Galo Futebol Americano (formerly Belo Horizonte) staged a late-game comeback to defeat João Pessoa Espectros 17-13 to capture the 2018 Brazil Bowl and repeat as Brazilian champions.
The team from Minas Gerais province in Brazil feel behind late but scored with less than two minutes remaining and then held off the Espectros for the win.
This was the second year in a row these two teams met in the final.
Running back Parris Lee (Georgia State) was the hero leading Galo by scoring both touchdowns while Luiz Protasio kicked a field goal and both extra points.
For the Espectros, quarterback Rodrigo Dantas threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Victor Ramalho and Diego Aranha kicked two field goals and an extra point.
In a tight defensive battle, Galo took a 10-0 halftime lead as quarterback Alvaro Fadini, guided the team into field goal range early in the second quarter. Protasio kicked a 42 yard field goal giving Galo Horizonte a 3-0 lead.
Then Fadini marched his team down to the 29 yard line. Lee did the rest on the next play, finding a seam and racing into the end zone and the visitors took a 10-0 lead into the break.
Fadini guided his team into João Pessoa territory again in the third quarter but was picked off by defensive back Igor Nery and João Pessoa took over reaching the 18 yard line. That was as far as they would get and Aranha kicked a 36 yard field goal to close the gap to 10-3.
Still in the third quarter, Aranha was called upon again, kicking a 43 yard field goal, further narrowing the lead to 10-6.
Perdeu algum detalhe do #BrasilBowlIX?
Confira tudo o que aconteceu na grande decisão da BFA 2018, que consagrou o @galofamericano campeão nacional.
👉https://t.co/wSPyVTJRtC
📷João Guilherme pic.twitter.com/gms7pbrN8N— Salão Oval (@SalaoOval) December 17, 2018
With his team trailing midway through the fourth quarter, Espectros running back Carlos Cox (Northwestern Oklahoma State) took off a 32 yard scamper and then Dantas connected with Ramalho to give João Pessoa their first lead of the game, 13-10.
However, with under two minutes left, Fadini engineered a drive down to the Galo five yard line. Lee plunged into the end zone and Protasio kicked the extra point and the defending champions were ahead again 17-13.
The Espectros final drive ended with a failed fourth down attempt and Galo Horizonte began celebrating their second straight title in Brazil..
Watch a replay of the game here.
