Austria’s Graz Giants Win CEFL Title In Thrilling Last Second Victory

Austria’s Projekt Spielberg Graz Giants won a heart-stopping Central European Football League final scoring the winning touchdown with seconds left to beat SBB Vukovi Belgrade from Serbia 52-49.

In a see saw battle which saw Vukovi take a 28-27 lead at halftime, the Giants, playing in front of a wildly cheering home crowd, kept finding ways to come back.

CEFL - Graz-Vukovi - 2016 title game - 2pic

Graz DB Clint Floyd and Vukovi RB Tony Washington

Tight end Maximilian Herdey lept into the end zone to score the winning touchdown for the Giants with almost no time left on the clock and Vukovi went home empty handed from the championship game for the second year in a row. Belgrade had won the title six of 11 times since the league’s inception.

This was the first year the  Giants competed in the CEFL.

Vukovi looked like certain winners with a 49-44 lead and possession of the ball with little time left on the clock. But a late interception gave Graz a chance.

Photos: Lucas Kundigraber

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