Confident Sliema through to the final
SIRENS GREENTUBE SLIEMA FRANK SALT (1-6), (3-2), (2-1), (1-5) 7 14
A perfect first session paved the way for Sliema to qualify for the final at the expense of Sirens Greentube. Sliema were sharp, confident and determined for most of the game as Sirens looked in tatters during parts of the game. This was the second big loss for Sirens in a few days and the fact there will be not be any games next week, might give them the break needed to sort their problems.
Sliema’s game became easier after they built a surprising 6-0 advantage, with Jerome Gabarretta scoring half of them. Sirens were shocked and at times they didn’t even know what to do with the ball as they also weren’t driving in the penalty area. Christian Presciutti scored for them in their last action of the session.
Sirens were better in the second session as they were working hard to enter back in the game. Presciutti scored from penalty but Nicholas Bugelli made it 7-2. Paul Privitera and Isaiah Riolo gave a lifeline to Sirens but Norbert Hoznyansky’s goal five seconds before the end of the session, after a huge miss by Sirens’ John Brownrigg, made things more difficult for Sirens.
Sirens were again in a position to work harder to reduce the margin, but they only managed to after Valentino Gallo scored his only goal of the game from penalty for a 9-6 score line. By two minutes from the beginning of the last session, Sliema had an 11-6 advantage, a score that diminished the last hopes of Sirens to recover. They even managed to finish the game with a clear seven-goal advantage.
Sirens: N. Grixti, J. Zerafa Gregory, C. Presciutti (2), P. Privitera (2), M. Grech, J. Brownrigg, I. Riolo (1), V. Gallo (1), J. Napier (1), E. Aquilina, L. Caruana, M. Sciberras, O. Gauci
Sliema: J. Parnis, J. Gabarretta (3), G. Subotic (2), J. Sciberras, M. Meli (2), N. Hoznyansky (4), M. Spiteri Staines, L. Galea, B. Cachia, J. Gambin (1), Z. Mizzi, N. Bugelli (2), M. Vassallo
Referees: Ronnie Spiteri, Arnaldo Petronilli
MARSASKALA FISH AND FISH OTTERS NIVEA
(2-0), (3-3), (3-3), (6-4) 14 10
A deserved win put Marsaskala Fish and Fish in the First Division knock-out final, defeating Otters Nivea 14-10. The Gozitan side gave Marsaskala a tough match and they only assured the win in the final two minutes. They will wait to find out their opponents as Valletta and Birżebbuġa will play today.
After a slow start by both teams, Konstantin Averka put Marsaskala in the lead from penalty in the middle of the first session and the other foreigner Kristijan Milakovic doubled few actions later.
Things seemed to going smooth for them as Milakovic, Averka and Malcolm Manara gave Marsaskala a 5-1 lead after a session and a half. Otters reacted and clawed two goals back till the end of the session from Milos Filipovic and Claudio Spiteri Debarro.
Ferenc Salamon even made it 5-4 at the beginning of the third session but Averka doubled again the advantage from penalty.
That was only until Edward Meli and Salamon equalised. The draw lasted less than two minutes as Milakovic scored a brace in the last minute to keep his team with a double advantage ahead of the last session.
After at one point Marsaskala were three goals in front, Otters twice in less than a minute from Marc Lanzon and Filipovic for an 11-10 scoreline, but Marsaskala assured themselves of the win with three goals from their foreigners in the last 93 seconds of the game.
Marsaskala: J. Micallef, J.C. Cutajar, A. Camenzuli, M. Manara (1), M. Aquilina, L. Grixti (1), K. Navarro, K. Milakovic (7), K. Averka (4), J. Culic (1), R. Attard, D. Borg Millo, A. Muscat, L. Felice, J. Ciantar
Otters: M. Xerri, C. Spiteri Debarro (1), F. Salamon (3), L. Hyzler, E. Meli (1), M. Lanzon (2), G. Mizzi, D. Dimech, A. Mifsud, D. Zahra, B. Lanzon (1), M. Filipovic (2), D. Camilleri
Referees: Massimo Angileri, Alessio Nicolai
Photos: Domenic Aquillina