Die IFAF-Mannschaft schlägt Team USA mit 35:29 und gewann damit als erstes Team überhaupt ein Spiel gegen eine US-Amerikanische Auswahlmannschaft.
Die drei Österreicher im Team World spielten bei der Partie eine eher hintergründige Rolle, lediglich Runningback Andreas Hofbauer kam in den Special Teams öfters zum Einsatz und erzielte auch ein 1st down für Team World mit einem Lauf.
Das Team von Greg Marshall setzte vorrangig auf kanadische Cracks und war damit auch gut beraten. Die künftigen Top-College Spieler der USA gingen zwar rasch in Führung, fanden danach aber gegen eine konsequent spielende Defense kaum merh ein Rezept und kassierten fünf Touchdowns der phasenweise hochklassig agierenden IFAF-Offense.
Der Comeback-Versuch der USA im letzten Viertel scheiterte, ein Onside-Kick wurde von Team World erobert, die die Uhr runter laufen lassen konnten.
International Bowl
Team USA vs. Team World 29:35
(7:7/2:14/7:7/13:7)
1. Februar 12 | 24:00 MEZ
Reeves Athletic Complex | Austin/TX
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Spielstatistiken«
Scores:
1. QUARTER
TD USA Maguire 26 yd TD pass to Deloatch, Cooke PAT 7:0
TD WORLD Finch pass to Gilbert-Knorren 75 yd 7:7
2. QUARTER
TD WORLD 19 yd run Anthony Coombs 7:14
SAF USA Mills fumbles in the end zone, WORLD recovers 9:14
TD WORLD Mills to Smith 19 yd 9:21
3. QUARTER
TD WORLD Daryl Waud 9:28
TD USA Javelle Allen pass to Frank Epitropoulos 16:28
4. QUARTER
TD WORLD 62 yard Coombs 16:35
TD USA Conversion failed 22:35
TD USA Canon Smith 29:35
Pressemeldung der IFAF:
The IFAF World Team won a thrilling 2012 International Bowl 35:29 despite a rousing U.S. Under 19 National Team comeback that fell just short in the fourth quarter.
The game marked the first loss in six Team USA outings, including the 2009 U-19 UFAF World Championship and two previous International Bowls.
The World Team scored first half touchdown catches from Tevaun Smith and Jahlani Gilbert-Knorren and a rushing touchdown from game MVP Anthony Coombs to take a 21:9 commanding halftime lead at Austin’s Kelly Reeves Sports Complex.
And the game appeared won at 35:16 with a little more than five minutes remaining until the hosts scored twice to move within touching distance of what would have been a dramatic comeback. The World Team recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock before treating second-year head coach Greg Marshall to a Gatorade bath on the sideline, sparking wild celebrations.
Team USA took a 7:0 lead early in the first quarter when Sean Maguire threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Romond Deloatch on the Americans‘ first play after a promising World Team opening drive had been halted. The score was set up by a fumble recovery and return by Malcom Brown on that first possession.
But the World Team answered with a stunning 75-yard touchdown pass from Will Finch to Gilbert-Knorren on the next series to knot the score at 7:7, making the receiver the first player to score in two International Bowls.
After an exchange of defensive stops, USA fumbled a World Team punt, maintaining the visitors‘ momentum at the USA 46 late in the first quarter.
Canada’s Coombs capitalized and capped the drive with a 19-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter to give the World Team a 14:7 lead, breaking tackles through the middle to fight his way into the end zone. The lead marked the first time a US junior national team had trailed in six games in international competition and the first ever World Team lead in an International Bowl.
The USA cut the lead to 14:9 when it forced a safety by the World Team after a fumble in the end zone by quarterback Jesse Mills was recovered by one of his offensive linemen.
Team USA was unable to move the ball on its ensuing possession and the score remained 14:9 until a short USA punt set the World Team up at its own 44-yard line with just over three minutes remaining in the half.
Mills led the drive down the field and connected with Smith for a 19-yard score in the corner of the end zone with 1:05 to go in the half and the score stood at 21:9 in favor of the World team at the break.
The World Team forced a three-and-out by the USA to start the second half and a stellar punt return by Japanese back Shingo Maeda set the World team up at the USA 40. After moving down to the 20, the Americans blocked a 37-yard field goal attempt by Dillon Wamsley but fumbled the return and it was recovered by the World for a first down at the USA 29.
With new life following the turnover, the World Team rushing attack moved the ball down to the USA eight-yard line before Finch found defensive end lined up at tight end Daryl Waud in the left corner of the end zone for his second touchdown pass of the game. The World Team led 28:9 with 2:47 to play in the third quarter.
On the next USA possession Javelle Allen found receiver Frank Epitropolous open in the middle of the end zone for a 12-yard scoring strike to cut the World lead to 28:16 with 17 seconds left in the third quarter.
But the World Team MVP Coombs opened the fourth quarter with 62-yard touchdown scamper to extend the lead to 35:16 with 11:48 left in the game.
The World opened its next possession pinned back at its own one-yard line but quickly moved the ball out of danger thanks to some nifty running by Smith, Maeda and Austrian running back Andreas Hofbauer. The drive ran five minutes off the clock and should have put the game to bed.
But Devin Funchess came up with a touchdown catch over the middle and cut the deficit to 13 points after a failed two-point conversion attempt.
The resulting onside kick failed, but the World Team offense stalled and was unable to either move the ball or take time off the clock. Team USA struck with an instant pass to Epitropoulos to move the ball dramatically from their own 33 to only three yards from pay dirt. Then on second and goal from the two, Jarrett Solomon found Canon Smith, whose one-handed grab meant the USA trailed by only six points after the point after.
World Team receiver Jean-Claude Madin Cerezo recovered the onside kick at the US 43 and from there the World Team kept the ball on the ground and the clock ran down to confirm their historic victory.
