Mexico and Thailand star in opening round action at NFL Flag Football World Championship in Japan
MEXICO and Thailand are on course to challenge for honours at the NFL Flag Football World Championship in Tokyo, Japan, after ending the first day of competition with unbeaten records.The 12 to 14-year-old boys and girls from around the world completed the group stages of the prestigious flag tournament on Friday August 1.
The semi finals and final, as well as other positional games, will take place on Saturday August 2, ahead of the NFL preseason American Bowl game between the New York Jets and Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mexico's Los Diabilitos top Group A with a 4-0 record after wins over Japan (60-34), South Korea (57-21), Netherlands (58-18) and Canada (54-18). Thailand's Chaopraya Wittayakom School are Group B leaders following four wins in a row against Australia (30-20), USA (67-12), Spain (62-6) and Austria (58-24).
Mexico will face Australia's Prince Alfred College in Saturday's semi final as the Aussies finished second in Group B with a 3-1 record. Thailand's semi final opponents will be South Korea's Wa-Ryong Middle School, who also finished with a 3-1 record.
The game for fifth and sixth place will feature Spain's IES Pere Vives (2-2) and Japan's Senri Fighting Bee, who also boast a 2-2 record after the preliminary round action in Tokyo.
A pair of European teams with 1-3 records will battle for seventh and eighth places as European School champions Arcus Knights, of the Netherlands, take on Austria's SHS Graz Air Force, who started impressively with a 41-25 victory over the USA before losing their next three encounters.
North American neighbours USA and Canada will fight for the ninth place after struggling through the group stages without a single win between them.
NFL Europe Flag Football Manager BERND VON LAPP said: "The sportsmanship of all the teams is really excellent and that has been shown on and off the field. These kids are really enjoying themselves even in the middle of a tough competition.
"The European teams have really fared well in this tournament and I feel a little sorry for the Netherlands as they had a great chance to be world champions but were pitted in a very tough group. The Europeans are very competitive and could beat any team on any given day, proving the gap is closing between Europe and the rest of the world."
Schedule for 2003 NFL Flag Football World Championship
Saturday August 2
Semi Final 1: Mexico vs Australia
Semi Final 2: Thailand vs South Korea
Game for 5th place: Spain vs Japan
Game for 7th place: Netherlands vs Austria
Game for 9th place: USA vs Canada
Final: Winner semi final 1 vs winner semi final 2
02 Aug, 03 | 12:23 pm