The Malta Independent on Sunday
San Ġiljan five points clear as Sliema and Neptunes finish in a deserved draw
Waterpolo
Stewart Said
Sliema Frank Salt 9 Neptunes Leo Vegas 9 (4-3), (3-2), (0-2), (2-2)
Sliema Frank Salt and Neptunes Leo Vegas are still on equal points and five behind San Ġiljan after the direct encounter finished in a deserved draw.
As the game progressed, Neptunes might feel that they could have won the game, because they were in front with two minutes left, but Sliema were the better team in the first part of the game, despite having difficulties in the last two sessions but somehow they snatched a draw.
Neptunes had to recover from a slow start as Sliema started sharp in the game with two goals inside the first three minutes. Stevie Camilleri pulled one back for Neptunes but Kai Dowling restored their double lead. Neptunes managed to equalise in the last minute and a half, but Nicholas Bugelli kept Sliema ahead with a goal in the dying seconds.
The second session turned out to be a tit for tat as Sliema tried to take a comfortable lead but Neptunes responded twice to stay with a goal difference. That was until Sliema scored again with the last shot of the session, this time from Michael Spiteri Staines.
Popovic’s words seemed to have inspired his players as he got the reaction that he was looking for. Gabriel Pace reduced the gap with a goal from the first attack, and Nikolai Zammit equalised for the second time in the game. Neptunes were also clean in the defence.
The last session started 7-7 and Sliema had a good opportunity to regain their lead, but Alan Borg Cole saved a penalty from Christian Presciutti, a foul that resulted in the third personal foul for Niki Lanzon.
Neptunes took the lead for the first time with a great goal by Matthias Azzopardi, but this time it was Sliema’s turn to equalise from Jamie Gambin. Stevie Camilleri gave Neptunes a precious lead, but a bit more than half a minute later Bugelli made it 9-9. Both teams tried to find the winning goal but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Sliema: J. Sammut, J. Gabarretta, C. Presciutti (2), J. Saliba, M. Meli (1), K. Dowling (1), M. Spiteri Staines (2), D. Fenech, M. Cordina, J. Gambin (1), Z. Mizzi, N. Bugelli (2), Z. Sciberras
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon, K. Erdogan, G. Pace (2), P. Muslim (2), N. Zammit (1), S. Camilleri (3), J. Camilleri, J. Abela, M. Zammit, J. Muscat, M. Azzopardi (1), J. Parnis
Referees: Massimo Adrian Alecsandrescu Angileri,
San Giljan Tum Inv. 15 Valletta Videoslots 9 (3-2), (2-2), (4-3), (6-2)
San Ġiljan TUM Invest are still unbeaten as they expectedly beat bottom side Valletta Videoslots by a six-goal margin, but the game was more different than it was expected.
Valletta proved to be a tough nut to crack as they concentrated for larger periods than usual, also because San Ġiljan weren’t at their best today, being not sharp enough both in defence and in attack.
Michele Mifsud opened the score for Valletta but San Ġiljan responded with three goals from Paul Fava and a brace by Matthew Zammit. Daniel Paolella reduced the gap.
The rhythm of the game stayed the same in the second session as there wasn’t a huge difference between both teams. San Ġiljan tried twice to open up their lead with two great goals by veteran Paul Fava, but Valletta replied in both occasions from Keith Galea and a quick man-up by Daniel Paolella at the end of the second session.
Valletta equalised twice during the third session, recovering from two goals, and after Ben Plumpton scored for San Ġiljan, James Spiteri Staines made it 7-7 less than a minute later.
But the session wasn’t finished yet as two goals in a space of half a minute by Matthew Zammit and Paulo Obradovic gave a precious double lead that proved to be decisive.
This was because when Obradovic scored in the first action of the last session, the three points were assured. San Ġiljan continued to attack and widened their gap to six goals to give a different ending to the game from what it really was.
San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, P. Borg (2), A. Galea, B. Grech, C. Farrugia, M. Zammit (5), B. Plumpton (1), D. Zammit, T. Said, P. Obradovic (3), P. Fava (4), D. Ciantar, T. Micallef
Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines (2), A. Agius (1), M. Mifsud (2), T. Agius, R. Mock, D. Paolella (2), M. Toth (1), A. Mifsud, C. Zammit, K. Galea (1), N. Farrugia, M. Lanzon
Referees: Nicolai
FIRST DIVISION Stefan Licari, Alessio
Marsaxlokk Brown’s 7 Birzebbuga Freeport 6 (0-1), (3-3), (3-1), (1-1)
Marsaxlokk: R. Coleiro, C. Spiteri Debarro (2), L. Calleja, C. Bonello (1), C. Gialanze, N. Hosnyanszky (1), S. Meli, M. Rizzo (1), B. Buhagiar, M. Pace, O. Zammit, J. Galea, K. Lanzon (2)
Birżebbuġa: D. Abela, M. Borg (1), N. Cassar, D. Pace Lupi (1), S. Mora (2), J. Rizzo Naudi, S. Vassallo, D. Cutajar (1), S. Micallef, M. Cutajar (1), K. Rizzo Naudi, J. Zerafa Gregory, D. Spiteri
Referees: Adrian drescu, Ronnie Spiteri Alecsan- San Ġiljan Neptunes Sliema Exiles Sirens Valletta PW 7 6 7 4 7 4 7 2 7 1 7 0 D 1 2 2 2 1 0
PWD Birżebbuġa 6 5 0 Marsaxlokk 6 4 0 Ta’ Xbiex 6 3 0 Marsaskala 5 2 0 Otters 5 0 0 L F 0 88 1 88 1 79 3 72 5 53 7 42 L F 1 59 2 64 3 65 3 47 5 43 A Pts 58 19 64 14 55 14 78 8 72 4 95 0 A Pts 46 15 55 12 60 9 47 6 70 0