NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS.......9
VALLETTA UNITED..............5
(2-2), (1-0), (3-1), (3-2)
Champions Neptunes Leo Vegas were looking to return to victory after their huge defeat against league leaders San Ġiljan. They returned to winning ways with a performance that sums up the difficulty that they are having this year, as despite that they deserved the win. Valletta were a tough nut to crack as they continued to improve in their performances despite suffering their sixth loss of the league.
Neptunes took the lead twice in the first session from brothers Jordan and Stevie Camilleri, but Valletta were brave enough to respond twice from Michael Cordina and Boris Vapenski. Romain Blary put Neptunes 3-2 in front, scoring the only goal of the session with a tap-in.
Neptunes had their noses in front, but they weren’t superior as Valletta were compact in defence. But in these moments, a player with the calibre of Stevie Camilleri showed his quality by scoring a brace to put his team 5-2 in front. Valletta fought back and scored from James Spiteri Staines, and they could have scored another at the end of the session. But a bad pass forced them to lose possession, and in the last action of the session, captain Niki Lanzon made it 6-3.
Stephen Rizzo’s team reduced the deficit to two goals with a brilliant action finished by Ryan Mock, but Neptunes closed the game with two goals from Stevie Camilleri and Niki Lanzon. They kept the same advantage till the end after Blary responded to Cordina’s goal.
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon (2), T. Agius, K. Erdogan, R. Blary (2), S. Gravina, S. Camilleri (4), J. Camilleri (1), J. Abela, M. Zammit, J. Culic, M. Azzopardi, I. Bugeja
Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines (1), A. Agius, M. Rizzo, M. Fenech, R. Mock (1), D. Paolella, N. Bonello Ghio, M. Cordina (2), B. Vapenski (1), K. Galea, A. Mifsud, F. Buhagiar
Referees: Mario Dalli, Stefano Alfi
Marsaskala suffer their second consecutive defeat
OTTERS NIVEA......................10
M’SKALA TRANSCRIPTA.....8
(3-0), (1-1), (3-6), (3-1)
Otters Nivea claimed their second win of the league as they gave Marsaskala Transcripta their second loss in a space of four days, winning 10-8. Erik Valter’s team were compact in defence and capitalised on a good start that proved to be decisive.
Marsaskala are now six points behind Marsaxlokk with a game more than the leaders, and they can consider their title aspirations as almost over, despite being still half-way through the league. This defeat was similar to the previous one against Birżebbugia, as the main reason for the defeat was that they weren’t competitive in the whole game.
Otters couldn’t start the game better as they won the first session 3-0, with their main scorer Marko Jelaka scoring twice, as Edward Meli scored the second goal. Marsaskala kept having difficulties to control the game and in fact they scored the only goal in two sessions from a penalty by Andrija Vlahovic, while Marko Jelaca made it 4-1 also from a penalty.
But Marsaskala made a positive reaction that resulted in the equalising goal just 0.7 seconds before the end of the session, after a unique goal from distance by Vlahovic. Marsaskala were also consistent in their attacks scoring from every side of the pitch.
Starting 7-7 in the last session, the result was still open for any score. Otters proved to be more sharper as they reacted after Cutajar responded to Jelaka’s goal. They went again in front from left-hander Hyzler, and Edward Meli sealed the game with 50 seconds left to spare.
Otters: J. Sammut, M. Borg Millo, A. Magri, L. Hyzler (2), E. Meli (2), D. Dimech, G. Mizzi, M. Jelaka (5), M. Paris, C. Zammit (1), M. Borg, C. Teuma, M. Xerri
Marsaskala: B. Dougall, J.C. Cutajar (2), N. Farrugia (1), G. Buhagiar, A. Vlahovic (4), L. Grixti, K. Navarro, J. Busuttil, S. Micallef, M. Agius, D. Cassar, M. Cutajar (1), G. Borg
Referees: Peter Balzan, Luigi Barletta
Knock-out draws
Before the game between Neptunes and Valletta, the knock-out draws of both divisions were held. In the Premier Division, the winner between Sirens and holders San Ġiljan will face Neptunes, while the winner between Exiles and Sliema will face Valletta in the semi-finals. The quarter-finals will be played on the 26th July, while the semifinals will be played on the 12th and 13th August respectively. The final will be played on Saturday 2nd September.
In the first division, Ta’ Xbiex and holders Marsaxlokk will face each other on the 26th July 2016. The winner will face Marsaskala on Friday 12th August. The other semi-final between Otters and Birżebbugia will be played a day after. The final will be played on Saturday 27th August.