Fire impressed in Vienna and keeps playoff dreams alive
Cara Iden
© Hannes JirgalThe game between the Vienna Vikings and Rhein Fire was a must-see for all ELF fans. It was a rematch of both the 2024 Championship Game and the tight Week 3 matchup, which the Vikings won 12-7 in Düsseldorf.
Tight battle in the first half
Within the first 90 seconds of the game, Rhein Fire scored their first touchdown, taking an early 7-0 lead. The Vikings responded immediately with a touchdown of their own, but the following extra point attempt was no good, narrowing the gap to 7-6. Shortly before the end of the first quarter, the defending champions extended their lead with another touchdown. Quarterback Chad Jeffries took matters into his own hands and rush for one yard into the end zone and scored by himself.
The second quarter began with three points for the Vikings, as kicker Dennis Tasic successfully converted a 43-yard field goal. As the second quarter progressed, Rhein Fire covered more ground, but they as well were only able to score one more field goal and so the half-time score was 17-9.
Rhein Fire steals thriller from Vikings
The home team got off to a stronger start after halftime. As they had done many times, it was passes from quarterback Ben Holmes to wide receiver Reece Horn that made the difference and quickly turning the game in favor of the Vienna Vikings. Within the first 10 minutes of the third quarter, the Vikings put on a dominant display, scoring two touchpoints, one extra point, a two-point conversion and a safety. Rhein Fire had no answer to this offensive surge, and suddenly the Vikings found themselves leading 26-17.
What happened next resembled a thriller. After an interception – caused by Fires quarterback Chad Jeffries – the Vikings had a chance to further extend their lead. The teams’ drive descended into chaos when a wild snap sailed far over the kicker’s head. The rescue attempt went wrong, leading to a fumble and a touchdown by the special team for Rhein Fire. After a field goal by the current ELF Champion, it was a mistake by Vikings’ quarterback Ben Holmes that proved costly.
Following a sack by Marius Kensy, he fumbled the ball. Rhein Fire’s defense capitalized once again, as outside linebacker Lino Schroeter recovered the ball and, with the support of his teammates, carried it into the end zone for another touchdown. This score sealed the final result of 33-26 for Rhein Fire.
Watch the Rhein Fire at Vienna Vikings highlights here!
Back on Track: Rhein Fire rebounds with two consecutive wins
After two defeats in Weeks 3 and 4, which seriously jeopardized Rhein Fire’s playoff hopes, the team has turned things around with two wins in a row and now stands at 3-2. This puts the two-time defending champion back in a position to realistically contend for a playoff spot. After the game, Fire’s Schroeter said: “It’s always a team effort – that’s all that matters. We showed it last year, and we’re showing it again this year: we don’t hang our heads after a loss. That’s the mentality we have – from the coaches to the players.”
Historic run ends: Vienna Vikings beaten for first time in 1.000 days
With this defeat, the winning streak for the current season comes to an end for the Vienna Vikings, which now stands at 4-1. It also marked their first regular season loss in over 1.000 days – their last defeat came on September 4th, 2022, against the Wroclaw Panthers with a score of 6:42.
Looking ahead
With the win, Rhein Fire improve to 3-2 and are back in the playoff conversation. Next Sunday (29th of June, 13:00 CET) they are facing Berlin Thunder, while the Vikings are set to play Raiders Tirol – a matchup they’ve dominated so far, having never lost to their rivals.