over, quarterback Sam Bloomfield and David Adebo extended the drive over the ground pushed by the home team’s penalties, and Jonatan Pan Gago punched through for a touchdown, 14-7.
The visitors then opted for an onside kick which paid off when their DB Benjamin Mitchell recovered the ball. Even so, their offense stalled and they went for the field goal but the ball sailed wide right.
The Stockholmers were on a roll again when Renteria dialed up Matthew Retzlaff time and again, finally capping off the drive with a 54-yarder to the end zone for a half time score, 21-7.
Renteria and Retzlaff duo continued their exploits in the third period too with another connection for a 26 yard touchdown and 28-7.
The Titans tried to respond through the air but Oly-Papus Gahimbare forced a fumble on one of their receivers and Eric Antler Bauroth recovered the ball for the Mean Machines. With the ball on the rival’s 6 yard line Renteria and Retzlaff put another score in the books, 35-7.
The visitors were determined to answer. Bloomfield flicked it to Fred Nash and Brad Temple, before Banjamin Smith dashed for a touchdown, 35-14.
Running down the clock, the home team put the ball in the sure hands of Oliwer Stedt and he sprinted down the field for a 50 yard score 42-14.
Stifling the visiting team’s final attempts, Mean Machines’ defense had a few moments under the spotlight again. First Sebastian Johansson Diakiti forced a fumble which was recovered by his teammate Tim Mathes-Paul. On the last Titans’ drive Enoch Stephen Mawunguzi topped off the Mean Machines’ performance recording an interception.
The Mean Machines’ will journey to La Courneuve in the second round. The Flash will host them on 11 May to decide the first semifinalist.