Sirens Ritter Sport     7     Neptunes Grimaldi     12

(3-4, 0-1, 2-4, 2-3)

Neptunes made their way into the final with a workmanlike victory, after some stout Sirens' opposition. Neptunes could open up a good advantage after the break, and this helped them till the end of the encounter. Sirens converted two out of three man ups, whilst Neptunes scored three out of seven.

Neptunes obtained a double advantage soon after the start, with Steve Camilleri and Jeremy Abela strikes. Marc Grech reduced Sirens' deficit, with Steve Camilleri scoring again for Neptunes.. A brace by gabriel pace brought Sirens on levbel terms, but a Niki Lanzon goal had Neptunes ahead once more. In the second period there was only a single goal registered, by Neptunes' Cosmin Radu, as his side went in 5-3 in front, at the interval.

After the break Neptunes strode forward, scoring four times to Sirens' single strike. Jordan Camilleri and Radu increased Neptunes' lead, with Grech pulling a goal back for Sirens. Radu and Abela opened up a better advantage for Neptunes. Just over a second from the end of the third session Sirens' Luke Caruana was sent off for brutality, and Neptunes were awarded a penalty, but Steve Camilleri's throw was well saved by Nicky Grixti, in the Sirens' goal. Neptunes went into the last quarter on a 9-5 advantage, and four minutes of play with an extra player in the water, but they only managed a single goal, by Steve Camilleri. On their part Sirens netted twice with a man down, by Grech and Pace. With parity in players restored, Neptunes managed what they couldn't do before, scoring twice more, through Steve Camilleri and Lanzon, to make sure of the result, and a passage into the K.O. final.

Sirens: N. Grixti , Z. Mizzi , S. Mora 1, G. Pace 3, M. Grech 3, I. Riolo , M. Balucci , D. Cutajar , J. Napier ,  J. Sciberras , L. Caruana ,  N. Farrugia , J. Cremona

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole , N. Lanzon 2, C. Radu 3, M. Cutajar , T. Agius , M. Lanzon , S. Camilleri 4, J. Camilleri 1, J. Abela 2, M. Zammit ,B. Lanzon , M. Azzopardi , M. Castillo

Referees: A. Goncharenko, R. Colombo

 

BOV 1 Div. K.O. Semi Final

Marathon match ends in M'xlokk's favour

M'xlokk Fischer     13     Ta Xbiex Amigos     12   (after penalties)

(0-1, 2-2, 4-2, 1-2) - (0-1, 1-0)

This encounter seemed to go on forever, before finally, M'xlokk could advance into the final, hoping to register a double this season, since they have already won the league campaign. They were made to fight hard all the way, as a fighting Ta Xbiex side seemed likely to win this match, leading twice, at the end of the game and in overtime. They only succumbed in penalty taking , on their seventh penalty throw. Nello Xuereb kept his place in the M'xlokk goal, and Sean meli returned to the side. Jake Tanti was in the Ta Xbiex goal, on the rotation that they use in goalies for every match.

A single goal, by Ayrton Camenzuli, for Ta Xbiex , separated the two sides in the opening session. Ivan Vuksanovic scored twice for M'xlokk in the second period, but in between, Adam Maklari scored twice from a brace of penalties, for Ta Xbiex, who were still ahead at the interval, on a 3-2 score.

After the break Vuksanovic and Rainer Scerri goals had M'xlokk in front. Edrwad meli twice levelled the score for ta Xbiex, when Bryan Buhagiar also scored for the champions in between his goals. Sean meli had M'xlokk ahead once more, on a 6-5 score, when the two teams went into the last session. Camenzuli and Maklari overturned the score in favour of Ta Xbiex, but M'xlokk managed to save the game with a late strike by Buhagiar, and the match went into extra time.

In the first session Camenzuli put Ta Xbiex in front, but in the next period it was Vuksanovic to put M'xlokk on a tie, and penalties had to decide the encounter.

For M'xlokk Meli, Karl Galea, Buhagiar and Vuksanovic scored, with Christian Gialanze hitting the post. Ta Xbiex had Camenzuli, Michele Mifsud, Jerome Zerafa Gregory and Maklari scoring, and Meli also hitting the post. The rotation had to start once more, with sudden death. Meli netted for M'xlokk, but Camenzuli's second throw was saved by Xuereb, in the M'xlokk goal, and his side progressed to the final.

M'xlokk: N. Xuereb , C. Spiteri de Barro , L. Calleja , K. Galea , C. Gialanze , C. Bugeja , S. Meli 1, I. Vuksanovic 4, B. Buhagiar 2, R. Scerri 1,  K. Navarro , N. Xuereb

Ta Xbiex: J. Tanti , A. Maklari 3, A. Camenzuli 3, B. Grech , E. Meli 2,K. Mock , M. Mifsud , J. Zerafa Gregory , G. Attard , D. Fenech , R. Attard , M. Camilleri , J. Micallef

Referees:A. DeRaffaele, A. Petronilli

 

Photo Domenic Aquilina