After a second bitter European League of Football championship game defeat, Vienna Vikings owner Robin Lumsden clearly decided that when it came to Rhein Fire, nothing would be left to chance. If there was a credit card limit to be maxed out, this was the kind of roster, staff and organizational statement he wanted to make sure his beloved Vikings would never again be bullied by the team from Düsseldorf.
On Saturday in Vienna, that investment looked well spent.
A statement game in Vienna
In front of a roaring crowd of 11,209 at Generali Arena, the Vienna Vikings defeated Rhein Fire 24-10 in the most anticipated game of the young American Football League Europe (AFLE) season. The contest had the weight and atmosphere of a title preview, and for two quarters it was exactly that: two European heavyweights trading blows, testing each other’s protections, tackling in space and refusing to give up anything easy.
Then came the second half.
Defenses dominate early
Vienna shut Rhein Fire out after the break, leaned on Finnish running back Karri Pajarinen, and watched quarterback Ben Holmes guide the Vikings through the crucial moments as head coach Chris Calaycay’s team took control of the AFLE’s first true rivalry showcase.
The first quarter belonged to the defenses and to Rhein Fire kicker Sebastian Van Santen, who gave the visitors a 3-0 lead with a 51-yard field goal late in the period.
Rhein Fire’s offense, however, never looked fully comfortable early. Quarterback Kenji Bahar was under pressure, the operation looked unsettled, and Fire burned all three first-quarter timeouts while trying to get lined up and organized.
That mattered later.
Rhein Fire’s defense, meanwhile, was ready from the start. Marius Kensy seemed to be around every tackle, and Christian Matthew delivered one of the game’s early momentum plays when he intercepted Holmes in the second quarter.
Vikings answer before halftime
But Fire could not turn that takeaway into points, and Vienna soon found its rhythm.
The Vikings answered with a 76-yard drive that began to reveal the pattern of the afternoon. Pajarinen carried the load, Holmes managed the offense, and Vienna kept putting Rhein Fire’s defense back on the field.
Pajarinen finished the march with a five-yard touchdown run, giving the Vikings a 7-3 lead.
Rhein Fire responded with its best drive of the game. Bahar hit Harlan Kwofie for 22 yards to move the ball inside the five, and Jonathan Scott finished the possession with a two-yard touchdown run. Van Santen’s extra point put Fire back in front, 10-7, with 1:55 left in the half.
But Vienna’s two-minute response was important. Holmes moved the Vikings into scoring position, helped by a roughness penalty on Rhein Fire, and Dennis Tasic converted a 26-yard field goal with 33 seconds left.
Instead of Rhein Fire taking a lead into halftime, the game was tied 10-10.
Second half belongs to Vienna
The second half became the difference between a good defense and a complete team.
Vienna opened the third quarter with a long march but came away empty when Tasic missed a field goal. Rhein Fire then appeared to have a chance to seize momentum.
Bahar completed two key passes, including a 22-yarder to Kaylon Geiger and a 19-yarder to Kwofie, but the drive stalled into third-and-17. Bahar then failed to see linebacker Noel Swancar, who intercepted the pass and returned it three yards.
This time, Vienna cashed in.
Holmes found Bernhard Seikovits, Darrell Stewart Jr. and Albert Wiesigstrauch during a 77-yard drive, while Pajarinen continued to punish Fire on the ground. On second-and-goal from the five, Holmes found tight end Florian Bierbaumer for the touchdown.
Tasic’s extra point gave Vienna a 17-10 lead late in the third quarter.
Closing the door
Rhein Fire still had one more serious chance. Scott helped move the ball into Vienna territory with a physical running series, but the drive stalled at the Vikings’ 30. Van Santen’s 48-yard field goal attempt missed early in the fourth quarter, and Vienna immediately delivered the decisive drive.
The Vikings went 62 yards in 10 plays and took 5:35 off the clock. Pajarinen and Yannick Mayr did the damage on the ground, Holmes converted key situations, and the quarterback eventually pushed across from the one-yard line for the touchdown that made it 24-10 with 5:32 to play.
Fire briefly threatened when Bahar hit Kwofie for 56 yards, but a sack and a failed fourth down ended the last real comeback chance. Vienna then drained nearly all of the remaining clock.
Numbers tell the story
Pajarinen was named TISSOT Player of the Week after rushing 23 times for 112 yards and a touchdown. Holmes finished 22 of 33 for 237 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while adding 30 rushing yards and the clinching score.
Stewart led the Vikings receivers with seven catches for 83 yards, and Bierbaumer added three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown.
For Rhein Fire, Bahar completed 17 of 29 passes for 195 yards with one interception. Kwofie was the standout offensive weapon with eight catches for 138 yards, including the 56-yard fourth-quarter strike. Scott rushed 17 times for 66 yards and Rhein Fire’s only touchdown.
Statistically, Vienna’s control was clear. The Vikings outgained Rhein Fire 398-266, produced 28 first downs to Fire’s 14, rushed for 161 yards and converted 7 of 13 third downs. Rhein Fire, by contrast, managed just 76 rushing yards and went 4 of 12 on third down.
The game was not flawless for Vienna. The Vikings committed eight penalties for 81 yards, threw an interception and missed a field goal. But in the moments that mattered, Calaycay’s team looked composed, physical and better conditioned.
For the Vikings, this was more than a regular-season win. It was a message to the new league, to Rhein Fire and perhaps to the ghosts of those championship losses: Vienna has built this team to finish the job.
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
Rhein Fire – Sebastian Van Santen 51-yard field goal, 1:53
Rhein Fire 3, Vienna Vikings 0
Second Quarter
Vienna Vikings – Karri Pajarinen 5-yard run, Dennis Tasic kick, 7:15
Vienna Vikings 7, Rhein Fire 3
Rhein Fire – Jonathan Scott 2-yard run, Sebastian Van Santen kick, 1:55
Rhein Fire 10, Vienna Vikings 7
Vienna Vikings – Dennis Tasic 26-yard field goal, 0:33
Rhein Fire 10, Vienna Vikings 10
Third Quarter
Vienna Vikings – Florian Bierbaumer 5-yard pass from Ben Holmes, Dennis Tasic kick, 1:48
Vienna Vikings 17, Rhein Fire 10
Fourth Quarter
Vienna Vikings – Ben Holmes 1-yard run, Dennis Tasic kick, 5:32
Vienna Vikings 24, Rhein Fire 10