In the first CEFL Championship semifinal game Thonon Black Panthers have welcomed Danube Dragons Vienna. It was a low-scoring affair where the dominant defenses dictated the action. The home team scored on the very first drive. Being so effective, nothing had indicated those would also be their only points of the day. Blanked in the first half, the visitors bounced back in the second to win it all.

The hosts have opened the game with successive short plays. On 3rd & 17 K’Hari Lane connected with Kevin Dessaux for a new set of downs, and then with Liam Ward and Odell Turnbull. From the 4 yard line Lane found Dessaux again for a touchdown, 7-0.

After a couple of drives by each offensive unit ended up nowhere, both teams have punted and turned the ball over on failed 4th down attempts.

The next Danube Dragons’ drive looked promising when their RB Madre London was handed the ball, but LB Julien Kouoh clawed it away from him and recovered. Than the French team went through the air and Paul Schachner capitalized on it by intercepting Lane’s pass.

It was much of the same following the half time break. Austrian signal-caller Alexander Thury got picked off by Dorian Pin on a deflected pass. Home team’s aerial attack didn’t fare much better either. Lane linked up with Turnbull to get to opposing red zone but then got intercepted by Thiago Lessow.

Still, the Viennese were resolved to put points on the board. Thury located Lukas Gold and then stretched his legs to move the chains. A defensive pass interference call got them in the red zone, where London took over the show and ultimately rushed for the touchdown, 7-6.

Ensuing choreographed team celebration got penalized, so the 35 yard PAT kick sailed wide right. In a tight game like this, an unnecessary unsportsmanlike conduct penalty like that could have proven to be very costly.

Fortunately for the visiting team, their unbreakable defense forced another punt so their teammates could redeem themselves. Thury lobbed it to Gold for big yardage, and London rushed twice to keep the drive going. A picked ball was returned to them due to an offside call. London was unforgiving, ramming in another touchdown, and an unsuccessful 2 point pass attempt kept the score at 7-12.

There were more than 5 minutes left until the end of the game and the Black Panthers were under pressure. Even so, a sack and a broken up pass later deep in their own territory, the only option for them was to punt and hope to get the ball back.

It didn’t work. London was handed the ball down after down, moving the chains until time expired.

Offensively, teams were mirror opposites. The home team totaled 216 yards through the air and 14 rushing, while the visitors amassed 74 passing yards and 190 over the ground.

This season will be the first time the Danube Dragons will go through to the finals. In their second appearance so far they’ve earned the right to play in the CEFL Bowl XVIII. The big game will take place on 22 June and their opponent will be Calanda Broncos.