Sliema Hotsticks 1
Floriana Young Stars 1
(Floriana won 2-3 after extra time)
The curtain raiser to season 2017/2018 produced a keenly contested match, as expected, with both teams creating chances which could have swung the result at any given time.
Young Stars exerted early pressure on the Hotsticks rearguard without being able to break through their well marshalled defence but in the 15th minute they were awarded a penalty stroke and Edward Hughes made no mistake from the spot.
They could have gone further ahead a couple of minutes later when the Hotsticks custodian Waylin Abdilla parried a point blank flick onto the cross bar.
From then on Hotsticks took the initiative and pinned Young Stars in their half. In fact they came close to equalising on several occasions hitting the post as well just missing the target several times.
The half time whistle blew with Young Stars hanging on to their slender 1- 0 lead.
Play became more intense in the second half as time was running out and lofted balls were used to bypass midfield.
Both teams were awarded penalty corner opportunities but did not take advantage due to some sound goalkeeping on both sides.
However Hotsticks equalised when Jonathan Borg pounced on a rebound off a goalkeeper's save and slotted home.
The full time blew with the teams level at one goal apiece, sending the game into extra time.
Young Stars took a 2-1 lead one and a half minutes into the first period of extra time when Anton Saliba netted and extended their lead to 3 -1 in the 5th minute, when Saliba grabbed his second goal.
Hotsticks came back into the game when Julian Zahra reduced the arrears to 3 -2 as a result of a penalty corner action just before the change of ends.
The second period of extra time brought the game to a climax with Hotsticks pressing hard for an equaliser while Young Stars defended in depth, the final whistle blowing with Young Stars clinging on to their lead and crowning them Super Cup winners.