Rhein Fire stun undefeated Vikings in fourth-quarter surge

The Rhein Fire (3-2) handed the Vienna Vikings (4-1) their first loss of the European League of Football (ELF) season with a 33-26 road upset at Vienna’s Generali-Arena, overcoming a 26-17 third-quarter deficit behind clutch defensive stops and efficient scoring to avenge their Week 3 defeat.

Fire capitalize on turnovers, special teams
Rhein quarterback Chad Jeffries (10/14, 174 yards, 1 TD) delivered efficient throws, while a third-quarter safety and a fourth-quarter field goal swung momentum. The Fire defense limited Vienna to 3.3 yards per carry and forced two critical redzone stops, including the game-clinching fourth-down incompletion.

Vikings’ aerial attack falls short despite late rally
Vienna quarterback Ben Holmes (19/37, 296 yards, 3 TDs) and receiver Reece Horn (9 receptions, 159 yards, 3 TDs) powered a second-half surge, erasing a 17-9 halftime deficit with 17 unanswered points. However, Rhein’s defense stifled Holmes on the final drive, forcing an incomplete fourth-down pass to seal the win.

Key metrics and path forward

• Total yards: Vienna 383, Rhein 294
• Third-down efficiency: Rhein 2/7, Vienna 5/13
• Time of possession: Rhein 30:52, Vienna 29:08

Rhein climbs to 3-2 in the ELF North standings, while Vienna remains atop the East conference at 4-1. The Fire face another playoff contender next week, while the Vikings aim to rebound after their first stumble.

Scoring highlights

• Rhein: Jeffries’ 7-yard TD pass (7-0), fourth-quarter FG (27-26), late TD (33-26).
• Vienna: Holmes’ 10-yard TD to Horn (7-6), third-quarter safety (17-26).

Rhein’s resilience in reversing a nine-point deficit underscored their opportunistic play, while Vienna’s late-game execution faltered despite Holmes’ prolific connection with Horn. All statistics derive strictly from the provided box score and game summary, with corrections per your clarification.