This weekend sees the start of the second phase, that is the final round of the Wilkinson Sword Waterpolo league where the top four teams making up the top division fight out for the league title.
The present standings indicate that this season we are in for another intriguing finale as the three top teams all have 12 points.
Obviously, any one of Sirens, Sliema and Neptunes are everybody’s bet for the title but fourth placed San Giljan may pop up with a surprise or two and surely they cannot be taken lightly although they trail the leading pack by four points.
Neptunes will be their first opponents in the second match of today’s programme. Still basking in their prestigious win against champions Sirens last week and the win of the President’s Cup, Neptunes, inspired by their Croatian veteran Dubravko Simenc and the in-form goalkeeper Niki Gouder, start as favourites to keep a grip on top spot.
After making it with the top four this season, San Giljan will be more than eager to give a good account of themselves.
Their foreign player, Marko Cuk had very positive performances so far and he should prove a great help in their aim.
The top clash of the weekend is tomorrow’s match between Sirens and Sliema as the league’s best attack takes on the best defence.
The champions were the team to inflict the only defeat on Sliema in the first phase this season, beating them 11-8 earlier this month.
Sliema will be all out for revenge especially if their Hungarian powerhouse Tibor Benedek keeps up his improvement.
Sirens, will be all out to bounce back from their disappointing first defeat by Neptunes last weekend in a bid to defend the championship they won last season. They cannot afford any such slips against Sliema and must get to grips on their zonal marking to avoid further derisions.
In Division 2, Otters, who did not take part in the first phase, will be in action today and tomorrow, as they first play against Marsascala and then meet Exiles tomorrow.
Programme:
Today: 6pm M’Scala Breakers-Otters 7.15pm Neptunes Vodafone-San Giljan Zara;
Tomorrow: 6pm Exiles RMF-Otters 7.15pm 2X Sirens-Sliema Burger King