Spain: Osos Rivas and Gijón Mariners battle to nail-biting tie

The Gijón Mariners (0-2-1) and Osos Rivas (2-1-1) played to a thrilling 20-20 tie in a back-and-forth Spanish Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano contest that saw momentum swing dramatically before ending in a rare deadlock after a blocked extra point sealed the shared result.

Osos Rivas build commanding lead
Osos Rivas overcame an early 7-0 deficit with a strong close to the first half, as quarterback Álvaro Cánovas connected with Jorge Martín to tie the game before finding import receiver Kyle Jenkings for a go-ahead score just before halftime. Jenkings added another touchdown reception in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 20-7 and appearing to put the game out of reach.

Mariners mount stunning comeback
Gijón refused to quit, rallying behind American quarterback Justin Agner, who hit James Payton for a fourth-quarter touchdown to cut the deficit to six. Running back Yasser Iraola then punched in his second rushing touchdown of the day with under four minutes remaining to tie the game at 20-20. However, the potential game-winning extra point was blocked by the Osos special teams, preserving the tie.

Playoff implications
The draw leaves Osos Rivas with a slightly dented but still strong record, while the Mariners earn a hard-fought first point of the season despite remaining winless. Both teams had opportunities to win late, but defensive stands and special teams plays ultimately resulted in a fair—if unsatisfying—split decision.