Malta                  7
Spain                 23
(3-4, 2-6, 0-7, 2-6)

As expected Malta's first match in the final phase of the 2020 European Championship being held in Budapest, proved to be an almost impossible task, with the locals going down 7-23.

Against one of the favourites for the title, the Maltese could have hardly hoped for more in this third successive participation amongst the elite of Europe. Malta's target in this Group C, will be undoubtedly tomorrow when Karl Izzo's squad faces Turkey in a vital match. Turkey yesterday lost against hosts Hungary 19-5.

The Maltese did very well in the first session losing the fraction 4-3 and keeping the pace with the Spanish. In the second fraction the Spanish made the expected break winning the quarter 6-2 to lead 10-5 by the interval.

However in the third session Spain showed all its power scoring seven goals with no answer from the locals. Spain won convincingly the fourth session too for a 23-7 final score.

Steve Camilleri was Malta's best scorer with three goals, followed by Matthew Zammit with two, with Dino Zammit and Jeremy Abela getting the other two. Spain's Munarriz with five goals was the match's top scorer.

Malta: N. Grixti, J. Gabaretta, S. Camilleri (3), J. Camilleri, A.Cousin, M. Zammit (2), Dino Zammit (1), A. Galea, G. Pace, J. Abela (1), B. Plumpton, Darren Zammit, A. Borg Cole

Spain: D. Lopez Pinedo, A. Munarriz (5), A. Ortega (3), B. Carne (1), M. Dominguez, M. Larumbe (2), A. Delgado (1), F. Fernandez (2), R. Tahull (4), F. Perrone (3), B.Mallarach (1), A. Bustos Sanchez (1), E. Lorrio

Referees: Diana Dutilh-Dumas (Netherlands) - Georgios Stavridis (Greece)