The Murcia Cobras (0-6) will be visiting the Zaragoza Hurricanes (2-3) Sunday, March 28 as the Spanish League of American Football winds up its seventh round.
With only two games left in their season, the Cobras squad will be pulling out all the tricks as they are desperate for a win. The last time these two teams met the Hurricanes went to Murcia and won a close 17-14 nail bitter.
The home team Zaragoza Hurricanes have made some roster moves since their last game, picking up two new players in defensive back Tyren Quinn and Portuguese defensive back Eddie Gourgel.
The 5’10″, 18 pound Quinn is an experienced defensive back from the University of Kentucky. Quinn made 106 tackles for the Wildcats in his four year career in the south eastern conference. The Ohio native has blazing speed running a 4.38 40-yard dash on his pro day back in 2016. He has European experience playing for the Kyiv Capital in the Ukraine, and the UTA Pesaro Angels in Italy. The Kentucky product signed to play for the New Yorker Lions in Germany in 2020 before the pandemic cancelled the season. Look for the speedster to play receiver and corner for the Hurricanes.
Murcia Cobras @ Zaragoza Hurricanes, March 28, 12:30 CET (06:30 am ET)
Gourgel is a 6’1 Portuguese defensive back and receiver with experience playing both in Italy for the Bergamo Lions and the Lisboa Navigators in his home country. The Hurricanes last played a month ago on February 28th when they were routed by the Badalona Dracs 41-13. Fatigue played a factor in that one, as the Hurricanes thin roster started to fail them in the second half, as the loaded Dracs went on to score 20 unanswered points. Adding a two-way player like Gourgel could help the team play better later into the game. The Hurricanes newest player on what his role will be with Zaragoza:
“I will play more on the defensive side of the ball as defensive back, and of course I will try to help us stop Murcia Cobras from scoring. They are a very solid and tough team, it will be a very interesting game in every way and I am excited to start.”
The Murcia Cobras lost two weeks ago to the Badaona Dracs 21-13. The silver lining is the Cobras played maybe their best game of the season. A defensive touchdown on a pick six by Sebastian Castaner and a solid running game by Antonio Monton complemented by the playmaking ability of quarterback Robert Cuda kept the winless Cobras within one score of the defending champions. The Cobras defense played extremely well holding the Dracs explosive offense too only 21 points. Offensively, Murcia needs to control the ball better as turnovers likely cost them the victory last time out. Look for them to use the momentum of such a well-played game and turn it into their first win of the season in this one.
Receiver Jose Sotomayor on last week’s game.
“We are proud of last week’s game against Badalona, but we are clear that, that was not enough and that if we do not go out to the field on Saturday to give everything, we will not achieve the victory.”
Confidence may play a factor in this matchup as the Zaragoza Hurricanes will have to knock off some rust to play well, given they haven’t played a game a month. The visiting Cobras, while winless, are coming off of what can only be described as a “moral victory” as they went toe to toe with Spain’s defending national champs.
Watch the game live here. Murcia Cobras @ Zaragoza Hurricanes, March 28, 12:30 CET (06:30 am ET)
Zaragoza Hurricanes roster (Click image to enlarge)
Murcia Cobras roster (Click to enlarge)
