SAN ĠILJAN TUM INVEST...........14
NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS................9
(4-2), (6-2), (2-3), (2-2)
New Champions San Ġiljan Tum Invest celebrated their 10th league in style, defeating again Neptunes Leo Vegas 14-9 to win the title winning all their 15 games. A truly splendid season for San Ġiljan which can be finished by winning the knock-out next week, to win all the trophies at their disposal.
All the units in San Ġiljan were perfect, starting from their coach Marko Orlovic, their foreigner Aleksandar Ivovic finishing also as the league’s top scorer, captain Matthew Zammit, all the youngsters and the President Daniel Aquilina. It was also the perfect week for them to celebrate as this week, they are celebrating the locality’s feast.
(Photos Domenic Aquilina)
Neptunes resisted the first few minutes of the match as they equalised twice, but as soon as San Ġiljan had a two-goal advantage, the game was heading only one way. In the second session, San Ġiljan continued to widen the gap scoring another four consecutive goals from Peter Borg, Aurelien Cousin, Aleksandar Ivovic and Andreas Galea to make the score 8-2, an advantage that they kept till the end of the session.
San Ġiljan reduced their rhythm and permitted Neptunes to have the upper-hand a bit, scoring three goals from Timmy Agius, Niki Lanzon and Romain Blary to make the score more respectable, but San Ġiljan ended the session scoring twice.
The last session was only a formality as San Ġiljan were only waiting for the match to end, to start their deserved celebrations. At the end of the match, the Chief Officer of BOV Anthony Scicluna alongside ASA President Joe Caruana Curran presented the trophy to the captain Matthew Zammit.
San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, P. Borg (1), A. Galea (1), T. Said, J. Galea (1), M. Zammit (1), B. Plumpton (3), Da. Zammit, A. Ivovic (3), A. Cousin (2), P. Fava, Di. Zammit (2), T. Micallef
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon (1), T. Agius (1), K. Erdogan, R. Blary (3), S. Gravina (1), S. Camilleri (1), J. Camilleri (2), J. Abela, M. Zammit, N. Zammit, M. Azzopardi, I. Bugeja
Referees: Massimo Angileri, Domenico Rotondano
Sirens beat Sliema to take third place
SLIEMA FRANK SALT.................7
SIRENS GREENTUBE.................11
(1-1), (2-2), (3-3), (1-5)
A resilient Sirens side was the key factor in an emphatic win for Sergio Afric’s men, as they defeated Sliema Frank Salt 11-7 with a brilliant last session to finish in third place for the first time in nine seasons. A result that showed the progress made by Sirens in the last years, and this position needs to serve as a stepping stone for Sirens to fight for honours in the future.
Sliema closed a tough league campaign in the worst mode as they again failed to challenge for the title. The problems in Sliema’s team were again evident, as they lacked concentration and at important times in the game they weren’t working as a team enough. Now, Sliema have to group themselves if they don’t won to be humiliated by San Ġiljan next week in the knock-out finali.
The game kept going back and forth till the beginning of the third session, as Sliema went in front four times, but in every occasion, Sirens responded from Clint Mercieca, Christian Presciutti and a brace by David Cutajar respectively.
Sliema managed to take a two-goal from Zach Mizzi and Jamie Gambin and things seemed to be going their way as Sirens missed also a great opportunity in front of the post. But Sirens were resilient enough to respond and after David Cutajar scored from the right side, John Brownrigg equalised, lobbing over Ryan Coleiro after the Sliema defence was caught on one foot.
Sirens took the lead for the first time from Presciutti, but this time it was Sliema’s turn to equalise from centre Gabarretta. But after Presciutti made the score 8-7, Sliema lost all concentration, losing also their coach Bogdan Rath who was sent-off. Isaiah Riolo scored twice from the right side to close the affair, and Christian Presciutti sealed the three points with a late goal, amongst the joy of Sergio Afric, and Vice-President John Farrugia.
Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta (2), E. Aquilina (2), C. Cluett, G. Molina (1), K. Dowling, M. Spiteri Staines, L. Galea, J. Gambin (1), M. Meli, Z. Mizzi (1), B. Cachia, Z. Sciberras
Sirens: N. Grixti, J. Zerafa Gregory, C. Presciutti (4), J. Sciberras, M. Grech, I. Riolo (2), C. Mercieca (1), D. Cutajar (3), J. Napier, J. Brownrigg (1), M. Sciberras, J. Ciantar, O. Gauci
Referees: Mario Dalli, Alessandro Roberti
Marsaxlokk crowned first division champions
MARSAXLOKK FISCHER.............14
MARSASKALA TRANSCRIPTA.....12
(5-3), (5-3), (2-2), (2-4)
The league was decided before this game, but this match served as a formality for Marsaxlokk to be crowned First Division Champions for the second consecutive season. A deserved honour for Marsaxlokk who were the better team and had more quality in their squad compared to their opponents. Credit goes to coach Roman Polacik in his first experience as a coach in Malta, and also to the hard-working President Victor Fenech who managed to build a strong squad for the first division.
Marsaxlokk managed to take a two-goal lead in the first session after Marsaskala had made the score 3-3. Polacik’s team got the better of their opponents from the start of the second session and scored twice consecutively from Zeljko Kovacic and Brian Buhagiar to take a four-goal lead, an advantage that they kept till the end of the second session.
Marsaxlokk had the task to control the game and they did, as Marsaskala had to score twice from Busuttil and Vlahovic to at least limit the damage. They had a comfortable lead and kept controlling the game as Marsaskala tried a late comeback to save the game but it was unsuccessful as they reduced the margin to two goals.
After the game, captain Chris Gialanze was presented with the trophy from BOV official Paul Gauci in the presence of ASA President Karl Galea.
Marsaxlokk: A. Xuereb, C. Spiteri Debarro (5), L. Calleja, M. Cacici, C. Gialanze, C. Bugeja, S. Meli, Z. Kovacic (4), B. Buhagiar (1), R. Scerri (1), K. Lanzon (1), L. Gialanze (2), R. Bonnici
Marsaskala: K. Schembri, J.C. Cutajar (1), N. Farrugia (1), C. Bonello, A. Vlahovic (4), L. Grixti (1), K. Navarro (1), J. Busuttil (1), S. Micallef, M. Agius, D. Cassar, M. Cutajar (3), B. Muscat
Referees: Peter Balzan, Domenico Rotondano