Danube Dragons Vienna have welcomed Guelfi Firenze in the second round. After a furious start the game turned into a scoring fest. The home team won all four quarters of the game, largely helped by Italian team’s turnovers.

The Viennese have opened the game with a shot play. Their leading passer Alexander Thury lobbed it deep to Bernhard Ruscher on a play-action pass to warm up the scoreboard, 7-0.

Guelfi answered by Ryan Deluca first passing to Giacomo Mibelli, and then stretching his legs. On another rush he fumbled and Paul Schachner picked it up and returned it home for 14-0.

Barely two minutes into the game and the visitors were down two scores but still undeterred. Deluca slinged the rock to Niccolò Formosa for big yardage and then screened to Cosimo Casati who weaved through the defense to lower the score, 14-7.

In the second quarter Danube Dragons picked up where they left off at the start. Madre London showed off his speed and got to the red zone and Marcel Stefanek’s 24 yard kick was true for 17-7.

When the Florentines got the ball back Deluca launched a couple of rockets to Mibelli. Stefano Bartoccioni first got them in front of the goal line and then ran across it to bring his team to 17-14.

Before half time, Thury connected with Samuel Imarhiagbe three times to put his team within the striking distance. Linebacker Hakeem Kinard doubling as running back took a direct snap to the house to up the difference to double digits, 24-14.

After the intermission Guelfi mounted a promising drive through Casati’s big gain over the ground. Thiago Lessow then sacked Deluca on 4th down for a turnover on downs.

For the Danube Dragons, Thury dialed up Uzay Nafile but they couldn’t convert their 4th down either, handing the ball back to their opponent. It wasn’t of much use to them, since Casati muffed the toss and Lessow recovered it.

The home team took advantage of the short field when Thury lateralled to Lukas Gold who broke two tackles heading to the end zone for 31-14.

Visitors’ fumbled handoff was picked up by Lessow, who was stripped of the ball by Mirko Nannucci and Danube Dragons’ DB Chivarro Van Ommeren jumped on it. London was starring in the leading role in the next series, rushing down after down and finally catching Thury’s pass while spinning away from his defender to raise the bar to 38-14.

Trying to catch up, Guelfi were now in passing mode. That got them very close to paydirt but when Deluca went for it Nils Mürwald picked him off. Visiting team’s defense returned the favor when Dejion Lynch intercepted Austrians’ new quarterback, Lukas Schramm.

A single pitch and catch from Deluca to Casati was enough for the Italians to sing their swan song, 38-20.

Their unsuccessful onside kick gave Schramm the opportunity to score as well, employing Gold for the final score, 45-20.

With this win in the Danube Dragons will head to the shore of the Geneva Lake to visit Thonon Black Panthers. This semifinal matchup will take place on 1 June. They will be the second Austrian opponent in a row for the Black Panthers as they’ve advanced to the semis by beating Thalheim Graz Giants.