Sliema beat Sirens but all eyes were on Giacomo Cannella as the main attraction of this duel was the presence of the Italian powerhouse appearing for the Blues for the first time.
The Sliema fans have high hopes that the Pro-Recco player will supply enough firepower to bring an end to their wait for a title.
Sliema’s foreigner took some time to settle down but his deployment on the left gave the team a wider attacking platform. Cannella broke the ice, converting a five-metre throw before Andreas Galea made it 2-0.
Marking was tight with the foreigners in the water shadowing each other.
Yet, both looked sharp and clinical in front of goal with Daniil Merkulov making it 3-1 before Cannella extended Sliema’s advantage before the change of ends.
Merkulov beat Nicky Grixti with a scorcher from almost Sirens’ own half.
Jayden Cutajar put his team 5-2 ahead, converting a five-metre throw. Ken Erdogan reduced the arrears before Dino Zammit netted a great goal off a tight angle.
Gianni Farrugia beat Grixti with a cute lob as Cannella completed his hat-trick with another five-mete throw. It was 7-4 with the last quarter to go.
Jake Cachia cut the gap at the start of the fourth session but a contested five-metre saw Sliema immediately regaining their three-goal cushion through Cannella.
Although Giannis Katrouzanakis put in some fringe players, Sliema kept their scoring momentum in the latter part of the session to make it a leisurely outing with Eliah Schembri and Jayden Cassar putting their names on the scoresheet.
Dino Zammit made it a final 12-6 scoreline with another five-metre throw.
The Sliema player saw immediately red after he was sent off for his celebration as he converted the penalty.
In the opening match of the Premier Division, Neptunes edged out Valletta 11-9 in a match of alternating fortunes.
Neptunes cashed in on their opening man-up situation, scored by Sam Gialanze.
Marking was tight with Jake Muscat and Gabriel Pace sharing their defensive duties to shawdow Ivan Nagaev.
The Russian centre still found time to evade his marker and beat Alan Borg Cole with a scorcher.
Muscat exploited a break to make it 3-1 for the Reds. Yet, Nagaev beat Muscat to lob in for a 3-2 scoreline at the end of the first session.
The Ballutta team were streaking away on breaks and Dimitrii Kholod on the right put his team 4-2 ahead. Jacob Sciberras reduced the gap from the left before Nagaev reached his hat-trick from a penalty.
From another transition, Camilleri was surprisingly away on the left to put his team 5-2 ahead. Farrugia reduced the gap from the centre before Neptunes lost their second man-up. Lanzon reached his hat-trick from a penalty.
The Citizens started in brisker fashion after the break, scoring four times without reply to go 7-5 in front. They were briefly caught up before Mark Castillo anticipated session time to beat Benji Busuttil with a shot on the turn to give his side a slender advantage.
It was 8-7 with the last session to go. Neptunes increased their advantage when shading the last quarter to win 11-9.
RESULTS
OTTERS 9
EXILES 11
(5-3, 2-1, 0-5, 2-2)
OTTERS: M.Xerri, M. Bonnici, K. Scicluna, K. Micallef, M. Meli 1, D. Dimech, I. Azzopardi 2, S. Dimech, L. Dimech 1, P. Sniljevic 4, M. Farrugia, A. Dimech 1, M. Grech, T.J. Mifsud.
EXILES: Z. Dzanovic, Z. Cutajar Licari 1, Z. Micallef, D. Pace Lupi, M. Martelacci, N. Bonavia 1, D. Gogov 5, K. Griscti 3, N. Paris 1, K. Tanti, M. Fenech, N. Saliba, G. Galea Curmi, S. Cutajar.
Refs: A. D’Oro, P. Balzan.
NEPTUNES 11
VALLETTA 9
(3-2, 2-1, 3-4, 3-2)
NEPTUNES: A.Borg Cole, D. Kholod 1, S. Gialanze 2, G. Pace 1, J. Camilleri, L. Mallia, S. Camilleri 3, M. Castillo 1, J. Muscat 2, J. Bajada 1, A. Fenech, E. Mallia, M. Rossi, D. Bugeja.
VALLETTA: B. Busuttil, M. Mifsud 1, J. Sciberras 1, S. Busuttil, K. Borg 1, M. Zammit, I. Nagaev 6, S. Micallef, A. Agius, M. Chircop, K. Cremona, A. Bugeja, C. Mercieca.
Refs A. Torneo, P. Balzan.
SLIEMA 12
SIRENS 6
(2-0, 2-1, 3-3, 5-2)
SLIEMA: N. Grixti, E. Schembri 1, L. Galea, J. Gambin, G. Cannella 4, B. Cachia, J. Cutajar 1, D. Rizzo, J. Brownrigg, A. Galea 2, Z. Mizzi, D. Zammit 2, M. Castillo, J. Cassar 1
SIRENS: M. Bonello Dupuis, P. Serracino, K. Erdogan 1, P. Borg 1, J. Cachia 1, K. Agius, D. Merkulov 2, I. Riolo, J. Zerafa Gregory, G. Farrugia 1, M. Sciberras, M. Azzopardi, J. Parnis, M. Ortoleva.
Refs: M. Angilleri, A. d’Oro.
