CANADA AND UNITED STATES CLASH FOR GOLD AT 2011 IFAF SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Rivals meet for the first time on the gridiron in Austrian capital Vienna;
Japan and Mexico play for Bronze in a repeat of 1999 and 2003 title games
France and Germany in rematch of European Championship for fifth place
Australia and host Austria seek first win in seventh place game
Canada and the United States will renew a sporting rivalry that has graced many venues, but never the gridiron in the IFAF Senior World Championship when they meet for the 2011 Gold Medal this weekend.
Four placement games, including the clashes for the Gold and Bronze medals will be televised by ORF in Austria and streamed live to a worldwide audience at www.IFAF.org.
USA will defend the world crown won in Japan in 2007 at the Ernst Happel Stadium in the Austrian capital city Vienna against a Canada team entering the sport’s world championship for the first time at 7pm CET (1pm EDT) on Saturday, July 16. USA won Group A, defeating Australia, Germany and Mexico, while Canada qualified from Group B after seeing off Austria, France and two-time champion Japan.
There is some IFAF history between the North American rivals with USA having beaten Canada at the junior level in the final of the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship of American football.
But this is new territory.
“We expect to play against the best football nation in the world and our goal is to go in there and win,” said Canada head coach Larry Haylor. “I think the USA-Canada matchup is something people were hoping for and we are going to be ready for it.”
USA head coach Mel Tjeerdsma said: “Most of these players didn’t know each other two weeks ago, so at the first meeting, we said we had one goal – and that is to win the gold medal. Now we are one step way.”
Canada running back Matt Stevens said: “We’re going to try to be physical, look them in the eye and see who comes out standing at the end.” USA quarterback Cody Hawkins added: “We came to win gold. No one wants to finish second. It is America’s game, and we take a lot of pride in that. We expect the best from ourselves.”
The USA-Canada clash at 7pm is preceded by a fifth place playoff game between France and European rival Germany at 3pm. Twenty-four hours earlier at 3pm on Friday, July 15, Australia and host nation Austria will play for seventh place and then at 7pm Mexico and Japan will contest the Bronze Medal at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna.
Game schedule, Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna
| Fri July 15 | Seventh Place Game | |
Australia (0-3) vs. Austria (0-3) |
| Fri July 15 | Bronze Medal Game | |
France (1-2) vs. Germany (1-2) |
| Sat July 16 | Fifth Place Game | |
Japan (2-1) vs. Mexico (2-1) |
| Sat July 16 | Gold Medal Game | |
Canada (3-0) vs. United States (3-0) |
2011 IFAF Senior World Championship Results
| Date | Game | |
Venue |
| Fri July 8 | USA vs. Australia | |
Tivoli Stadium, Innsbruck |
| Fri July 8 | Germany vs. Mexico | |
Tivoli Stadium, Innsbruck |
| Sun July 10 | Mexico vs. Australia | |
Tivoli Stadium, Innsbruck |
| Sun July 10 | Germany vs. USA | |
Tivoli Stadium, Innsbruck |
| Tue July 12 | Australia vs. Germany | |
Tivoli Stadium, Innsbruck |
| Tue July 12 | USA vs. Mexico | |
Tivoli Stadium, Innsbruck |
| Sat July 9 | Austria vs. Japan | |
UPC Arena, Graz |
| Sat July 9 | France vs. Canada | |
UPC Arena, Graz |
| Mon July 11 | Japan vs. France | |
UPC Arena, Graz |
| Mon July 11 | Canada vs. Austria | |
UPC Arena, Graz |
| Wed July 13 | Canada vs. Japan | |
UPC Arena, Graz |
| Wed July 13 | Austria vs. France | |
UPC Arena, Graz |
Gold Medal Game Capsules
| Match up | Canada (3-0) vs. United States (3-0) |
| Date | Saturday, July 16 at 7pm |
| Venue | Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna |
| Television | ORF Live 7pm CET Eurosport 2 Delayed 11pm CET |
| Webcast | ORF Live 7pm – links at http://sport.orf.at/ |
| SWC meetings | First ever meeting between the two nations |
| Head Coaches | Canada – Larry Haylor USA – Mel Tjeerdsma |
| Canada in IFAF SWC | 1999 – Did not participate 2003 – Did not participate 2007 – Did not participate 2011 – Group B winners: W 45-10 vs. France; W 36-14 vs. Austria; W 31-27 vs. Japan |
| USA in IFAF SWC | 1999 – Did not participate 2003 – Did not participate 2007 – Champions Group stages: W 77-0 vs. Korea; W 33-7 vs. Germany Gold Medal Game: W 23-20 vs. Japan (2OT) 2011 – Group A winners: W 61-0 vs. Australia; W 48-7 vs. Germany; W 17-7 vs. Mexico |
| National Federations | Football Canada: www.FootballCanada.com USA Football: www.USAFootball.com |
| Notes… USA found five ways to breach the end zone in beating Germany: blocked FG return, fake field goal, interception return, fumble recovery and a more conventional rush… 11 different players have score touchdowns for USA in three group games… Running backs DaShawn Thomas (5) and Nate Kmic (3) lead the USA in scoring touchdowns… Canada running back Matt Walter has 6 touchdowns, followed by four of his teammates (Chambers, Stevens, Pontibriand and Faulds) on two… Canada offensive coordinator Greg Marshall is also the head of the IFAF 19-and-under World Team that played against Team USA U19s. |
