SAN ĠILJAN TUM INVEST........ 13

NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS............ 10

(3-3), (3-2), (3-3), (4-2)

Guillermo Molina showed his worth as he scored five goals to help San Ġiljan TUM Invest beat Neptunes Leo Vegas 13-10. This was a revenge for the Saints after they lost the President's Cup to Neptunes on penalties.

San Ġiljan led by coach Marko Orlovic were determined not to let this game slip away as they confirmed first place for another match day and stayed the only team in the division without a defeat in the league. They got a mental advantage over their opponents by scoring important goals in key moments of the game while Neptunes scored only two consecutive goals in two occasions as they failed to build a rhythm to have an edge over their opponents.

In reality all the sessions were balanced and the result could have gone either way. The first session ended 3-3 as Molina scored twice, the second goal coming after Stevie Camilleri and Petar Muslim put Neptunes ahead.

Both teams kept going back and forth in the second session. The lead changed hands twice in the session but San Ġiljan finished it ahead after a great goal by Darren Zammit.

This goal constrained Neptunes to search for a quick two goals, especially after Matthew Zammit scored in a solo action. Neptunes showed their quality to recover from 7-5 to equalise 8-8. Stevie Camilleri scored twice while Brguljan equalised from the left side. But Molina gave San Ġiljan the lead again, late in the session.

Things got more difficult for Neptunes in the last session after Andreas Galea made it 10-8 and Guillermo Molina scored his fifth personal goal for a three-goal advantage. Muslim reduced the gap, Andreas Galea scored from a counter-attack and Gabriel Pace scored for Neptunes with a low drive to keep things uncertain.

Neptunes had an occasion that they didn't capitalise, protesting also for a foul in an occasion where tempers flared a bit. San Ġiljan controlled the last seconds and even scored the last goal from Andreas Galea.

San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, B. Grech, A. Galea (3), N. Dobud (1), G. Molina (5), M. Zammit (1), B. Plumpton, K. Dowling, T. Said, Da. Zammit (1), P. Fava, Di. Zammit (2), T. Micallef, J. Bonavia

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon, K. Erdogan, G. Pace (1), P. Muslim (2), D. Brguljan (3), S. Camilleri (4), J. Camilleri, J. Abela, N. Zammit, J. Muscat, M. Azzopardi, B. Busuttil, S. Busuttil, S. Stellini

Referees: Marco Piano, Massimo Angileri

 

OTTERS NIVEA............................ 12

MARSASKALA FISH AND FISH...... 12

(2-5), (4-3), (3-2), (3-2)

After defeating Valletta on Wednesday, Marsaskala Fish and Fish failed to build on their win and even risked of losing the game. In the end, Dorian Pisani will take the point, knowing that they could have claimed three important points that they were favourties for.

Otters in the absence of their coach Anthony Farrugia, were brave enough to stay in the game despite being behind for most of the game. This point might give them the necessary boost to have even better performances.

Marsaskala had a 5-2 advantage by the end of the first session. Konstantin Averka scored twice while Otters reduced the partially to a goal on two occasions. Marsaskala had a good 7-4 with two minutes left before the end of the second session but Otters strucked twice to open the game. Averka had other plans as he made it 8-6 with the last shot of the second session.

The third session was similiar to the previous one as Marsaskala had a three-goal advantage in the middle of the session. Otters made a reaction and scored two consecutive goals from Edward Meli and Ferenc Salamon to reduce the margin to only a goal.

The comeback by Otters became successful in the last session as they turned the tables to go 11-10 in front after two goals by Milos Filipovic and Ferenc Salamon. That was until Averka equalised. Otters thought they scored the winning goal as Claudio Spiteri Debarro capped off an organised action but Jean Claude Cutajar equalised with less than half a minute left.

Otters: M. Xerri, C. Spiteri Debarro (1), F. Salamon (3), L. Hyzler, E. Meli (2), M. Lanzon, K. Scicluna, G. Mizzi, A. Mifsud, D. Zahra, B. Lanzon, M. Filipovic (6), D. Camilleri

Marsaskala: J. Micallef, J.C. Cutajar (1), A. Camenzuli, M. Manara, M. Aquilina, L. Grixti, K. Navarro, K. Milakovic (2), K. Averka (6), J. Culic (1), R. Attard, D. Borg Millo, M. Borg, L. Felice, J. Ciantar

Referees: Richard Magri, Federico Braghini