Munich Ravens Win Heated Semifinal and Advance to the Championship Game

The Munich Ravens are heading to the 2026 EFA Championship Game. In the first semifinal of the BIG4 Playoff Weekend in Frankfurt, Munich defeated Frankfurt Galaxy 52:33 and secured the first ticket to the final on August 29 at Tivoli Stadion Tirol. From the opening drive, the game featured high tempo, numerous big plays and plenty of emotion. Frankfurt stayed within reach for long stretches and cut the deficit to 21:24 shortly before halftime, but after the break the Ravens increasingly took control and decided the game with their offensive efficiency.

Munich produced 482 total yards of offense, including 360 through the air and 122 on the ground. Frankfurt finished with 251 yards and struggled in particular to create balance in the rushing game, producing only ten net rushing yards. Third down efficiency was another major factor. The Ravens converted nine of their 14 attempts, while Galaxy was successful on only two of ten third downs.

Tabor and Easton provide early highlights

The Ravens opened the game with a controlled 65-yard drive. Russell Tabor led his offense all the way to the goal line and finished the possession himself with a one yard rushing touchdown to make it 7:0. Frankfurt needed just one play to respond. Zach Calzada immediately went deep and found Brevin Easton for a spectacular 68-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7:7.

Munich was not shaken by the quick response. On the next possession, the Ravens moved the ball over twelve plays and more than seven minutes. Tabor found Justin Rodney for a seven yard touchdown and gave Munich the lead again. Those long drives became an important factor throughout the game. The Ravens controlled possession and tempo, kept the Frankfurt defense on the field for extended stretches and at the same time prevented Galaxy from building offensive momentum over longer periods.

Tabor once again showed his versatility. The quarterback completed 32 of 45 passes for 360 yards and two touchdowns, but he was especially difficult to stop with his legs in the red zone. He scored three rushing touchdowns and led a Ravens offense that reached the end zone seven times.

Galaxy fights back before halftime

In the second quarter, Ron Tiavaasue extended the lead to 21:7 from short distance after Munich capitalized on a lost Galaxy punt return. Frankfurt responded with its strongest drive of the game up to that point. Calzada found Easton and Tyler Foster for important gains before Antony Marvyn Bouembe scored from one yard out to cut the deficit to 14:21.

Daniel Schweiger temporarily restored the lead to 24:14 with a 34-yard field goal, but Frankfurt used the final seconds of the first half perfectly. Two long pass interference penalties against Munich moved Galaxy all the way to the goal line, and Bouembe scored his second rushing touchdown with only 35 seconds remaining. The Ravens went into halftime leading 24:21, and the first BIG4 semifinal was completely open at that point.

Easton was the most productive player in the Frankfurt offense. The wide receiver caught four passes for 145-yards, including the 68-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Paul Kavadia Lenhardt added three receptions for 34-yards and later also scored a touchdown. Calzada finished his game with 209 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Ravens pull away after the break

After halftime, Munich produced perhaps its strongest stretch of the game. A 66-yard pass from Tabor to Louis Geyer moved the Ravens deep into Frankfurt territory before Tabor finished the drive himself from one yard out to make it 30:21. Just a few minutes later, the Ravens put together another long possession. Geyer, Marvin Rutsch and Justus Seelig consistently moved the ball before Seelig reached the end zone from three yards out. Tabor then converted the two point attempt himself to extend the lead to 38:21.

Geyer was almost impossible to contain throughout the game. The receiver caught twelve passes for 204 yards and a touchdown, making him the most productive pass catcher of the afternoon. His 66-yard reception in the third quarter and several key catches on third down repeatedly kept the Ravens offense on the field. Marvin Rutsch added seven receptions for 61 yards, while Justin Rodney contributed 37 rushing yards in addition to his receiving touchdown.

Early in the fourth quarter, Tabor scored his third rushing touchdown to make it 45:21. Frankfurt still refused to give up. Calzada first found Easton for 27 yards before Kavadia Lenhardt threw a 32-yard pass to Easton on a trick play. Moments later, Kavadia Lenhardt caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Calzada to make it 27:45.

Munich, however, had an answer once again. Tabor led another long drive and eventually found Geyer from 18 yards out for the 52:27 lead. At that point, the game was effectively decided. Jaylen Clay provided Frankfurt with one final highlight a few minutes later when he intercepted a pass from Tabor and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown. Those would be the final points of Galaxy’s season.

Emotions boil over in the fourth quarter

The game had been intense and physical throughout, and emotions boiled over again in the fourth quarter. After an altercation, Galaxy quarterback Zach Calzada was disqualified by the officials. The situation led to a larger gathering on the field before both teams eventually settled down and the game was completed.

Galaxy Head Coach Thomas Kösling put the situation into context after the game and pointed to the emotional nature of a playoff matchup.

“It was a highly emotional game between two teams that were not giving each other anything. There were one or two situations, the taunting on our side, then the hit on our quarterback. As an officiating crew, you have to establish a clear line so that things do not escalate. Of course, what we do later is not good either. But again, these are two highly emotional teams, and football is a physical sport.”

The European Football Alliance has acknowledged the incident and announced that it will be reviewed in accordance with league rules. Until the process is completed, the league will not comment further.

Ravens book the first ticket to Innsbruck

In the end, the more efficient team came out on top. Munich produced 30 first downs compared to Frankfurt’s twelve and controlled large portions of the game with long drives. The Ravens scored five of their seven touchdowns on the ground while Tabor simultaneously produced 360 passing yards. That balance created major problems for Frankfurt throughout all four quarters.

On the Galaxy side, Mason Chambers recorded a strong 15 tackles, while Simon Otto added eleven. Chris Mulumba registered Frankfurt’s only sack of the game, and Clay provided the final major moment of the season with his pick six.

For Frankfurt, the inaugural season comes to an end in the semifinal after an up and down campaign that still resulted in a place at the BIG4. Munich, meanwhile, remains in pursuit of its ultimate goal. After a regular season featuring nine wins in ten games and a successful German Derby in the semifinal, the Ravens are now just one victory away from the first EFA title.

Nordic Storm awaits in the Championship Game on August 29. That sets up another meeting between the two best teams of the regular season, this time at Tivoli Stadion Tirol.

Scoring Summary

Munich Ravens
TD Russell Tabor, 1-yard run, 7:0
TD Justin Rodney, 7-yard pass from Russell Tabor, 14:7
TD Ron Tiavaasue, 2-yard run, 21:7
FG Daniel Schweiger, 34-yards, 24:14
TD Russell Tabor, 1-yard run, 30:21
TD Justus Seelig, 3-yard run, 38:21
TD Russell Tabor, 2-yard run, 45:21
TD Louis Geyer, 18-yard pass from Russell Tabor, 52:27

Frankfurt Galaxy
TD Brevin Easton, 68-yard pass from Zach Calzada, 7:7
TD Antony Marvyn Bouembe, 1-yard run, 14:21
TD Antony Marvyn Bouembe, 1 yard run, 21:24
TD Paul Kavadia Lenhardt, 16-yard pass from Zach Calzada, 27:45
TD Jaylen Clay, 33-yard interception return, 33:52