Scott Erney threw a 6-yard pass to Thomas Woods for the only touchdown as Barcelona defeated the turnover-plagued Birmingham Fire 10-3 on Saturday night to advance to the WLAF championship game.
Erney's touchdown pass came with 10 seconds remaining in the first half, capping a 14-play, 89-yard drive which put the Dragons ahead 10-0. Erney accounted for 63 yards in the drive, but completed only 9-of-28 passes for 62 yards in the game.Birmingham's Win Lyle kicked a 28-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, but the Fire wasted an opportunity to tie it after John Miller intercepted an Erney pass and returned it to the Barcelona 26.
A personal foul on Birmingham moved the ball back to the Dragons' 41 yard line and on the Fire's first play, quarterback Eric Jones was stripped of the ball by Barcelona's Brent White. Eric Lindstrom recovered for the Dragons to end the threat.
Barcelona will meet the winner of Sunday's other semifinal game between the European Division champion London Monarchs and the North American East champion New York-New Jersey Knights.
The World Bowl will be played Sunday, June 9 at London's Wembley Stadium.