The Ancona Dolphins (5-3) wrapped up their Italian Football League regular season with a thrilling 56-40 victory over the Milano Rhinos (0-7), marking their fifth win in the last six games. Despite the Rhinos struggling throughout the season, they put up a fight against the Dolphins, who were missing key players but still managed to secure the win at home.
Dolphins start strong
The game kicked off with a bang as Federico Orlandini returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, putting the Dolphins up 7-0 just 13 seconds into the game after a successful extra point by Kikko Dazzani. The Rhinos didn’t flinch, responding with a long drive led by quarterback Darius Perrantes, culminating in a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Myhre. However, their conversion attempt failed, leaving the score at 7-6.
Milano took the lead shortly after when Bruno Escobar caught a touchdown pass, and Suppa successfully converted the extra point, making it 14-7. The Dolphins quickly retaliated, tying the game at 14-14 with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Raffaele Rotelli.
Back-and-forth battle
The momentum shifted again when Cameron Grodhaus made a crucial interception, allowing the Dolphins to regain the lead with a touchdown from Giovanni Zani, pushing the score to 28-14. The Rhinos fought back with a deep pass from Perrantes to Brambilla, narrowing the gap to 28-20 after another failed conversion attempt.
As the first half wound down, the Dolphins extended their lead to 35-20 with a 6-yard touchdown run by Raffaele Rotelli. The first half ended with the Dolphins in control, showcasing their offensive depth despite missing key players.
Second half surge
The second half began with the Rhinos looking to turn the tide, but Valentino Rotelli intercepted another pass from Perrantes, setting up a spectacular 99-yard touchdown run by Grodhaus. This play electrified the crowd and pushed the score to 42-20, effectively bending the Rhinos‘ will.
Milano managed to score again with a touchdown from Iul, making it 42-26, but the Dolphins responded with another touchdown from Federico Orlandini, extending their lead to 49-26.
In the final quarter, Orlandini caught a touchdown pass from Grodhaus, bringing the score to 56-26. The Rhinos added two late touchdowns from Escobar and Facino, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit, and the game ended 56-40.
With this victory, the Dolphins are now looking ahead to the playoffs, hoping to build on their recent success and recover from injuries as they prepare for the postseason. The Rhinos, still searching for their first win, will need to regroup and find a way to turn their season around.