Quarterfinal Game preview: Nordmen vs Trojans

It’s playoff time! After ending the regular season 5-1, the Nordmen have the #2 seed in group A and will be hosting the Turku Trojans for their quarterfinal game.

The Trojans ended their regular season with a nice, 4-2 record; giving them the #3 seed in group B which gives them the chance to see all of Finland on their way to Rovaniemi. Both teams are coming into the playoffs with a win, with the Nordmen having a bye week that might give them an advantage. To be honest, the home field advantage for the home team is big. Get ready for some playoff football folks; it’s win or go home!

What to expect from the Trojans

Not a lot to go off from the Trojans. Their social media and home page have been very silent so it’s difficult to really say what’s coming. The biggest question is how much will the long travel to Rovaniemi affect the Trojans’ roster size on Saturday? The long, 10+ hour journey is never fun and it will definitely show on the roster. We will have to wait until Saturday and see the result of it.

It’s safe to say that they can play; losing only to the 2 best teams in group B. Football has long roots in Turku, with a very up and down history. Having said this, you can expect a lot of young talent and hunger for a playoff win. In previous games, the Trojans have shown a lot of passing in their offense, which you might consider to be rather unusual in this year’s 2nd division. outside of a few teams; we will see how the home team will react to that. Nothing is easy or as expected in the playoffs, and anything can happen.

What to expect from the Nordmen

Hot off a massive win against the tough and physical Spartans, the Nordmen definitely are hyped up and locked in on the prize. After a big team win with everyone stepping up and making plays, the Nordmen are for sure a scary unit on both sides of the ball.

The defense of the Nordmen — WOW! from the backfield to the box, this unit has been firing on all cylinders all season and has been getting better, game by game. DC Ryan Oliveira has molded his unit into a group of guys you don’t want to go up against. With the Trojans to be expected to air the ball out, look out for the ball hawking backfield: rookie Safety Tapio Aaltonen, CB Kaarle ” King Charles” Silander, CB Miika Sipiläinen, S/LB Aurélien Germay and David ” The Austrian Hammer” Kreuzhuber! These boys have a special eye towards the ball. With the defensive line being a little banged up, you will see new faces stepping up their game. They have a lot of help behind them in OLB Olli Raito and MLB Ryan Oliveira, who are both playing a great season. The Trojans need to scroll all the way down to last page of their playbook to try and get past this monster of a unit!

Offensively, what to expect? The Nordmen showed plenty of versatility against the Spartans, when QB Lucas Martinez suffered a minor injury, but he is back in action and ready to go. Replacing him in the game was the “Mr. I can do it all” Jorge Huete Bonet, who scored the clutch, last minute touchdown to ice the game! This turn of events definitely gives the away team more to think about as far as what will they face on Saturday. The offensive unit has stayed pretty much the same all season long and has been evolving every game. The offensive line, especially, has been upping their game every week. Speedy pass catchers WR Olli Salmela and WR/RB Miika Virkki are ready to show what they can really do in their playoff debut. The Nordmen have a joker in their deck in WR Aki ” The Joker” Gröhn, who is ready to show off his skills in his playoff debut.

Expect the Nordmen to look very similar to what you’re used to; playing their own game — just bigger and better in the playoffs!

Important Info

Kick-off is at 12pm, Saturday August 6th at Susivouti. Additional information can be found in our Facebook event. No stream for this game, but we all know that football is best when you’re watching it live and from the stands! Tickets are 7€ for adults; 5€ for students, retirees and civil service/military members & under 17 are free. For directions to Susivoudin kenttä, follow this link. Food, refreshments and fan gear will be available for purchase at the snack bar.