Amsterdam Crusaders notch first win of international schedule

The Amsterdam Crusaders have recorded their first win in their historic international season, beating Germany’s Dusseldorf Panther 20-7 in Dusseldorf.

This was the first game for the Crusaders in their inaugural, and somewhat historic first season playing only an international schedule. The Dutch club maybe the only team in Europe, or anywhere else in the world, not playing in their own league.

Although this was a preseason game for Dusseldorf, who play in Germany’s tier two league, the GLF2, for Amsterdam, it was a little more than that. With the schedule still only eight games long, (more games are in the works), it was important to come out of the gate quickly.

Crusaders quarterback Emmanuel Lewis, a veteran of play in Germany having played for both the Frankfurt Universe (Galaxy) in 2015 and the Marburg Mercenaries in 2017, threw two touchdown passes and ran another one in himself. Receiver Jasper Nyland caught both touchdown passes.

For the Panther, quarterback Rohat Dagdelen threw the lone touchdown pass to wide receiver Tim Haver Droeze.

Lewis opened the scoring in the second quarter after capping a long drive with a one-yard plunge to give the Crusaders a 6-0 lead. He struck again, still in the first half, finding Nyland for a 33 yard touchdown pass. Dylan Bakker added the extra point and Amsterdam took a 13-0 lead into the break.

Dussdeldorf’s offense finally started moving the ball in the third quarter and Dagdelen connected with Droeze from 28 yards out and Daniel Shoemaker kicked the extra point to narrow the lead to 13-7.

That was as close as Dusseldorf would come as Nyland hauled in another touchdown pass from Lewis midway through the fourth quarter and Bakker kicked the extra point to finalize the score, 20-7.

Next up for the Crusaders are the Cologne Crocodiles who play in the German Football League. The game will be played in the Crusaders brand new, American football-specific facility in Amsterdam,on March 31.