It was another field goal just before the end that brought the Frankfurt Galaxy football team defeat to the Rhein Fire.

Like on the first day of the European League of Football (ELF) season, when Galaxy lost 26-29 to a kick eight seconds before the end of the game.

The pictures of the jubilant Düsseldorfers last Sunday were similar to those from the start of the season, only this time it was even closer.

The second hand jumped from one to zero when Rene Hansen kicked the football between the Frankfurt goalposts from 43 yards – 23:21 for Rhein Fire.

The fact that he was allowed to try his luck in the first place was due to Frankfurt coach Thomas Kösling.

During a Rhein Fire attack shortly before, he was suddenly standing where he shouldn't have been: on the field.

According to the rule book, this is considered "unsportsmanlike conduct", which is why the referees imposed a penalty and Rhein Fire was allowed to advance an additional 15 yards towards the Galaxy end zone.

It was only this penalty that brought the Frankfurt opponent within field goal range and made Hansen a celebrated man a little later.

Raiders, Rhein Fire, Thunder – or Galaxy?

After the game, Kösling was upset about the referee's decision.

According to his own statement, he was on the field assuming that the game was still interrupted by a time-out.

"Suddenly they say the time-out is over, you don't get a notification," the coach criticized the communication between the referees at ProSieben Maxx.

"Maybe it's my fault, I don't know, but it hurts a lot."

Now Galaxy have two games left to somehow reach the play-off semi-finals.

This scenario remains possible, although it is extremely unlikely and is no longer in the hands of Frankfurt alone.

The ELF championship is played in three groups (conferences) with four teams each.

In addition to the winners of the three conferences, only the best second-placed team advances to the semi-finals.

Galaxy is on six wins and four losses, as are Rhein Fire and Berlin Thunder.

However, the Raiders Tirol have the best starting position with seven wins and three defeats.

Since there are still four teams in the running, numerous scenarios open up before the last two matchdays.

But two things are already certain.

First: Galaxy has to win the home game against Raiders Tirol this Sunday (3 p.m. at ProSieben Maxx), period.

If there is no victory, the play-off dreams end, then the Austrians would no longer be able to take second place in the Central Conference.

Second: After the defeat against Rhein Fire, Galaxy no longer has it in their own hands whether they reach the play-offs or not.

Frankfurt must hope that the team from Düsseldorf does not win at least one game, because the direct comparison with Rhein Fire was lost.

If both teams have the same number of wins, this would decide whether the Frankfurt team were eliminated.

A slip-up by the Düsseldorfers is not likely.

They still play against the Cologne Centurions and Leipzig Kings, both of whom have only won two games and are among the weakest teams in the league.

It is also very likely that Galaxy will have to win a direct comparison with the Raiders to make it into the play-offs.

In other words: The Frankfurt team would have to win on Sunday with a higher difference than the Raiders did in the first leg (it ended 23:17).

And what if the Galaxy also won by six points?

Then it would be decisive which of the two teams scored more points away from home in a direct comparison.

In all these mind games, however, the performance of the Berliners must also be taken into account, who could also push themselves into the play-off ranks with two clear victories and the corresponding results of their rivals.