The IFAF Europe Champions League tournament saw two lopsided victories on the weekend and a second conference decided as the Danube Dragons from Austria rolled over Portugal’s Lisbon Devils while SBB Vukovi Belgrade from Serbia had no trouble with Hungary’s Budapest Wolves.
Central Conference
SBB Vukovi Belgrade (Serbia) (1-1) 42 – Budapest Wolves (Hungary) (0-1) 7
SBB Vukovi Belgrade gained a measure of revenge in Champions League play by dominating the Budapest Wolves from Hungary 42-7. Vukvoi had lost to the Milano Seamen in the opening game of the tournament in the Central Conference.
Vukovi rolled to a 35-0 halftime lead and then eased off in the second half, cruising to an easy win at home in Belgrade.
Quarterback John Uribe tossed three touchdown passes himself and ran for another to lead Vukovi to a much needed victory. Running back Mihailo Josovic scored two touchdowns, running one in from one yard out and hauling in one of Uribe’s passes for another. Nikola Simovic added two majors while Kresimir Gorsa had another.
Mate Gecser scored on a 31 yd pass from Mark Bencsics to account for Budapest’s lone touchdown.
The Wolves will face the Milano Seamen on May 29 in the final game of conference play. If the Seamen win, they advance to the semifinals. If Budapest wins then point differentials will determine the conference winner.
South Conference
Danube Dragons (Austria) (2-0) 60 – Lisbon Devils (Portugal) (1-1) 36
The Danube Dragon punched their ticket to the IFAF Europe Champions League Final Four by overwhelming the Portuguese champions, the Lisbon Devils 60-36 in Vienna Sunday in South Conference action.
The Dragons broke open a see saw ball game midway through the third quarter scoring five touchdowns after the Devils had closed the gap to 27-22 early in the period.
Quarterback Alex Good who was playing his first game for Danube since last year, threw two touchdown passes and carried two more in himself for the win. The Dragons defense accounted for two touchdowns on a 91 yard interception return for a score and an end zone fumble recovery.
Devils quarterback Joey Bradley threw four touchdown passes, two to Collin Franklin in a losing cause. In fact, Lisbon opened the scoring on the first drive of the game as Bradley found Franklin for a 51 yarder to surprise the Dragons.
With the win, Danube clinched top spot in the group and a berth in the Final Four. They had previously defeated Serbia’s GAT Novi Sad Dukes 14-8 in overtime.
Turkey’s Koc Rams had already advanced to the Final Four winning the East Conference.