SAN ĠILJAN TUM INVEST........... 9
NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS................ 7
(4-3), (3-2), (1-1), (1-1)

Champions San Ġiljan TUM Invest ended the first phase of the league with nine wins and a draw as they defeated the only team that had stopped them in the first round, Neptunes Leo Vegas, 9-7. The performance of the team was surely better than the previous two. They also had to do without their foreigner Paulo Obradovic for a bit more than a session, and grinded a brilliant result.

Neptunes suffered their second consecutive defeat, points that resulted in losing the second place which means that they have to play Valletta twice in order to advance to the semi-finals. Coach Jovan Popovic needs to find a solution for his team to get back on track.

They started the game on a high, earning a double advantage after goals by Jordan Camilleri and Petar Muslim. San Ġiljan reacted and managed to turn the tables with four goals from Ben Plumpton, Peter Borg, Andreas Galea and Paulo Obradovic. Steve Camilleri reduced the arrears with a late goal in the first session.

Petar Mulsim equalised and centre Jeremy Abela put Neptunes in front for the second time. But it was another brilliant reaction from San Ġiljan that resulted in finishing the second session 7-5 in front. The goals came from Ben Plumpton, Paulo Obradovic and Andreas Galea.

Both teams were cautious not to lose their concentration and San Ġiljan seemed to be in control of their opponents, defending bravely. But less than two minutes from the end of the second session, Paulo Obradovic was sent off for protests, leaving his team without a foreigner, amid harsh protests by San Ġiljan.

To make matters worse for the saints, Stevie Camilleri scored in the following action, but it was San Ġiljan's captain Matthew Zammit that restored their advantage with a brilliant powerful shot of his own.

San Ġiljan suffered without a foreigner in the last session but were disciplined not to permit their opponents having a man-up situation. Stevie Camilleri made it 8-7, but again San Ġiljan scored immediately from a man-up, as youngster Ben Plumpton beat substitute Joseph Parnis with a shot from an angled situation.

San Ġiljan had a two-goal advantage with half a session left. Neptunes had a man-up not converted, while San Ġiljan weren't efficient in attack. Both teams finished the match without their coaches as San Ġiljan were concentrated to earn a precious win.

San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, P. Borg (1), A. Galea (2), B. Grech, C. Farrugia, M. Zammit (1), B. Plumpton (3), Da. Zammit, T. Said, P. Obradovic (2), P. Fava, D. Ciantar, T. Micallef

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon, K. Erdogan, G. Pace, P. Muslim (2), N. Zammit, S. Camilleri (3), J. Camilleri (1), J. Abela (1), M. Zammit, J. Muscat, M. Azzopardi, J. Parnis

Referees: Fabio Brasiliano, Peter Balzan

 

EXILES ELIA CATERERS......... 10
SLIEMA FRANK SALT............. 7
(3-1), (1-1), (4-2), (2-3)

After their historic win against Neptunes, Exiles continued to enjoy the happy days of their current team as for the first time in their club's history they defeated Neptunes and Sliema in less than a week. A deserved win for Marco Cuk's team as they outshined their opponents especially in the first three session, leaving Sliema helpless.

Exiles started the match on a high taking a three-goal advantage, while Christian Presciutti scored for Sliema with a clever lob that gave Matthew Castillo no chance.

Exiles regained partially the three-goal cushion in the second session from Timmy Sullivan, but it was again Presciutti that reduced the deficit and kept Sliema somehow in the game.

Presciutti had to respond again to an Exiles goal in the third session, but Cuk's team managed to score three times from a brace by veteran Aurelien Cousin and Sean Xerri de Caro to take a commanding 8-3 win. Jerome Gabbarretta responded for Sliema.

As the game progressed, an Exiles win was surely on the cards, but Sliema tried an incredible late comeback in the last session. At time they looked like they could do it, as they scored three times from Michael Spiteri Staines, Nicholas Bugelli and Christian Presciutti. They reduced the gap to 8-7 with almost half a session left.

Marco Cuk called an intelligent time-out to calm things and give new instructions to his players. This tactic seemed to have worked well, as Exiles scored few moments later from Aurelien Cousin, a goal that Sliema could have avoided. Michele Stellini sealed the win with a typical left-handed shot.

Exiles: M. Castillo, M. Fenech, A. Bianchi (1), M. Stellini (1), T. Sullivan (1), S. Xerri de Caro (1), S. Nikic (1), K. Griscti (1), N. Paris, A. Cousin (3), B. Lanzon, P. Paris (1), G. Ciappara

Sliema: J. Sammut, J. Gabarretta (1), C. Presciutti (4), M. Carani, M. Meli, K. Dowling, M. Spiteri Staines (1), D. Fenech, M. Cordina, J. Gambin, Z. Mizzi, N. Bugelli (1), Z. Sciberras

Referees: Mario Dalli, Fabio Brasiliano

 

SIRENS GREENTUBE............. 11
VALLETTA VIDEOSLOTS......... 8
(5-2), (1-1), (2-3), (3-2)

Sirens Greentube will play Exiles in the play-offs after they earned their second seasonal win against Valletta defeating them again with a three-goal difference.

Sirens won the first session 5-2. They went 3-0 in front in the first part of the session with goals from Nicolas Bicari. Marthon Toth reduced the margin with a brace but Sirens scored twice in the last minute to give a comfortable lead.

Valletta tried to react and scored a soft goal from Marc Lanzon but Sirens scored a minute later from Isaiah Riolo to keep the good lead at the end of the second session.

Bogdan Rath's team were still searching for a couple of goals to stay in the game. Michele Mifsud pulled one back in the beginning of the third session, but failed to score another quick goal to pile up the pressure.

Sirens widened their advantage to three goals twice, but Valletta responded in both occasions from Marthon Toth to stay in the game.

Sasko Popovski's team fired first in the last session from Isaiah Riolo but Toth scored his fifth goal of the game. Riolo made it 10-7 and James Spiteri Staines pulled one back with two and a half minutes left. But Nicolas Bicari closed the game with a minute left.

Sirens: N. Grixti, P. Privitera, E. Aquilina (1), N. Bicari (5), M. Grech, I. Riolo (3), C. Mercieca (2), J. Sciberras, J. Napier, J. Ciantar, L. Caruana, J. Brownrigg, Z. Bartolo

Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines (1), A. Agius, M. Mifsud (1), T. Agius, R. Mock, D. Paolella, M. Toth (5), A. Mifsud, C. Zammit, N. Bonello Ghio, L. Gialanze, M. Lanzon (1)

Referees: Alex De Raffaele, Marco Cataldi