What a hard-fought semifinal that was! The rematch of the 2023 Championship Game had everything—touchdowns, turnovers, and a real battle on equal footing.

Both teams' first drives were successful and resulted in points. While Stuttgart managed to score touchdowns on two consecutive drives, Rhein Fire was limited to just one touchdown and a field goal. Both offenses were playing at the highest level, but so were the defenses. After the initial successful offensive drives, it was the defenses that began to make their mark, with Stuttgart’s defense being more effective. Surge’s defensive back Chad Walrond intercepted a pass from Jadrian Clark and returned it for a pick-six. Fire could only respond with a field goal, making the halftime score 13-20.

Defensive battle at the highest level

The strong defenses continued their impressive play in the second half. The offenses struggled to get back into the game, especially as the heavy rain made it even more difficult for them. Stuttgart managed to drive deep enough into the field on one of their drives to score another field goal.

Watch all ELF games here!

Surge lose control

With a strong drive, Fire moved down the field and scored a touchdown, closing the gap to just three points. Surge’s offense was still unable to get back into the game. With three and a half minutes remaining, they handed the ball back to Fire after just three plays.

Fire complete the comeback

Rhein Fire made perfect use of the final two minutes. They moved down the field again and kicked a field goal, sending the game into overtime. But the equalizer didn’t wake up the Surge. Quarterback Reilly Hennessey threw his second interception of the day, giving Fire the chance to win with a score. And that’s exactly what happened. Quarterback Jadrian Clark threw a 10-yard passing touchdown to Florian Eichhorn to win the game for Rhein Fire. With this win, Rhein Fire returns to the final, where they will have a chance to become back-to-back ELF Champions against the Vienna Vikings.

Get your tickets for the 2024 Championship Game here!