Host Austria debuts at the IFAF Senior World Championship of American football for the first time against the sport’s most successful nation Japan at 3pm on Saturday, July 9 at the UPC Arena in Graz.
Austrian wide receiver Armando Ponce de Leon speaks for the entire home team when he says: “I am absolutely looking forward to take the field in a packed stadium. This really pushes you to new limits. The World Championship will be awesome!”
Japan became the first ever World Champions of American Football in a 6-0 overtime victory over Mexico in Palermo, Italy in 1999. Four years later in Frankfurt, Germany, Japan again defeated Mexico, 34-14. Japan hosted the 2007 Senior World Championship as the United States entered for the first time and outlasted Japan 23-20 in double overtime to return home triumphant from Tokyo.
“Finally the big moment is here,” said President of the American Football Bund Österreich. “All of us, the teams, the organization committee, we’ve been waiting for this. It is my great pleasure to welcome the players, coaches and fans here in Austria. 16 games full of excitement, and emotion are ahead of us. I know this will be a historic, unforgettable World Championship.”
Also in Group B, Canada makes its bow in the sport’s premier international tournament against France, runner up at last year’s European Championship, at 7pm in Graz.
Defending world champion the United States kicked off the fourth IFAF Senior World Championship with a convincing 61-point shutout of Australia at the Tivoli Stadium in Innsbruck on Thursday. Mexico joined the U.S. atop Group A with a 22-15 win over Germany.
Running back Da’Shawn Thomas paved the way with 97 yards and two first half rushing touchdowns on 8 carries, and former University of Colorado quarterback Cody Hawkins completed 13 of 15 pass attempts for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns passing to claim his team’s MVP award.
Mexico mounted a fourth quarter comeback to tie and then beat Germany 22-15 in the day’s second game of the 2011 IFAF Senior World Championship. Trailing 15-12 with 11:05 remaining having led at halftime, Mexico tied a thrilling game with a field goal and then produced a rushing touchdown from Jose Reyes just before the two-minute warning.
Eight national teams from four continents – Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico and USA – will battle for the right to call themselves World Champions over 16 games played during a period of nine days. The Gold Medal Game will be played on Saturday, July 15 at the 50,000-seat Ernst Happel Stadium in the nation’s capital Vienna.
The two group winners will meet in the Gold Medal Game in Vienna on Saturday, July 16 at 7pm. The two group runners up will meet for the Bronze Medal at 7pm on Friday, July 15. Third place finishers (3pm on July 16) and fourth place finishers (3pm on July 15) will also progress to placement games in Vienna.
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