MALTA.................. 12

PORTUGAL........ 10

(6-4), (3-1), (3-4), (0-1)

The last session was a nail-biting affair but in the end, the Maltese national team got what they wanted and defeated Portugal 12-10 to clinch a spot at the European Championships which will be held next January in Budapest.

The performance could have been better but after an important win like this, everything will be forgotten. Unfortunately, the players didn't have the same support they had last year against Belarus and this fact even resulted in their celebrations after the game.

Portugal drew first blood from Rui Ramos but Stevie Camilleri scored a brace to put Malta in front. Portugal regained their lead with goals from Pedro Sousa but the reaction from Karl Izzo's team resulted in two beautiful goals by veteran Aurelien Cousin and captain Stevie Camilleri.

Ramos equalised again for Fernando Leite's team but Malta stayed focused and ended the first session with a double advantage after goals from Camilleri and Cousin, both goals coming from man-up situations.

Goalkeeper Nicky Grixti saved the team in the early stages of the second session after Tiago Costa had reduced the gap. But three goals from man-up situations by Matthew Zammit, Dino Zammit and Stevie Camilleri gave Malta a healthy 9-5 lead at the end of the session.

Portugal responded early in the third session with two goals to cut the deficit to 9-7. Karl Izzo's team regained the comfortable lead with a backhand from Jerome Gabarretta and Matthew Zammit. But Portugal replied with two goals from Pedro Sousa while Dino Zammit had given a partial 12-8 lead.

Ricardo Sousa reduced the margin again in the beginning of the session. Karl Izzo's men were a bit tired and subsequently the pressure piled up on them in the last minutes. Fortunately the defence and goalkeeper Nicky Grixti were in a superb form. Malta managed to control the last difficult seconds to put themselves again amongst Europe's elite.

Malta: N. Grixti, J. Gabarretta (1), A. Galea, N. Zammit, Da. Zammit, M. Zammit (2), S. Camilleri (5), J. Camilleri, J. Abela, A. Cousin (2), B. Plumpton, Di. Zammit (2), A. Borg Cole

Portugal: M. Yanochko, R. Teixeira, T. Costa (1), R. Ramos (3), M. Rodrigues, P. Sousa (4), J. Lopes, J. Leite, R. Sousa (2), R. Moreira, S. Lopes, T. Parati, J. Silva

Referees: Sebastien Dervieux (France), Nerijus Papaurelis (Lithuania)