This Friday night, all eyes in European football were fixed on Frankfurt’s PSD Bank
Arena. And for good reason. In a showcase event dubbed “Friday Night Lights,” the
Frankfurt Galaxy hosted the Paris Musketeers to kick off the 2026 EFA season.
In front of more than 5,000 fans and in an electric atmosphere, the Paris Musketeers
took the field for the very first time in this 2026 campaign. What followed was a game
that delivered every possible emotion and ultimately ended with a dramatic 21-20
victory for Paris.
A slow start for both teams
The opening stages reflected exactly what you might expect from a season opener.
Both offenses struggled to find rhythm, while the defenses, though not yet fully
polished, controlled the early exchanges. Following two punts, Frankfurt finally
managed to put together the first sustained drive of the evening. However, the Paris
defense held firm inside the 16-yard line, forcing the Galaxy to settle for three points
as Ryan Rimmler opened the scoring (3-0).
Those first points seemed to wake up the Musketeers. Powered by an efficient
running game and helped by German penalties, Jack Del Rio’s team began moving
the ball consistently. But moving the chains did not translate into points. Paris first
missed a field-goal attempt through Dean Faithfull, then failed to convert four
consecutive plays from less than one yard out.
It took until the final minute of the first half for Rémi Bertellin to come down with the
ball in the end zone and give Paris the lead (3-7). In the process, Bertellin also
became the first touchdown scorer in EFA history.
Musketeers punished for their mistakes
The start of the second half proved extremely difficult for the Musketeers. On just the
second play after halftime, Zach Edwards was intercepted by the Frankfurt defense,
allowing the Galaxy to add three more points through the reliable leg of Ryan
Rimmler (6-9).
Frankfurt’s offense then began to find its rhythm, and it took a crucial blocked kick
attempt to prevent the Galaxy from taking full control of the game. A few plays later,
however, the inevitable happened: Ethan Garbers connected with Paul Kavadia-
Lenhardt for Frankfurt’s first touchdown of the night (14-7).
Even when Paris appeared ready to swing momentum back in its favor, the Galaxy
found ways to turn the tide. Zach Edwards, driving the Musketeers into scoring territory, was intercepted by Mason Chambers, who returned the ball the length of the field for another devastating score (20-7). Fortunately for Paris, the extra-point attempt was blocked, a missed point that would prove decisive only minutes later.
Magic Zach and a heroic defense
With just six minutes remaining on the clock at PSD Bank Arena, nothing suggested
a Paris comeback was on the horizon. But this Musketeers team showed remarkable
resilience.
In just two passes, Zach Edwards and Hugo Tekedam marched nearly 60 yards
downfield, cutting the deficit with a touchdown that reignited hope among the Paris
faithful (20-14).
That hope grew even stronger two minutes later when “Magic Zach” returned. In
trademark fashion, Edwards took matters into his own hands and rushed for the go-
ahead touchdown himself (20-21).
With fewer than four minutes remaining, the Musketeers had reclaimed the lead. But
old memories still lingered. Paris fans could not forget Ryan Rimmler’s game-winning
kick at the buzzer during the 2025 ELF season.
This time, however, the story would end differently.
Frankfurt drove deep into Paris territory and came knocking at the goal line, but the
Musketeers defense refused to break. On one final push, Garbers appeared to have
crossed the plane for the winning score — only for the ball to be ripped away by the
Paris defense before he could complete the play.
Final whistle. Paris Musketeers win, 21-20.
This unforgettable edition of Friday Night Lights, filled with suspense, momentum
swings, and late-game drama, will undoubtedly live long in the memory of European
football fans. And for the Paris Musketeers, it marks the perfect way to begin their
2026 EFA campaign.
