Neptunes three points above Sliema, first point for Valletta
NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS SIRENS GREENTUBE (4-2), (4-2), (2-3), (5-4) 15 11
Title contenders Neptunes Leo Vegas took advantage from the defeat of Sliema on Tuesday, as they continued Sirens’ woes winning 15-11. They are now three points above Sliema with two games to spare, and now they are in the driving seat to claim the second place which means a direct place to play-off semi-finals.
Sirens showed only glimpses of their quality during the game and after eight games they are still not showing their full potential, winning only one game and drawing another one. Sasko Popovski will coach the team for the remainder of the season as Marco Baldinetti and Sirens parted ways.
Neptunes succeeded in ending the first session in front winning it 4-2. Sirens equalised in two occasions from Isaiah Riolo and Paul Privitera, but Neptunes scored two consecutive goals from Miguel Zammit and their chief scorer Stevie Camilleri.
This lead permitted Neptunes to control the game better, while Sirens had to work harder to stay in the game. After Privitera responded to Petar Muslim’s goal, Neptunes stretched their lead to four goals. Clint Mercieca pulled one back from a brilliant action, but Muslim assured his team of beginning the third session four goals in front.
Sirens were better in defence and were showing signs of not giving up. They won the third session and could have easily started the last session with a disadvantage of only a goal or two, but the goal by Niki Lanzon near the end of the session resulted in a good 10-7 lead.
Marc Grech clawed one back 29 seconds from the beginning of the last session, but Neptunes soon responded and scored from a brace by Jordan Camilleri, Stevie Camilleri and Gabriel Pace to open up a 14-8 advantage to close the game. Nicolas Bicari shined in the last part of the game to reduce the gap with a hat-trick.
A. Borg, Cole, N. Lanzon (1), K. Erdogan, G. Pace (1), P. Muslim (2), N. Zammit, S. Camilleri (4), J. Camilleri (4), J. Abela, M. Zammit (2), J. Culic, M. Azzopardi (1), J. Parnis
N. Grixti, P. Privitera (2), E. Aquilina, N. Bicari (5), M. Grech (1), I. Riolo (1), C. Mercieca (1), J. Sciberras, J. Napier, J. Ciantar, L. Caruana, J. Brownrigg (1), G. Galea Curmi
Alex De Raffaele, Andrea Zedda
EXILES ELIA CATERERS 8 VALLETTA VIDEOSLOTS 8 (2-2), (0-2), (2-1), (4-3)
Exiles Elia Caterers salvaged a point and stayed unbeaten against Valletta Videoslots in an interesting game. This draw meant that Valletta won their first point of the season in a match that they were in front for most of the game, and probably they might feel that they deserved the win.
Marco Cuk’s team were determined to claim something from a match that they didn’t dictated but had to chase from the beginning after a slow start.
Exiles had a mountain to climb from the get going as Valletta took a double lead from Charlie Zammit and Marton Toth, but as Valletta seemed to be dictating play, Exiles managed to equalise with two goals in the last minute and a half from Benji Lanzon and a personal action from Aurelien Cousin.
Valletta went two goals in front in the second session from Marton Toth and Michele Mifsud as they finished the second session in an unusual 4-2 lead.
Exiles continued to chase their opponents, but Valletta kept their composure, but the game had a turning point as Valletta missed a clear one on one chance to make it 6-3 and from the subsequent action, Nicky Paris reduced the deficit only to a goal.
The third session ended in controversy as the referees made a mistake and didn’t notice that Valletta played the last 16 seconds of the session with one more player. Exiles protested heavily and demanded a penalty, but the match controllers ordered the game to be restarted.
This decision seemed to spark Exiles as they were determined not to let the game slip away. Andrea Bianchi equalised, and Nicky Paris scored a good goal from the left side. Valletta were in disadvantage for the first time but were brave enough to react and from 6-5 managed to take an 8-7 lead with 52 seconds left.
Exiles coach Marko Cuk called a time-out and from the resultant attack, had a man-up which was converted by Aurelien Cousin with 27 seconds left.
M. Castillo, M. Fenech (2), A. Bianchi (1), M. Stellini, T. Sullivan, S. Xerri de Caro, S. Nikic, K. Griscti, N. Paris (2), A. Cousin (2), B. Lanzon (1), P. Paris, G. Ciappara
R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines, A. Agius, M. Mifsud (2), T. Agius, R. Mock, D. Paolella, M. Toth (4), N. Bonello Ghio, C. Zammit (1), N. Farrugia (1), M. Lanzon
Tommaso Boccia, Stefan Licari
OTTERS NIVEA MARSASKALA TRANSCRIPTA (0-4), (3-2), (1-4), (4-2) 12
Otters: M. Xerri, A. Magri, A. Camenzuli, L. Felice (1), E. Meli (3), D. Dimech, K. Scicluna, A. Kincses (4) M. Sciberras, E. Gravina, M. Aquilina, D. Zahra, K. Schembri
J. Micallef, J.C. Cutajar, E. Carabot (1), D. Borg Millo (1), A. Vlahovic (3), L. Grixti, K. Navarro (3), J. Busuttil, J. Bajada (1), C. Mifsud (3), D. Cassar, R. Attard, B. Muscat
Tommaso Boccia, Ronnie Spiteri San Ġiljan Neptunes Sliema Exiles Sirens Valletta 8 8 8 8 8 8
P Birżebbuġa 7 Marsaxlokk 6 Ta’ Xbiex 7 Marsaskala 6 Otters 6 7 5 4 2 1 0 W 6 4 3 3 0 1 2 2 3 1 1 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 97 1103 2 87 3 80 6 64 7 50 L 1 2 4 3 6
F 69 64 71 59 51 66 22 75 17 64 14 86 9 87 4 103 1 A Pts 53 18 55 12 70 9 55 9 82 0 Champions League Yesterday PAOK-Spartak Moscow ..................... 3-2 Salzburg-Shkendija ............................ 3-0 Celtic-AEK Athens FC ........................ 1-1
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Standings Premier Division Division I