Two national vice-champions have met on Saturday in the first round. Guelfi Florence have played host to Belgrade SBB Vukovi. Visiting team’s offense was plagued by mistakes, frequently turning the ball over to their opponent. Italian team has dominated the first half, building what turned out to be an insurmountable lead.

After a great kickoff return, Guelfi started from the opposing 45 yard line. Andrea Fimiani flicked the ball to Stefano Bartoccioni for a big gain and then found Cosimo Casati on a screen play for the first points of the game. Fimiani and Bartoccioni were good for the 2 point conversion too, 8-0.

On a first passing play by Vukovi, low snap wound up on the ground and Guelfi’s linebacker Diego Rinaldi recovered it. It took a trick play for Ryan Deluca to connect with Leonardo Pasquotto who was all alone in front of the goal line for 14-0.

Tough time for the Vukovi continued in their next drive when the home team intercepted them for an advantageous field position. A penalty backed off Guelfi and they went for the field goal which was blocked.

Ryan Barabe’s passes to Petar Bajalica and Dimitrije Obradinović kept the drive going and Devion Young sprinted through the defense for a 41 yard touchdown, 14-7.

Deluca’s safe hands and Fimiani and Casati’s rushes brought the ball in the red zone. Then Fimiani pump faked and located Deluca in the right corner of the end zone to up the score, 21-7.

On one the following drives Vukovi were backed against their 1 yard line. Guelfi’s Giacomo Insom seized the opportunity to tackle Young behind the line for a safety, 23-7.

In the second half, the visitors were quick to lower the difference over Young who found a hole with a spinning move and stretched his legs for a 49 yard touchdown, 23-13.

Effective defenses took care of the rest of third half. In the fourth period Guelfi’s front seven swarmed on Young, stripping the ball from him and their teammate Dejion Lynch recovered it. Casati first picked up 20 yards over the ground and then Fimiani broke through for a 26 yard score, 30-13.

Vukovi’s woes have persisted as Barabe got picked again, this time by Marco Fanni. Now Deluca, playing from behind the center, misled the defense on an option play and ran for a 25 yard touchdown, 37-13.

On a 4th down late in the game Barabe redeemed himself with a 24 yard hurl to Young and then tossing for 6 points to Bajalica and then another 2 to Uroš Stojanović for 37-21.

The Florentines milked the clock but there was just enough time for Vukovi to score one last time as the time expired. Aleksandar Bogdanović moved the chains over the ground and by lobbing a pass to Sava Luburić, who also corralled the final pass from Barabe to end the game at 37-27.

The triumphant Gulefi have punched the ticket to Vienna where they’ll meet the Danube Dragons. The second round duel will be played on 11 May and its winner will advance to the semifinals.