Malta              10

Turkey           13

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

Our hopes of avoiding the last place in the group and possibly the 16^th place in the european championships faded away quickly after a dismal start in which Turkey was leading 8-1 half way through the second session, a lead which Karl Izzo's boys failed to recover in the remaining sessions.

This match was vital for Malta, in its third participation at the highest level of European waterpolo. Turkey however made strides forward form our last encounters and yesterday proved to be the better outfit.

The Maltese scored only five times from sixteen man-up situations, and this proved to be one of the determining factors for our defeat, apart from some blunders in defence which made life easier for our opponents.

Turkey scored three quick goals at the start of the game with Malta pulling one back through Aurelien Cousin. However the Turks added another two by the end of the first session, and piled more misery on the locals with another three goals at the start of the second.

Jordan Camilleri and Matthew Zammit made it 3-8, and Aurelien Cousin scored his second goal for a 4-9 score by the half way line.

Malta won the other two sessions 2-1 and 4-3 to reduce the deficit to three goals, but the damage by the Turkish outfit had been done and Malta had to leave the pitch empty handed.

Ben Plumpton with five goals was Malta's best scorer and also the game's top scorer, followed by Cousin with two, and other goals from Jordan Camilleri, Jerome Gabaretta and Matthew Zammit. Sonmez was the Turks best scorer with three goals.

Malta will end its commitments in Group C on Saturday at 7pm, facing host Hungary in another very difficult test.

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

Turkija: A. Sezer, S. Caner, M. Yutmaz (1), F. Acar (2), B. Biyik (2), E. Gurdenli (1), E. Yenigun (1), O. Senemoglu, N. Sonmez (3), N. Ozbek (2), E. Kahraman, G. Dilek (1), H. Kil