NEPTUNES VIDEOSLOTS ..... 12 SLIEMA FRANK SALT ............ 13 (3‑3), (1‑6), (4‑3), (4‑1)

Sliema Frank Salt almost committed a harakiri but managed to solve a problem that they created. They had total control of the game and enjoyed a 9‐3 and 12‐5 advantage, a margin that seemed impossible for them to lose. But credit also to Neptunes for an incredible comeback, the game was only decided at the final second.

In all fairness, Neptunes failed miserably only during the sec‐ ond session, a period which proved to be costly for them. Sliema on the other hand, thought the game was over midway through the third session and stopped playing in a fluid way as they were.

The two goals scored early in the game by Benji Cachia from man‐up and Andrija Prlainovic from a counterattack gave the first signal that it might be Sliema’s day. Neptunes reacted and responded with two goals of their own by Jake Muscat and Serbian Filip Filipovic. They had to react again after Cachia gave Sliema a slim lead and managed to equalise through Filipovic be‐ fore the end of the session.

If Neptunes had a response twice during the first session, Sliema surprised their oppo‐ nents in the second session. A brace by Kholod put Sliema 5‐3 ahead but one goal after another saw Neptunes crumbling. Jayden Cutajar, Jerome Gabarretta, Benji Cachia and Dino Zammit all beat Alan Borg Cole consecu‐ tively to give Sliema a 9‐3 ad‐ vantage.

To make matters worse, Nep‐ tunes even missed a penalty after Nicky Grixti saved the shot by Aleksandar Ivovic but the Sliema goalkeeper couldn’t han‐ dle the penalty by Filipovic few seconds later.

Stevie Camilleri pulled another goal back in the beginning of the session until Sliema thought the game was secured.

Jerome Gabarretta, Jayden Cutajar and Dmitrii Kholod from penalty put Sliema in a more than comfortable 12‐5 lead. At that point, the majority thought that the game was over. Sliema relaxed and by the end of third session, Neptunes scored three times from Filipovic, Ivovic and Jordan Camilleri to keep their slim chances open.

Neptunes continued their momentum in the last session. Ivovic scored another, Sam Gialanze reduced the margin and opened again the encounter to put Sliema in panic mode. Filip Filipovic scored his fifth personal goal and Ivovic equalised in what was the seventh consecutive goal for Neptunes.

Fortunately for Sliema, they were given a penalty two minutes from the end of the game after a foul committed by Sam Gialanze.

Dmitrii Kholod beat Alan Borg Cole, a goal that ended being the difference between both teams. Neptunes tried their best to force the penalties and even hit the crossbar through Jake Muscat.

In the end, a sigh of relief for Sliema as they prepare for today’s final at 8.20pm.

They will be meeting San Giljan who beat VAlletta 21-15

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, J. Mus‐ cat (1), S. Gialanze (1), G. Pace, M. Castillo, J. Bajada, S. Camilleri (1), J. Camilleri (1), A. Ivovic (3), F. Filipovic (5), A. Fenech, E. Mallia, M. Rossi, D. Bugeja, A. Fava

Sliema: N. Grixti, J. Gabarretta (2), L. Galea, J. Gambin, Z. Mizzi, B. Cachia (3), J. Cutajar (2), M. Mifsud, J. Brownrigg, D. Kholod (4), A. Prlainovic (1), D. Zammit (1), A. Bugeja, E. Schembri, S. En‐ gerer

Referees: Stefano Pinato, Peter Balzan

 

VALLETTA IZIBET………………….. 15

SAN ĠILJAN JP PROJECTS………. 21

(4-3), (3-6), (4-5), (4-7)

Valletta: B. Busuttil, J. Spiteri Staines, D. Rizzo (1), J. Cassar (2), S. Busuttil (1), A. Vlahovic (2), D. Paolella, I. Nagaev (7), S. Micallef, A. Agius (1), K. Borg (1), K. Cremona, A. Theuma, M. Demarco, J. Chircop

San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, N. Bugelli (2), A. Galea (1), B. Plumpton (1), M. Jokovic (4), M. Zammit (3), J. Bonavia (3), A. Younger (2), J. Abela (1), N. Zammit (2), D. Zammit (2), R. Caruana, G. Borg, G. Bonavia, N. Bonavia

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Birżebbuġa and Marsaxlokk to contest Div I KO final