Valletta McDonalds 13 Exiles Jetfreight 8
(3-1, 2-2, 3-2, 5-3)
After their initial league defeat by Sliema, Valletta captured their opening league points with a well-earned victory, as they paid close attention, with double teaming on the Exiles' Serbian player, Milos Vukicevic, who could only get in amongst his team's scorers in the last seconds of the match. Exiles were suffering their second defeat, after a loss against Neptunes.The Citizens had a favourable man up situation, with five strikes from nine occasions. Despite their defeat Exiles came up trumps with an extra player in the water, converting no less than five times from six man ups in all. Valletta had Daniel Spiteri as extra cover in goal, instead of Nicky Bonello Ghio. Exiles included Luca Felice in lieu of Ganni Ciappara.
The evergreen Charlie Zammit put Valletta in front, with Sean Gravina replying for Exiles. Before the end of the opening session it was the new Valletta Russian, Dmitri Kholod who gave them a double advantage, with his brace of goals. In the next period Kurt Grixti halved Exiles' deficit, but Michael Cordina and Michael Spiteri Staines increased the Citizens' advantage, before David Pace Lupi reduced Exiles' deficit, for a 5-3 score for Valletta in the interval.
After the break Daniel Borg Millo had Exiles just a goal behind, but the Citizens thrusr forward once more, with strikes by Ryan Mock and Andrew Zarb Cousin. Andrea Bianchi made the score 5-7 for exiles, but Aleandro Mifsud vindicated his lapse. just seconds before, when he shot out, in a Valletta man up move, as he scored Valletta's last goal of the session, for an 8-5 advantage. The Citizens made sure of the result, in the last quarter, netting three times in succession, through Kholod and a Cordina brace. Nicky Paris got in amongst the Exiles scorers, with both sides then scoring twice each. Michael Spiteri Staines and Zammit puit in Valletta goals, with Exiles answering back each time, through Edward Gravina and Vukicevic.
Cordina and Kholod obtained their hat tricks for Valletta, whilst all of Exiles' strikes came from eight different players.
Valletta: R. Sciortino , J. Spiteri Staines , A. Agius , M. Rizzo , A. Mifsud 1, R. Mock 1, D. Paolella , D. Spiteri , M. Cordina3 , C. Zammit 2, D. Kholod 3, A. Zarb Cousin 1, M. Spiteri Staines 2
Exiles: I. Bugeja , J. Rizzo Naudi , S. Vassallo , D. Pace Lupi 1, D. Borg Millo 1, E. Gravina 1, S. Gravina 1, K. Grixti 1, N. Paris 1, A. Bianchi 1, L. Felice 1, M. Vukicevic 1, K. Lanzon
Referees: S. Licari, F. Brasiliano
BOV 1 Div. League
Ta Xbiex ease away for first league victory
Otters Nivea 9 Ta Xbiex Amigos 11
(1-3, 2-3, 2-3, 4-2)
After their good start to their season, despite a defeat against M'scala, Ta Xbiex registered their opening league win, beating the Gozitans. The final score was close, but Ta Xbiex always had the game under their control, and it was only a late spurt by Otters which gave them a more respectable score. Otters made a change from their opening match, having Luca Peric instead of Ryan Gauci. Ta Xbiex had Jake Tanti in goal, vice Jurgen Micallef, with Jerome Zerafa Gregory playing in lieu of Kurt Mock. The Gozitans were a man up eight times in all, scoring in three of them. Ta Xbiex were five times with an extra player in the water, converting twice.
An Edward meli brace had Ta xbiex in front, with Steve Dimech obtaining Otters' first goal. Zerafa Gregory had Ta Xbiex on a double advantage again. In teh second session Ayrton Camenzuli and Adam Maklari increased Ta Xbiex' s advantage, but Marko Jelaka scored twice in succession , taking his side back in the match. Meli scored again, as Ta Xbiex went in at the interval, enjoying a 6-3 advantage.
After the break it was Andrew Sammut and Meli twice extending their side's lead, with Peric and max Borg in replies for the Gozitans. Before the end of the period Zerafa Gregory and a Maklari penalty had Ta Xbiex going 9-5 ahead, into the last quarter. Maklari scored twice more, with a Gabriel Mizzi strike for Otters in between. Ta Xbiex were awarded another penalty, but Michele Mifsud's throw finished against the woodwork. Otters made a late rally, which brought a trio of goals, by Ricky Greco, and two more Jelaka goals, the first from a penalty. The Gozitans were closer, but time ran out on them, with Ta Xbiex assured of their victory.
Ta Xbiex had Edward Meli on a poker of goals, and Adam Maklari with a hat trick. Marko Jelaka also scored four times for Otters.
Otters: R. Bonnici , M. Borg Millo, R. Greco 1, L. Hyzler , K. Scicluna , D. Dimech , G. Mizzi 1, M. Jelaka 4, S. Dimech 1, G. Debono , M. Borg 1, L. Peric 1, M. Xerri
Ta Xbiex: J. Tanti , A. Maklari 3, A. Camenzuli 1, B. Grech , E. Meli 4, J, Zerafa Gregory 1, M. Mifsud , D. Schembri , G. Attard , D. Fenech , R. Attard , A. Sammut 2, J. Micallef
Referees: A. Goncharenko, M. Cataldi