The Barcelona Dragons were mercilessly destroyed by the Tirol Raiders in their home debut in a game to forget.
Pre-Game Delay
The gates of the charming Stadi Municipal of Badalona opened much later than expected and hundreds of fans proudly dressed in green t-shirts had to wait to the limit of their patience to be allowed to access. Apparently, a complaint from the visiting team regarding the goal posts kept the game in suspense and forced it to start late.
Instead of the anthem, the song “Barcelona” immortalized by Freddy Mercury and soprano Monserrat Caballé for the 1992 Olympic Games was played. But the fans forgave all the grievances committed by the organization at this time of the day when they saw the Barcelona Dragons in their new green uniforms and with the dragon stickers on their helmets.
First Half
The joy ended as quickly as it came. Issues with the Austrian team's QB position (with former starter D'Angelo Fulford fired) foreshadowed a run-based game, but newcomer Kason Martin (364 passing yards and 5 touchdowns) surprised Dragons defense with a throw to his Tight End Richard Weber, who appeared behind the linebackers zone (again, “the hole”) to score the Raiders' first touchdown of the day.
An interception by Linebacker Ruben Seeber on the next drive put the Raiders back in the redzone and they would end up scoring a field goal with ease. The first quarter would end with a touchdown from Tobias Bonatti. The Runningback was a nightmare for the Dragons defense, unable to stop the Raiders' powerful running game.
On a 3rd and 9, with the ball inside the Dragons' own field, Dragons Quarterback, Levi Lewis, showed his tremendous skills on a broken play that ended with a cross-field pass to Aaron David to put the TD on the scoreboard. At 7-16 for the Raiders, it seemed that the reaction could come, but it was a mirage. Martin found Darion Chafin alone in the endzone. The American Wide Receiver escaped the marks with ease and became the best partner in the passing game of Kason Martin.
With two minutes left, Levi was intercepted again, and it was enough time for Martin to find Chafin again to make it 7-29 at halftime.
Second Half
There was no reaction in the second half, if anything a series of difficult to understand defensive adjustments that made the Raiders' running game even easier. Raiders Runningback Lukas Haslwanter scored on the run and just a couple of minutes later a very young Tim Tonko practically repeated the play on the other side of his center.
The last quarter came with the debacle consummated (7-43) and the suffering public applauding the very few plays with which the Dragons, with the Runningback Charlemagne Take, moved the chains. Meanwhile, the Raiders continued with their game plan. Martin found Adrian Platzgummer again in the hole and, despite the Dragons covering with 3 deep safeties, Tight End David Kanyinda scored for 7-49.
Dragons still tried to field more players in the secondary unit, but this did not stop Martin from finding Wide Receiver Marko Schneider for the fifth passing touchdown of the afternoon.
An unfortunate punt gave the ball back to Tirol with almost 7 minutes remaining. Tonka ran free off the tackle and into the end zone for the touchdown that would make the final score 63-7.
With 6 minutes on the clock, the punishment could have been even greater, and although the stands expected 70 or even 77 points, time flew by, putting an end to the Dragons nightmare.
Post Game Complications
To make things more difficult for the Barcelona Dragons, the League has announced an investigation regarding the Dragons' non-compliance with the game-day roster. Pending the outcome of the investigation, which could lead to sanctions, things will have to improve a lot in Barcelona for the upcoming games, not only on the field, but specially off it.
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