The Barcelona Dragons consummated their third defeat of the season, the second against the Vienna Vikings who have managed to beat Andrew Weidinger’s men twice so far this season. The question is: will there be a third chance in the playoffs? At the moment, everything seems to indicate yes.
Match of the most even in the Generali Arena in Vienna. Even more than the one experienced at the Estadi Municipal de Reus in the now distant Week 6 in which the Dragons lost their status as an undefeated team. If in that game it was not until the last minutes that the Austrians reacted and turned the score around, today’s afternoon things were much more even at all times.
After a very even first assault in which the luminous did not move, it was the Catalans who managed to open the scoring through Giorgio Tavecchio (0-3), who transformed the second FG that he had up to that moment. Previously one had failed, while on the local side there had been two wasted kicks to sticks.
The hosts turned the game around thanks to a powerful running play by Wegan. No one could stop the local RB (7-3). From that moment on, the match gained even more in emotion and spectacular plays. After a first INT from the home team, Moll paid them back with the same coin with a gliding flight that left the ball in good field position after a good return. There appeared once again the most famous of the connections of the season; Zach Edwards-Kyle Sweet. The two Americans were in charge of putting the Dragons ahead again just at the moment when the Two minute warning of the second period was reached (10-7). With those of HC Weidinger three up, the break was reached.
After going through the changing rooms things hardened. Especially when it comes to defense. And it is that both the ‘D’ who was dressed in white, and the one who was in purple prevailed in separate attacks to leave the third period blank. He entered the last round with everything to decide.
From the joy of what could have been a new interception, he moved on to the disgruntled faces with the Vikings’ touchdown. After neither Masero nor Moll managed to catch that ball that was flying without a clear destination, the home team put their pieces together to take the lead for the second time in the afternoon (10-14). Things got even more uphill for the Dragon when after a second INT to Edwards, the Vikings scored a surprising touchdown. Schütz caught a measured pass from Erdmann, landed and was up like lightning to go uncontested into the endzone. And it is that nobody from the ‘D’ touched the local WR so that this action ended after that good catch (10-21).
The Dragons, once again displaying their pride and struggle, did not give up and went for more. They got into the flour again and spiced up the game after a short TD run by Zach Edwards and a good conversion of two that Roque Alarcón finished (18-21). Only three down and more than seven minutes to go.
For their part, with four to go, the Vikings went a little further on the scoreboard after a good FG (18-24). In what remained, Andrew Weidinger’s men did not find it easy to move the chains. A 4th&9 was played with what was practically a Hail Mary from Edwards over Kyle Sweet. The ’17’ was very close to catching that ball despite having triple coverage on top of him, which made that reception very difficult. It did not come out for a little and that was the definitive play that almost certified the local victory.
In the end there was no time for much more and the Dragons left the Generali Arena empty. Now, there is one last game of the regular phase; next Saturday, at the Estadi Municipal de Reus, against the Hamburg Sea Devils.
