MARSASKALA FISH AND FISH........... 13

BIRŻEBBUĠA FREEPORT..................... 7

(1-1), (4-2), (3-0), (5-4)

The third play-off was decisive for a place in the final against Valletta and confirmed that after three direct encounters, Marsaskala Fish and Fish deserved to win the semi-final. They were sharper and more concentrated in their play, leaving Birżebbuġa in a position to react during the whole game.

After also having more match practice, Marsaskala must be considered as favourites, considering also that they won both games against Valletta this session.

Birżebbuġa could have taken the lead by the end of the first session but after Antonio Petkovic cancelled Jean Claude Cutajar's opener, they missed several chances, merit goes also to Jurgen Micallef. In this session, Marsaskala missed a penalty from Konstantin Averka.

Marsaskala continue to show more compactness than their opponents and ended the second session with a deserved 5-3 lead.          Cutajar and Averka gave them a 3-1 lead but Birżebbuġa showed signs of recovery as they reduced the gap to only a goal in two occasions, although a wonderful lob from Kyle Navarro gave Marsaskala a double advantage.

The goal by Navarro seemed to spark Marsaskala as they took control of the game in the third session. Birżebbuġa had no response after the goals by Marsaskala, spearheaded by their foreigners Konstantin Averka and Kristijan Milakovic who scored the three goals between for a clear and comfortable 8-3 advantage.

This gap proved to be decisive as Birżebbuġa couldn't string a number of consecutive goals to stay in the game and Marsaskala controlled the final minutes.

Marsaskala: J. Micallef, J.C. Cutajar (2), A. Camenzuli, M. Manara (1), M. Aquilina, L. Grixti, K. Navarro (1), K. Milakovic (2), K. Averka (4), J. Culic (1), R. Attard, D. Borg Millo (1), M. Borg, L. Felice (1), J. Ciantar

Birżebbuġa: D. Spiteri, M. Borg, N. Cassar, D. Pace Lupi, R. Spiteri, A. Petkovic (5), S. Vassallo (1), D. Cutajar, J. Bajada, M. Cutajar, A. Goreta, M. Ortoleva (1), A. Bugeja, C. Farrugia, J. Cremona

Referees: Ronnie Spiteri, Adrian Alexandrescu