Old Glory DC and Houston SaberCats are set for an intriguing Week 11 encounter this Friday, April 26, at 8 p.m. ET. The game will kick off at SaberCats Stadium and be available on ESPN+, CW39, and Monumental.
Old Glory has been struggling lately, a four-game losing streak that they're desperate to break. They did put on some good flashes of spark in a nail-biting 37-35 loss against the Miami Sharks, pocketing both a try bonus and a losing bonus.
Even with those setbacks, DC still clings to their playoff dreams in the Eastern Conference, sitting with 25 points-just two shy of Chicago in second place.
Meanwhile, the SaberCats are on an upswing. They snapped a two-game dip with a gritty 17-15 victory over NOLA Gold, which pushed them back to the top of the Western Conference with 32 points.
Houston's forward pack is picking up steam; for instance, Sam Tuifua and Rufus McLean together covered 193 meters in Week 10, and Ezekiel Lindenmuth was buzzing on the field with 14 attacking ruck entries, 10 tackles, and even a key turnover.
These two sides last met on April 20, 2024, when, in a twist, Houston won 38-17 despite DC enjoying over 63% of the ball. Houston managed to score five tries, with early strikes from Davy Coetzer and Christian Dyer, and not to forget AJ Alatimu, who led the point tally with 13.
On the DC side, Tavita Naqali has quietly turned into a standout player. In Week 10, Naqali showed off his grit by logging 16 tackles, 17 ruck arrivals, and 10 carries during the full 80 minutes-earning him a nod in the Top XV. His performance has offered a shining light on what DC can offer beyond their recent troubles.
With playoff positions on the line, both teams are hungry to rewrite the next chapter of their season.
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This story was originally published April 26, 2025 at 3:14 AM