Vivaldi Tulysse produced an MVP-winning display to ensure the Abu Dhabi Wildcats successfully defended their Desert Bowl crown with a nail biting 14-13 win over Dubai Stallions at Dubai Sports City.
The Stallions appeared to have won the Emirates American Football League (EAFL) showpiece with a touchdown eight minutes from the end of the fourth quarter, following a 10-minute rain delay.
However, Tulysse profited from a pre-planned move to run in from 56 yards before the end, with David Brown waiting patiently to add the extra point with a 34-yard PAT. Tulysse finished the game with 81 yards on nine carries, a touchdown, a TD pass and an interception.
“I told the coach that we should motion to the right and make me the toss guy and it worked,” Tulysse, who has now won both Desert Bowl MVP titles, said. “It feels real good. I know a lot of people right now are mad but not in Abu Dhabi.”
The two sides had scored a combined 87 points in their play-off wins a fortnight ago but both found scoring a lot tougher in a tightly contested first-half.
Tulysse returned the opening kick-off to the 13 yard line but the Wildcats were unable to do anything with the game’s first possession as Ryan Michalenko ultimately punted back to the Stallions.
Quarterback Andrej Tasic only needed to play a half of his side’s play-off victory over the Al Ain Desert Foxes, so dominant had his offence been but he too got off to a disappointing start, throwing three incomplete passes from his first four snaps. And the Wildcats would take full advantage of his travails as they opened the scoring with their next possession, late in the first quarter.
Even then they profited through luck and their opponents' ill discipline.
The Abu Dhabi drive had been aided largely by penalties, with only one first down earned. Seventeen yards out, Tulysse took the snap at quarterback and lofted the ball towards the end zone.
Initially it appeared the pass was incomplete as Amos Daniels competed with Rani Zahr and Mo Khudairi for the ball, however, as the pigskin fell towards the ground it bounced up off his left knee before he gleefully snaffled it with his right hand.
Daniels and Tulysse immediately celebrated the touchdown and after the officials had convened in the endzone, the six-points were awarded before Brown added the extra point.
Despite the efforts of Tasic and Davion Miller for the Stallions, and with Tulysse heavily marked for the Wildcats, the score remained 7-0 until half-time.
However, Abu Dhabi found their lead wiped out within minutes of the restart as Ali Riza Dikici returned the kick-off from his own five yard line, all the way up to the Wildcats’ third.
Miller then took a short pass before powering over, Chris Erikson adding the extra point to bring the scores level.
The sides traded interceptions before the heavens opened at the start of the fourth quarter and, with lightning in the air, the game was suspended for 10 minutes.
The Stallions had been deep in Wildcats territory before the stoppage but it did them no harm as Tasic found former Abu Dhabi receiver Jeff Nicolson for a 19-yard touchdown. A poor snap rendered the extra point impossible and that looked costly as Tulysse streaked home from 56 yards to produce a touchdown out of nowhere.
After a stoppage while the officials checked a penalty call, Brown added a vital point to edge Abu Dhabi back in front.
