LIVESTREAM Spain: Osos Rivas @ Fuengirola Potros, Feb. 20, 12 noon CET (06:00 am ET) (Livestream cancelled due to COVID in broadcast crew)
In the only game scheduled this weekend in the Spanish National American Football League, LNFA, the Fuengirola Potros (0-2) will play host to the unbeaten Osos Rivas (3-0).
The Potros have had a rough opening to the 2022 season, dropping their first two games, losing to the Murcia Cobras 47-14 and the Gijon Mariners, 30-27. Meanwhile, the opposite is true for the team from Madrid as they blanked the Cobras 35-0 and had no trouble with the Mariners, beating them 34-17. Finally, they got by the Las Rozas Black Demons 16-13 and now sit firmly in first place in the LNFA West division.
The Potros with Finnish quarterback Henri Väänänen back for the 2022 campaign, have struggled scoring 41 points in the two games. Still, Väänänen has excellent targets to throw to including the brothers Carlos and David Chaves who have three touchdowns between them, one for David and two for Carlos, who is also the backup quarterback. Running back Juan Carlos Cortez has accounted for a pair of scores while British wideout Matthew Lindholm has reached the end zone once.
Defensively, Fuengirola is led by German-Italian linebacker Nikolas Knablauch, aka Niko Suppa.
Osos Rivas’s new quarterback Rodney Brown adds experience to the backfield and in his first start last weekend against the Murcia Cobras looked impressive, throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for another. Receivers Álvaro Guitián and Alejandro Tizón were the recipients of scoring strikes from Brown and with a receiving corps that also includes Guatemala’s David Giron (1 TD) and Atsushi Uehiro from Japan who has scored two touchdowns, Brown has plenty of weapons. The backfield includes former Barcelona Dragons running back Adrian Jimenez who has one touchdown already this season and with an offensive line anchored by Celestin Ngimbi, also from the Dragons, the offense will be tough for the Fuengirola defense to handle.
Osos Rivas head coach Ricardo Martin has a formidable defense led by linebacker Herbert Gamboa. The unit has surrendered only an average of 10 points a game. Gamboa has also contributed to the scoring with a pick six last week against the Cobras. Defensive back Jorge Ruiz has also scored on an interception and will be dangerous today.
Fuengirola head coach Nacho Pance will have his hands full today facing an Osos Rivas team that looks like it is coming together.
