It was an extraordinary weekend for the Maltese athletes in Bologna with Joe Borg Bonaci winning one of the best competitions in Table Football around the globe and Joe Mifsud reaching the semi-finals.
Six Maltese players participated in the Major of Bologna. Joe Borg Bonaci, Hansel Mallia, Joe Mifsud, Derek Conti, Charles Aquilina and Samuel Bartolo were the Maltese players who took part among 174 participants in the individual competition held on Sunday.
On Saturday the team event was held with five Maltese players being involved with their respective foreign clubs – Conti and Bartolo with CCT Roma, Mifsud with AS Palermo, Aquilina with Reggiana and Bonaci with the Greeks of Falcons Athens.
Fifty four teams took part were after the group stages, direct elimination was held. All Maltese were in form considering the preparation for the World Cup to be held in mid June and were of constant value for their respective clubs.
However, CCT Roma and Palermo were soon out of the competition losing to better sided opponents at the last 16 stage. Reggiana lost in quarter-finals while Falcons Athens made the most of it and won in style this Italian Major. Bonaci in the final made the difference as he was losing 2-0 by half time and with an impressive come-back made it 3-2 for his side and made his team win this Major against Milano.
On Sunday, the individual competition had one of the most registered participants this season with an impressive number of 174 players assembled in 58 groups.
Each group was tight with a direct challenge as from the first match. All Maltese players won their respective group. Although Mallia and Aquilina were playing at high level, they were both unlucky failing to score and both lost at the last 64 stage.
Conti was in form and managed to defeat world champion Daniele Bertelli in the last 16 reaching the quarters.
Bartolo too lost in the last 16 against Greek talent Richos 1-0, while Mifsud beat Italian veteran Lamberti 2-1 turning the score to his side after being 1-0 down by half time, and Bonaci had to take shots to reach the quarters against Spaniard Martinez.
In the quarter finals, three of eight players were Maltese with other three players from Italy and two from Greece.
Mifsud faced Mattiangeli and after an equal match, he won on shoot outs reaching the semi final at the Major. Derek Conti faced Italian legend and three times world champion Massimo Bolognino who won narrowly 3-2. Bonaci faced Defrancesco beating him in style 3-0.
In the semi-finals, Bonaci had a thrilling match against Greek’s Beis while Mifsud faced Bolognino. Mifsud missed some goal opportunities and paid dearly for his misses losing his match 1-0.
On the other hand, Bonaci beat the Greek 2-1 to earn a place in the final.
Bolognino against Bonaci was the attraction of the weekend with a Maltese player in the final of a Major for the first time. Expectations were high and soon after kick off, Bonaci opened the score. In the middle of the second half, Bolognino equalised but a couple of minutes later, Bonaci led 2-1. Then Bonaci had his third goal disallowed by the referee and just before the end, Bolognino equalised for the final 2-2. The match went to extra time, with the Maltese highly tempered due to some awkward decisions by the referee. However, the Maltese player managed to score the winner which made him move on to the highest podium in Bologna.