Sweden Advances to EJC Final

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008 – Sevilla, Spain – Sweden will meet the winner of Group B in the final of the 2008 European Junior Championship having beaten defending two-time champion France 20-13.

Despite being the only team to score points against the Swedes so far, France has to be content with a place in the Third Place Playoff game. The top three nations at the EJC will represent the European Federation of American Football (EFAF) at the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship in Canton, Ohio next summer.

Schweden vs. Frankreich

Austria, Finland and Germany are all in contention to meet Sweden on Sunday, July 20 at the Estadio C.A.R. Cartuja (6pm local time) and will play their final games on Thursday, July 17.

Russia recorded its first win at the hands of winless hosts Spain as Alexey Medvedev rushed for four touchdowns in a 49-14 win and will advance to the Fifth Place Playoff game, while Spain will play for seventh place.

Sweden led 12-7 at halftime in the crucial clash with France having gone ahead on a fourth down touchdown, but the French hit back to lead early in the fourth quarter, showing why they have won the past two European Junior Championship titles.

Swedish quarterback Anders Hermodsson replied immediately by hitting Fredrik Isaksson for a touchdown pass and took a lateral pass himself for the two-point conversion for what proved to be the decisive score with 6:49 remaining. France drove downfield in reply with running back Eric Kim their main offensive weapon, but came up short at the two-yard mark. Inside the two-minute warning, heavy rain worsened conditions and France was unable to turn its final possession into a game-tying score.

Earlier in the day, Russia had stormed to a 32-point third quarter lead on the back of Medvedev’s impressive performance on the ground before Spain scored a touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Mats Jonsson to Oriol Serrano. Russia was soon back on the offensive and scored 17 more points before Spain recorded a consolation touchdown as time expired.

Group B action concludes on Thursday when Denmark (0-2) and Finland (1-1) meet at 10.30am and Austria (1-1) takes on Germany (2-0), both at the San Pablo Sports Stadium in Sevilla.