Bronze Medal Game Capsules
| Match up | Japan (2-1) vs. Mexico (2-1) |
| Date | Friday, July 15 at 7pm |
| Venue | Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna |
| Television | ORF Live 7pm CET Eurosport 2 Delayed 11pm CET |
| Webcast | ORF Live 7pm – links at http://sport.orf.at/ |
| SWC meetings | 1999 Gold Medal Game: Japan 6 Mexico 0 (OT) 2003 Gold Medal Game: Japan 34 Mexico 14 |
| Head Coaches | Japan – Kiyoyuki Mori Mexico – Raul Rivera Sanchez |
| Japan in IFAF SWC | 1999 – Champions Group stages: W 24-14 vs. Sweden; W 54-0 vs. Australia Gold Medal Game: W 6-0 vs. Mexico (OT) 2003 – Champions Semi Finals: W 23-6 vs. France Gold Medal Game: W 34-14 vs. Mexico 2007 – Silver Medal Group Stages: W 48-0 vs. France; W 48-0 vs. Sweden Gold Medal Game: L 20-23 (2OT) vs. USA 2011 – Group B runner up: W 24-6 vs. Austria; W 35-10 vs. France; L 27-31 vs. Canada |
| Mexico in IFAF SWC | 1999 – Silver Medal Group stages: W 89-0 vs. Finland; W 54-0 vs. Italy Gold Medal Game: L 0-6 vs. Japan (OT) 2003 – Silver Medal Semi Final: W 21-17 vs. Germany Gold Medal Game: L 14-34 vs. Japan 2007 – Did not participate 2011 – Group A runner up: W 22-15 vs. Germany; W 65-0 vs. Australia; L 7-17 vs. USA |
| National Federations | Japan: www.AmericanFootball.jp Mexico: www.FMFAmericano.com |
| Notes… This is the first time Japan has not advanced to the Gold Medal Game in the IFAF SWC… Japan has played more tournament games at the senior level (11) than any other nation and is the only country to play in all four world championships… defensive lineman Yasuo Waksaka is the only player in history to have appeared in all four tournaments… Mexico has never beaten Japan in competition… Mexico running back Jonathan Barrera set a record with 3 touchdowns in one game against Australia… Mexican kicker Jose Carlos Maltos’ 56-yard field goal against Australia is a tournament best… Japan KR Nori Kinoshita was on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad… Lineman Salomon Solano is one of several Mexican players with NFL Europe and NFL practice squad experience. |
Fifth Place Game Capsules
| Match up | France (1-2) vs. Germany (1-2) |
| Date | Saturday, July 16 at 3pm |
| Venue | Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna |
| Television | ORF Live 3pm CET |
| Webcast | ORF Live 3pm – links at http://sport.orf.at/ |
| SWC meetings | 2003 Bronze Medal Game: Germany 36 France 7 |
| Head Coaches | France – Larry Legault Germany – Sport Director Marshall Happer; OC Brad Arbon; DC Dogan Γzdincer |
| France in IFAF SWC | 1999 – Did not participate 2003 – Fourth Place Semi Final: L 6-23 vs. Japan Bronze Medal Game: L 7-36 vs. Germany 2007 – Sixth Place Group Stages: L 0-48 vs. Japan; L 14-16 vs. Sweden Fifth Place Game: L 0-3 vs. Korea 2011 – Fourth in Group B: L 10-45 vs. Canada; L 10-35 vs. Japan; W 24-16 vs. Austria |
| Germany in IFAF SWC | 1999 – Did not participate 2003 – Bronze Medal Semi Final: L 17-21 vs. Mexico Bronze Medal Game: W 36-7 vs. France 2007 – Bronze Medal Group stages: W 32-2 vs. Korea; L 7-33 vs. USA Bronze Medal Game: W 7-0 vs. Sweden 2011 – Third in Group A: L 15-22 vs. Mexico; L 7-48 vs. USA; W 30-20 vs. Australia |
| National Federations | Federation Francaise de Football Americain – www.FFFA.org Germany – AFVD: www.AFVD.de |
| Notes… The game is a repeat of the 2010 European Championship, which Germany won 26-10… Neither team MVP from that game a year ago, Germany QB Dennis Zimmerman (injured) or France WR Marc Soumah (retired) will play… Soumah is now the President of the French federation FFFA… Germany QB Joachim Ullrich threw for 280 yards against Australia… Germany WR Niklas Roemer set a new receiving yards record with 153 against Australia… France KR Jeremy Larroque set a record with 175 kickoff return yards on 4 attempts against Japan… France head coach Larry Legault said: “We played Germany last year and so we know it will be a very difficult game. They are a solid team and have been at the top in Europe for a while, so it’s a great opportunity for us to take that from them.” |
Seventh Place Game Capsules
| Match up | Australia (0-3) vs. Austria (0-3) |
| Date | Friday, July 15 at 3pm |
| Venue | Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna |
| Television | ORF Live 3pm CET |
| Webcast | ORF Live 3pm – links at http://sport.orf.at/ |
| SWC meetings | First IFAF SWC meeting between the teams |
| Head Coaches | Australia – John Leijten Austria – Rick Rhoades |
| Australia in IFAF SWC | 1999 – Fifth Place Group stages: L 6-22 vs. Sweden; L 0-54 vs. Japan Fifth Place Game: W 10-7 vs. Finland 2003 – Did not participate 2007 – Did not participate 2011 – Fourth in Group A: L 0-61 vs. USA; L 0-65 vs. Mexico; L 20-30 vs. Germany |
| Austria in IFAF SWC | 1999 – Did not participate 2003 – Did not participate 2007 – Did not participate 2011 – Third in Group B: L 6-24 vs. Japan; L 14-36 vs. Canada; L 16-24 vs. France |
| National Federations | Gridiron Australia: www.GridironAustralia.org.au American Football Bund Γsterreich: www.AFBOE.a |
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