The game started a bit earlier than 5 pm because of the missing anthems and it was clear from the start, that the defenses will play the main role in the game. In the first half both the home and the away team based their offense on the running game, but the Cowboys tried a few long passes from time to time. On one of the plays Gábor Kalovits got loose from the defenders and scored on a reception of over 70 yards.
The Thunder offense couldn’t reply but the defense had an interception in the end zone, Bálint Michaletzky’s pass landed in Nikola Crnković’s, hands but the offense got blocked once again as the Cowboys defense stopped them on every drive. In the second quarter it became even clearer that the defenses would rule the day.
After the break the Cowboys were able to score twice. First Michaletzky escaped from the defenders and found Kalovits in the middle of the end zone for six and after that András Kelemen finished a drive from 3 yards following Mihály Ollári’s great run.
In the first play after the kickoff Ivan Klarić ran more than 70 yards to bring his team closer. After the successful kick the score was 21-7. Perhaps confused by an English tourist that ran across the field naked, the Cowboys conceded again, this time on a pass from Damir Župan to Marko Tošić, to cut the lead to 8.
But, the remainder of the game was about the defenses, and Zagreb ran out of time in their last drive.
So the final score was 21-13 which showed almost the same difference as last October’s 19-13. But the game itself was very different; the Cowboys defense was great while the offense was a bit flat again.
Zagreb is still greatly missing the passing game; they hardly ever tried to pass — not with so much success. They got close but the Cowboys held them away enough to keep it safe and to record their first win since joining the league for the 2008 season.