Italy 28 Denmark 27 at the Vigorelli Velodrome, Milan
Finland, Italy and Germany all won at home to secure semifinal places at the 2024/25 IFAF European Championships and now wait to see if reigning champions Austria will join them.
Italy won a dramatic clash with Denmark 27-26 having trailed by six points with 18 seconds remaining, but head coach Brian Michitti was not satisfied with a performance that saw Denmark come agonizingly close to upsetting last year’s bronze medalists.
“A win is a win, but I have to be honest, I’m not very happy with it,” said Michitti. “We’ve got to do better. We’re really lacking an ability to close out games and we have a lot of work to do to get ready for next summer. No matter who we face, we have to get better.”
Denmark’s fragile six-point lead heading towards the two-minute warning might have been a two-score advantage but for a blocked extra point, one that hit the upright and a failed fake field goal attempt.
Still Italy had work to do having been pinned back to their own 20-yard mark by a Danish punt. The reliable connection between quarterback Luke Zahradka and Simone Alinovi gained 40 yards on two quick sideline passes that also stopped the clock. Then after eating up more yards on a connection with Cosimo Casati, Zahradka raced to the eight-yard mark on a critical third and three.
Mike Gentili eventually broke tackles to score on second and goal from the three for a touchdown that leveled the scores and despite a high snap, holder Alinovi pulled the ball and Matteo Felli made the decisive point after.
Christian Sotura closed out the game for Italy with an interception as Denmark threw caution to the win with the clock ticking down.
Italy had opened the scoring on a Zahradka to Alinovi short touchdown pass, but Alexander Bjerre connected with Jakob Green over 38 yards for the Danes and the game was level at 7-7. Italy regained the lead on Gentili’s eight-yard second quarter touchdown run, but Denmark replied again with a five-yard play action pass from Bjerre to Kasper Sørensen. Jeppe Petersen’s PAT bounced back off the left upright, so Italy led 14-13 at halftime.
Denmark gained their first lead as Bjerre and Simon Føns connected for a 70-yard touchdown and a 19-14 lead after Petersen’s PAT was blocked.
Andrea Serra reeled in a 16-yard touchdown pass and Italy led 21-19 only for Denmark’s Jakob Michaelsen to burst up the middle for a touchdown and Bjerre to tag on a two-point conversion pass to Sørensen to open a 27-21 lead for the visitors.
Denmark might have stretched their lead to nine pointed but opted to attempt a fake field goal over a fourth quarter kick and ended up with a loss of yards before Italy mounted their dramatic comeback.
Group C Italy 2-0 Denmark 1-1 Switzerland 0-2
October 12 Switzerland 0 Italy 45 October 19 Denmark 27 Switzerland 7 October 26 Italy 28 Denmark 27Phoo: Giulio Busi
