San Giljan Salini Resort 12
Neptunes Betsson 10
after extra time
(2-1, 4-1, 2-3, 1-4) - (1-0)(2-1)
The champions retained the honour they won last season, winning the Knock-Out competition for a total of nine times. They had to go into extra time before they could claim victory. As it was, they seemed done and dusted at the start of the last quarter when they had gone four goals in front for the third time in the match, but Neptunes came storming back to level the score just five seconds from normal time, with a goal from their stalwart captain Niki Lanzon. Undaunted, the Saints went back ahead, and this time they leasted the pace to emerge winners to tune in exactly to their feast day, being celebrated today.
Neptunes forged ahead through Lanzon, with the champions overturning the score with Aurelien Cousin and Andreas Galea strikes. In the second period Galea and Boris Vapenski took them further in front, Steve Camilleri scoring his only goal of the match for Neptunes. San Giljan continued to operate on bursts of two quick goals, this time Vapenski scoring both of them, and at the interval the Saints were 6-2 ahead
After the break Naptunes were back with Cosmin radu and Miguel Zammit goals, but San Giljan also managed to score twice more through Galea and Ben Plumpton. Lanzon pulled a goal back for Neptunes, who were still 5-8 behind. In the last session Clint Mercieca seemed to clinch it for the champions, but Neptunes staged an amazing comeback, hitting their oppponents four times in a row, as Jordan Camilleri, Jeremy Abela, and Lanzon (twice) tied the score, with just five seconds left on the clock.
The match had to go into overtime, and Plumpton raced away to push the Saints in front again in the first session, The last three minutes had San Giljan doubling their lead with a goal scored by Mercieca. Lanzon kept Neptunes in the hunt with his fifth goal, but it was left to vice captain, Dino Zammit to assure the Saints of their victory, after a player from each side was shown the red card, skipper, Matthew Zammit, for San Giljan, and Timmy Agius, for Neptunes.
After the match, the Saints were in raptures, as they were awarded the winning medals, by the Chief Officer BOV, Anthony Galea, and the ASA president, Joe Caruana Curran, with Dino Zammit receiving the coveted trophy.
S. Giljan: J. Sammut , P. Borg , A. Galea 3, B. Vapenski 3, Da. Zammit ,M. Zammit , K. Galea , C. Mercieca 2, B. Plumpton 2, A. Cousin 1, P. Fava , D. Zammit , D. Camilleri
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole , N. Lanzon 5, C. Radu 1, M. Cutajar , T. Agius , M. Lanzon , S. Camilleri 1, J. Camilleri 1, J. Abela 1, M. Zammit 1, B. Lanzon , M. Azzopardi , M. Castillo
Referees: A. Goncharenko, M. Bianchi
Photos: Domenic Aquilina
Notable double for M'xlokk
M'scala Nutrition Empoire 5
M'xlokk Fischer 8
(2-3, 0-1, 1-1, 2-3)
M'xlokk celebrated yet another honour, just three days after they had been given the league championship trophy for their division. This time they triumphed over M'scala, in the K.O. final, to deprive their opponents of the honour they had won last season. After their initial, on the first day of play of the season, in the Sports Journalists Cup, against the same M'scala, the Xlukkajri won all their remaining matches, to finish their season on a high.
Gabor Kovacs put M'scala in front, with M'xlokk reacting strongly, with a trio of strikes, two from Ivan Vuksanovic and another by Ranier Scerri. In the next period there was only one goal registered, coming from M'xlokk's Charles Bugeja, as his side went into the interval on a low 4-2 score.
After the breaj M'xlokk put David Abela in goal, vice Nello Xuereb. A player from each side was red carded, in the same action, Jean Claude Cutajar for M'scala, and Ranier Scerri, for the champions. Vuksanovic increased M'xlokk's advantage, with Matthew Pave pulling a goal back for the Skalin. The last session had M'xlokk making sure of their victory. Karl galea made it 6-3. Jor Cremona replied with a goal for M'scala, but Claudio Spiteri de Barro and Galea once more, gave M'xlokk a winning advantage. Stephen Micallef scored M'scala's last goal, but they were still trailing at the final buzzer of the match.
In the presentation, after the game, the BOV Executive Head, Paul Gauci, together with the ASA president, Joe Caruana Curran, presented the medals to the winning team, and the M'xlokk skipper, Christian Gialanze, with the K.O. trophy.
M'scala: K. Schembri , JC Cutajar , J. Busuttil ,C. Boinello , K. Cremona , L. Grixti , G. Kovacs 2, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef 1, M. Pace 1, D. Cassar , O. Zammit , B. Muscat
M'xlokk: N. Xuereb , C. Spiteri de Barro 1, L. Calleja , K. Galea 2,C. Gialanze , C. Bugeja 1, S. Meli , I. Vuksanovic 3, B. Buhagiar , R. Scerri 1, K. Navarro , GL Busuttil , D. Abela
Referees: M. Angileri, D. Bianco