EFA: Raiders Tirol avenge early-season loss with 41-29 win over Prague Lions

The Raiders Tirol gained a measure of revenge and kept their faint European Football Alliance playoff hopes alive Sunday, defeating the Prague Lions 41-29 at FK Viktoria Žižkov.

Prague’s 45-44 victory in Innsbruck earlier in the season looked like a major upset at the time. As the Raiders’ campaign developed into one of the most disappointing in the club’s recent history, that result began to look less shocking. Still, Tirol arrived in Prague determined to settle the score and, in front of a sparse crowd on a sun-baked summer afternoon, produced its second consecutive victory.

Recently installed quarterback Kenyatte Allen picked up where he had left off before the bye week. After completing 30 of 31 passes for 408 yards and three touchdowns in the Raiders’ breakthrough win over Frankfurt, Allen attacked Prague vertically and finished 15 of 22 for 346 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

The biggest star, however, was Lukas Haslwanter. The Raiders running back scored four touchdowns — three on the ground and one through the air — as Tirol rolled up 521 yards of offense and averaged 9.3 yards per play.

Raiders build first-half lead

After Prague went three-and-out on the opening possession, the Raiders marched 86 yards in 10 plays. The key moment came on third-and-22, when Allen found Marco Schneider for 46 yards to the Lions’ 5-yard line. Haslwanter scored on the next play to give Tirol a 7-0 lead.

The Lions responded with a 65-yard drive capped by Jaylon Henderson’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Keyon Lesane Sr., although Marek Hrubon missed the extra point. Tirol needed only four plays to answer. Allen found Haslwanter behind the defense for a 59-yard touchdown and a 14-6 advantage.

Prague then put together an extended drive aided by three Raiders penalties and finally converted on fourth-and-goal when Henderson hit Adam Zouzelka for a 2-yard touchdown. Hrubon’s extra point cut the margin to 14-13 early in the second quarter.

Jonata Loria kicked a 30-yard field goal for Tirol before Haslwanter completed another methodical Raiders drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. Prague stayed close when Paul Breuer scored from seven yards out with 30 seconds left in the half, sending the Lions to the locker room trailing only 24-20.

Haslwanter leads second-half surge

The Raiders struck immediately after halftime. Following two Tim Tonko runs, Allen launched a 64-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Jackson, extending the lead to 31-20 just 93 seconds into the third quarter.

Tirol stopped Prague on fourth down, but on the Raiders’ next possession Aleksandar Borkovic intercepted Allen. The Lions managed only a 46-yard Hrubon field goal from the favorable field position. The Raiders answered with another explosive series. Tonko broke loose for 34 yards and Haslwanter finished the 65-yard drive with his fourth touchdown, a 7-yard run that made it 38-23.

Henderson opened the fourth quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run, but his two-point pass failed, leaving Prague nine points behind. Allen then converted a key third down with a 32-yard completion to Jackson, allowing Loria to add a 37-yard field goal and restore the Raiders’ two-score cushion at 41-29.

Defense closes it out

The Lions mounted one final 16-play drive and appeared to score on an 11-yard pass to David Luksan, but the touchdown was erased by an offensive holding penalty. Prague received several more chances through Raiders penalties, but Jasper Djouma forced Henderson to fumble at the Tirol 2-yard line and Benedikt Dorner recovered with 2:18 remaining.

Tirol then ran out the clock to complete the season split and improve to 2-7. Prague also fell to 2-7.

The Raiders did not punt in the game. Allen’s 346 passing yards were complemented by 175 yards on the ground. Tonko rushed for 80 yards on 12 carries, while Haslwanter added 49 rushing yards and caught the 59-yard touchdown pass. Jackson finished with three receptions for 105 yards and a score, Schneider had two catches for 80 yards and Adrian Platzgummer caught five passes for 70 yards.

Henderson carried the Prague offense, rushing 19 times for 124 yards and a touchdown while completing 14 of 26 passes for 126 yards and two scores. The Lions gained 181 yards rushing but were held to 307 total yards. Tirol overcame 14 penalties for 166 yards, one of the few blemishes in an otherwise dominant offensive performance.

For a Raiders team that had spent much of the season searching for answers, back-to-back wins have arrived just in time to keep the Final Four door open. Whether the turnaround came too late remains to be seen, but in Prague, Tirol finally delivered the response it had wanted since the Lions’ dramatic victory in Innsbruck.

Scoring summary

First quarter

8:54 — Raiders Tirol: Lukas Haslwanter 5-yard run (Jonata Loria kick), 7-0.

5:41 — Prague Lions: Keyon Lesane Sr. 18-yard pass from Jaylon Henderson (Marek Hrubon kick failed), 7-6.

3:49 — Raiders Tirol: Haslwanter 59-yard pass from Kenyatte Allen (Loria kick), 14-6.

Second quarter

14:11 — Prague Lions: Adam Zouzelka 2-yard pass from Henderson (Hrubon kick), 14-13.

9:53 — Raiders Tirol: Loria 30-yard field goal, 17-13.

3:02 — Raiders Tirol: Haslwanter 4-yard run (Loria kick), 24-13.

0:30 — Prague Lions: Paul Breuer 7-yard run (Hrubon kick), 24-20.

Third quarter

13:27 — Raiders Tirol: Aaron Jackson 64-yard pass from Allen (Loria kick), 31-20.

6:07 — Prague Lions: Hrubon 46-yard field goal, 31-23.

3:14 — Raiders Tirol: Haslwanter 7-yard run (Loria kick), 38-23.

Fourth quarter

14:57 — Prague Lions: Henderson 2-yard run (two-point pass failed), 38-29.

10:14 — Raiders Tirol: Loria 37-yard field goal, 41-29.