American Samoa upsets U.S. flag football team, snapping 14-year winning streak

The United States Men’s Flag National Team suffered its first loss in 14 years during the IFAF World Flag 26 tournament in Düsseldorf, Germany. American Samoa secured a major upset against the defending champions, who had not lost a match since 2012.

American Samoa’s victory was led by Taulia Tagovailoa, the former Maryland quarterback and younger brother of NFL player Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa completed 29 of 36 passes for 213 yards and five touchdowns. A key connection included Tai Tiedemann, a former minor league baseball player, who caught a touchdown pass to help equalize the score.

While the United States managed an early lead and a subsequent score by Nicholas Casares, American Samoa maintained control after taking an 18-13 lead, ultimately preventing the U.S. from reclaiming the lead for the remainder of the contest.