MADRID, 29 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will be the protagonists next Sunday, February 11, of the LVIII Super Bowl, the grand final of American football that will be played at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, after defeating the Baltimore Ravens ( 10-17) and the Detroit Lions (34-31), respectively.
The Chiefs, current champions, reached their fourth Super Bowl in the last five years after beating what had been the best team of the Regular Season, the Baltimore Ravens, to win the American Conference title.
After a season plagued by doubts, Patrick Mahomes and company have offered their best face in the postseason to get back in the fight to lift the Vince Lombardi trophy. This time, the stellar 'quarterback' was able to lead his team in his first campaign playing 'playoffs' at home and after knocking out the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round, they held the Ravens well with a spectacular defensive performance that did not allowed points in the second and third quarters and only one field goal in the last.
The team coached by Andy Reid only allowed seven points, as a result of the great touchdown that Lamar Jackson's arm created for Flowers and which meant the quick response to Kelce's initial. The local 'quarterback', who will almost certainly be chosen 'MVP' of the season, could hardly have shined more and was well controlled by the Chiefs' defense.
But despite the hopeful start that predicted an 'electric' match, from then on the defenses prevailed, especially that of the visitors who responded to the best of the campaign to assert a second 'touchdown' by Pacheco and a 'field goal' on the edge of half-time.
After the break, the Ravens improved defensively, but continued to be denied offensively by their rival, who cut off all avenues for Jackson. Still, they had a good chance to pull one back at the end of the third quarter, but Flowers was penalized for sportsmanlike behavior after remaining in open position for the touchdown and then saw a vital handball from Sneed deprive him of six points and He turned the hopes of his people into a lethal loss.
Despite everything, Baltimore had one more possession to put pressure on, but it all ended with an interception of Jackson and a brilliant reception by Marquez Valdez-Scantling to leave the locals out of time, who could only score a field goal. .
COME BACK IN A GREAT SECOND HALF FOR THE 49ERS.
At Allegiant Stadium, Kansas City will try to be the first franchise to repeat victory in the Super Bowl since the New England Patriots chained victories in 2004 and 2005 against the San Francisco 49ers, champions of the National Conference after coming back and ending the dream of the Detroit Lions (34-31).
The Californian franchise, winner of five Vince Lombardi trophies, will fight for this award for the eighth time, the first since they fell in 2020 against the Chiefs, after a match where they were initially dismasted by the revelation of the season, which was seeking its first Super Bowl and dominated the first half with authority at Levi Stadium.
The Lions, who in this campaign achieved their first victory in the playoffs since 1992, almost surprised the second best team of the season, which they dismantled mainly with their 'land' attack and the good work of their 'quarterback' Jared Goff. At halftime, Las Vegas was closer for Dan Campbell's team (7-24), after three touchdowns (Williams, Montgomery and Gibbs), but from then on they were surpassed by Kyle Shanahan's team where only Christian McCaffrey shone.
The visitors lost their advantage in a devastating third quarter, ending with a 17-0 lead for the locals, who did not let up and finished a 27-0 run to take the lead after a Mitchell touchdown. The Lions tried, but Williams' success came too late and San Francisco will seek revenge against Kansas City to join the Patriots and the Steelers on the record.