Vienna Vikings steamroll Barcelona Dragons in semi-final of European League of Football

| American Football | 09/13/2022

The Vienna Vikings have earned themselves a spot in the European League of Football Championship Game following their dominant 39-12 victory over the Barcelona Dragons.

The pair’s previous meetings in the regular season saw two of the best teams in the league battle it out for supremacy in tight contests. This time round, however, in the game that meant the most, it was only Vienna who appeared to show up.

Zach Edwards, Barcelona’s quarterback and the league’s top passer, was held to just 43 yards in the first half. Nothing appeared to click from the very beginning as Vienna rushed and harried Edwards in the pocket play after play.

The Vikings stayed with what had got them this far and methodically moved the ball down the field taking few chances and feeding their stable of backs who managed to accrue 200 yards on the day.

Vikings WR Mike Breuler @hjirgalphotography

The Wegan brothers, Anton and Florian, shared the load with Italian running back Modeste Pooda. It was Florian who punched in the first and second touchdown in each of the first two quarters to take the Vikings up 13-0 at the half.

Considering the dominant performance that Vienna put on display, the Dragons were lucky to go in at the half down only 13 points. Part of this success was keeping the league’s top receiver, Kyle Sweet, in check. Sweet was allowed just 33 yards in the entire game.

The explosive and diverse Exavier Edwards kicked the second half off for the Vikings with a 33-yard touchdown run. The third quarter continued to go Vienna’s way with countless three-and-outs for the Dragons and a further two scores for the Vikings to take them up 29-0 going into the fourth.

Barcelona QB Zach Edwards @hjirgalphotography

Barcelona were able to string a few drives together in garbage time to save their pride, but it was all for naught as the game had by this time escaped them with the game ending 39-12.

This convincing performance from the Vikings shows a team coming into their element at the perfect time. It also shows just how underrated their running game is as they approach the final against the league’s rushing leaders, the Hamburg Sea Devils.

The final will surely make for an exhilarating spectacle as the league’s top teams battle it out for the title in Austria. The Sea Devils are surely better at what they do best, but the diversity in Vienna’s play style will allow them more flexibility in a game that may require a change of approach with each team having two weeks to prepare.

Daniel Mackenzie is a Press Association graduate who works in journalism and communications in the third sector. Daniel began playing football for the London Warriors and Team Great Britain and has since played across Europe.