Germany: Hamburg Huskies rally to beat Hildesheim Invaders, snap season-long winless streak

Trailing by 13 points at halftime, the Hamburg Huskies staged a second half comeback to defeat the Hildesheim Invaders 21-20 to capture their first win in 2017 and snap an 11 game losing streak in the German Football League dating back to 2016.

Playing at Eintracht stadion in Hildesheim the previously winless Huskies looked like they would continue their losing streak after falling behind 13-0 at the half, but rallied to scored two third quarter touchdowns and add another in the fourth while the defense stood tall.

Huskies quarterback John Uribe completed 19 of 37 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns and overcame  five interceptions, four in the first half, with an outstanding second half. Wide receiver Tobias Nill caught 10 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown while Nassim Amroun posted 84 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Running back Colby Goodwyn rushed for 76 yards and recorded a key interception.

Zach Cavanaugh threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns for Hildesheim while Paul Bogdann caught six passes for 103 yards and a touchdown and Christian Fette hauled in three for 104 and a touchdown. Jonas Kretschmann scored the third touchdown for the Invaders.

Cavanaugh and the Invaders opened the game looking sharp scoring on their first drive with Kretschmann catching a 29 yard touchdown pass. But the Hamburg defense stepped up their play keeping the Hildesheim offense in check until Uribe was picked off for the first time. The Invaders scored on their next series giving them a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter. Although Uribe was intercepted on the next three Hamburg possessions, after driving the team down to the Hildesheim three yard line once, the defense continued to play excellent football and they went into the break behind 13-0.

Finally, after holding the Invaders to another three and out early in the third quarter, Uribe got the offense untracked and engineered a scoring drive, marching the Huskies 57 yards in nine plays, capping it with a touchdown pass to Amroun and the lead was cut to 13-7.

The Invaders extended their lead however on the next series as Cavanaugh hit Fette with a screen pass and he raced 74 yards for the touchdown, restoring the 13 point lead, 20-7.

This time Uribe responded, finding Nill for four straight completions, the last one for a 10 yard touchdown pass, pulling to within six, 20-14 heading into the fourth quarter. Then a poor punt by Hildesheim gave the Huskies the ball on the Invaders 39 yard line and Uribe wasted no time, as two plays later he connected with Amroun again from 19 yards out for a touchdown giving Hamburg the lead 21-20.

After both teams missed field goal attempts on their next possessions, Goodwyn intercepted a Cavanaugh pass late in the game to seal the win.