LIVESTREAM Austrian Semi: Graz Giants @ Prague Black Panthers, July 12, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 10 am ET)
The second-seeded Prague Black Panthers welcome the third-seeded Graz Giants to Prague for an Austrian Football League semifinal, with the winner earning a place in the win2day Austrian Bowl XLI.
The teams met once during the regular season, with the Black Panthers edging the Giants 24-21 in Week 1. Both clubs, however, have improved considerably since that early-season meeting, making this one of the most intriguing matchups of the AFL playoffs.
Prague peaking at the right time
The Black Panthers secured the No. 2 seed by closing the regular season with a convincing 42-14 victory over the Salzburg Ducks.
After falling behind early, Prague responded with six unanswered touchdowns. Luke Skokna led the way with three rushing touchdowns while also returning a punt for a score, and Jakub Březina and Jan Vrňata also reached the end zone. The defense settled in after the opening drive and shut down the Ducks for the remainder of the game.
That balanced performance extended Prague’s winning streak and gives the Black Panthers plenty of confidence heading into the postseason.
Watch live. Graz Giants @ Prague Black Panthers, July 12, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 10 am ET)
Giants riding offensive momentum
The Giants earned their semifinal berth by overwhelming the Salzburg Ducks 70-19 in the Wild Card round.
Fritz Bleckmann delivered one of the best playoff performances in recent AFL history, scoring five touchdowns as Graz piled up points throughout the afternoon. Quarterback Bastian Steinmair efficiently directed the offense, while Eddie Morales added a kickoff return touchdown to ignite the second-half scoring spree.
Head coach Stefan Pokorny expects a much different challenge this week.
“A lot of time has passed since the last meeting. Both teams have developed a lot. We expect a football game at a very high level, which will probably be decided by individual plays.”
Everything on the line
Both teams enter the semifinals playing some of their best football of the season. Prague has not lost in more than two months, while the Giants have built momentum with a string of strong performances heading into the playoffs.
With a trip to the Austrian Bowl at stake and the regular-season meeting decided by just three points, another close battle would come as no surprise.
Watch live. Graz Giants @ Prague Black Panthers, July 12, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 10 am ET)
