Austria edges Spain in thrilling IFAF U19 European Championships opener

Austria opened its defense of the IFAF U19 European Championships with a 17-7 win in Spain, but the scoreline does not reflect how close the hosts came to causing a massive upset.

Spain’s strong start
Spain led 7-3 heading into the fourth quarter thanks mainly to a defense that simply refused to break when Austria was knocking on the door seeking a go-ahead score. Eventually, following a missed Austria field goal, quarterback Julian Hennerbichler found Daniel Kühnrich high in the end zone for a touchdown then Markus Lamparter scored on the ground following a turnover.

Defensive battles
After a scoreless first quarter, Austria had taken a 3-0 lead through a 34-yard Lukas Kowar field goal but Spain’s hurry-up offense posed problems for the continent’s dominant nation at youth level and claimed a deserved lead. Rodrigo Loscertales lofted a perfect pass beyond the secondary that landed in the hands of Adrian Bermudez, who raced away to complete a 64-yard touchdown connection. Hector Gomez Sainz-Maza tagged on the extra point for a 7-3 lead that Spain took into halftime.

Austria’s comeback
Austria looked poised to regain the lead on the opening possession of the second half, but Santiago Nunez intercepted Hennerbichler in the end zone, and the Spanish defense continued to hold firm. After a period of sustained pressure, Simon Hamp fumbled away possession with Austria knocking on the door, and Gorka Lopez Ruiz recovered. Austria just could not punch the ball in, and a 45-yard field goal that would have reduced the deficit to one point fell short.

Decisive moments
Late in the third quarter, the perennial champions proved too hot to handle as Hennerbichler and Kühnrich connected, and Austria led 10-7. Spain’s hopes of a comeback and a surprise win on their return to U19 action after a long absence were extinguished when Peter Rettmeyer recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Inside the two-minute warning, Lamparter put the result beyond doubt with a rushing touchdown, and Spain’s continued efforts to fight back ended when Filippo Hoppel came up with a fumble recovery after a trick play failed.