IFAF Men’s European Championships: Austria opens Pokorny Era with 75 0 win over Belgium

SALZBURG, Austria — There were no surprises at the Duck Pond on Sunday. Austria began the defense of its back-to-back IFAF European titles with a 75-0 demolition of Belgium, giving new head coach Stefan Pokorny exactly the sort of opening afternoon he would have wanted: a shutout, a deep rotation and enough young players involved to make the result about more than simply confirming the obvious gap between the two programs.

The fans who turned up at the Salzburg Ducks’ American Footballzentrum appeared to enjoy themselves. The beer taps were working hard, the atmosphere was relaxed and the home team supplied the entertainment. Belgium’s first appearance in the new IFAF Men’s European Championship cycle was always going to be a severe examination. Against the reigning champions, and on the champions’ home field after Belgium surrendered home advantage, the visitors were asked to climb a mountain before the first snap.

A new era for Austria

Pokorny’s first task was to establish his version of Team Austria. The former Graz Giants head coach took over from the successful era that produced European titles in 2023 and 2025, but he did not inherit a finished museum piece. His first roster included 24 debutants among 45 selections. The question was not whether Austria would win this game. It was whether the new staff could begin building the next team without allowing the standards to slip.

The answer was emphatic. Austria scored twice in the opening quarter, three times in the second, added two more touchdowns in the third and finished with three in the fourth. The defense did the rest. Belgium never found the end zone and was repeatedly forced into long-yardage situations, punts and mistakes. By the time the visitors were still trying to create something in the closing stages, the contest had long since become an exercise in damage limitation.

Hrouda takes command

Nico Hrouda made the most persuasive argument of the afternoon for his place in the new order. The Vienna Vikings quarterback completed 13 of 16 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns, finishing with a passer rating of 116.8 in the official statistics. He opened the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jonas Dachs-Wiesinger and later found Michael Schachermayr for a nine-yard score. Dachs-Wiesinger added a two-yard rushing touchdown, giving him three trips to the end zone before the afternoon was over.

Hrouda was not merely a caretaker quarterback operating behind a dominant defense. His early connection with Schachermayr and Dachs-Wiesinger gave Austria rhythm, while his 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter showed that Belgium also had to respect his ability to keep the ball. Austria’s passing game produced several clean explosive plays, including completions of 31 and 26 yards to Schachermayr before the receiver’s touchdown.

Second quarter breaks it open

The second quarter turned the game into a rout. Fabian Eder ran 13 yards for a touchdown, Nikolaus Huszar returned an interception 40 yards for another score and Hrouda added his rushing touchdown. The sequence was a useful summary of Belgium’s afternoon: the Austrian offense could move the ball in several ways, while the defense was ready to punish every loose possession. Belgium quarterback Warren Kongolo was intercepted by Linus Gantar before halftime, and the visitors also lost a series of fumbles under pressure.

Austria’s defensive performance was not simply a matter of Belgium failing to execute. The home side’s front created constant discomfort. Jakob Scheucher recorded a sack, Max Grünsteidl forced a fumble and the secondary added interceptions from Gantar, Huszar, Simon Maggauer and Christoph Nitzinader. Belgium did produce occasional completions, including a 40-yard pass to Lou Deboe in the third quarter, but there was no sustained drive and no reward for the effort.

Dean Opara extended the lead with an 11-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and Hrouda then connected with Dachs-Wiesinger for a 37-yard score. Philipp Klar missed a 27-yard field-goal attempt in the same period, the only blemish on an otherwise efficient special-teams afternoon. Klar converted the extra points that followed the Austrian touchdowns, while Belgium’s late attempt to get on the scoreboard was mercifully called off before it could turn into an even more awkward footnote to the shutout.

Austria’s depth takes over

The fourth quarter belonged to Austria’s depth. Bastian Steinmair took over at quarterback and immediately kept the production moving, throwing touchdown passes of 28 yards to Lukas Moyzisch and five yards to Jakob Begander. Patrick Welte added a three-yard rushing touchdown, and the scoring was spread across the roster, which was precisely the point of an opener against a developing Belgian side: give the new players meaningful work, keep the established players healthy and begin discovering who belongs in the next edition of Team Austria.

For Belgium, the afternoon was harsh but not pointless. The Belgian Barbarians were rebuilding a national program and had openly framed the game as an opportunity to measure themselves against the best. That measurement was unforgiving. Austria’s defense was faster, stronger and more disciplined, while the Austrian offense exposed the amount of work still required before Belgium can compete with the continent’s leading teams. There were flashes, particularly from the passing game, but not enough possession or field position to alter the afternoon.

Champions show no signs of slipping

Pokorny could hardly have asked for a cleaner beginning. Austria’s next game is against Türkiye in Vienna on October 25, and that contest should offer a more meaningful test of the new team’s development. Sunday’s 75-0 win confirmed that Austria remains the standard in this group. The more interesting conclusion was that the champions can change coaches, introduce two dozen debutants and still look very much like the champions. At the Duck Pond, Team Austria’s new era began with the old result: a win, a shutout and a lot of beer sold.

Scoring summary

First quarter

12:00 — Austria: Jonas Dachs-Wiesinger 17-yard pass from Nico Hrouda (Philipp Klar kick), 7-0.

12:00 — Austria: Michael Schachermayr 9-yard pass from Hrouda (Klar kick), 14-0.

Second quarter

12:00 — Austria: Dachs-Wiesinger 2-yard run (Klar kick), 21-0.

12:00 — Austria: Fabian Eder 13-yard run (PAT missed), 27-0.

12:00 — Austria: Nikolaus Huszar 40-yard interception return (Klar kick), 34-0.

12:00 — Austria: Hrouda 10-yard run (Klar kick), 41-0.

Third quarter

12:00 — Austria: Dean Opara 11-yard run (PAT blocked), 47-0.

12:00 — Austria: Dachs-Wiesinger 37-yard pass from Hrouda (Klar kick), 54-0. Klar missed a 27-yard field goal.

Fourth quarter

12:00 — Austria: Lukas Moyzisch 28-yard pass from Bastian Steinmair (Klar kick), 61-0.

12:00 — Austria: Patrick Welte 3-yard run (Klar kick), 68-0.

12:00 — Austria: Jakob Begander 5-yard pass from Steinmair (Klar kick), 75-0.