Sliema beat San Ġiljan to end 15-year title wait as they complete league and cup double

The long wait is over. Finally, the skies above the National Pool were blue again as Sliema ASC were crowned as waterpolo champions.

A 15-year- wait came to an end for Sliema fans when the Blues were again in dominant mood to swamp their opponents by a four-goal margin.

The balance shifted definitely in the late sessions when the Blues pressed on the accelerator to move clear of San Ġiljan.

There was no doubt about the legitimacy of Sliema’s victory yesterday. They were the slicker team, always in control of the situation and replied every time San Ġiljan tried to bridge the gap.

Ironically, it was their first Premier Division since the championship was rebranded in 2012 but have collected a record 32 top division titles.

Their league title success completes a memorable season for Sliema who completed a memorable league and cup double.

The first session was marked by tension from both sides especially on man-ups where the Blues netted two from three through Benji Cachia and Jayden Cutajar.

San Ġiljan converted both with Jake Bonavia and Matthew Zammit.

Liam Galea made it 3-2 with a backhand gem before Zammit drew San Ġiljan level before the end of the quarter.

In the second session, the foreigners – Aaron Younger and Giacomo Cannella – stole the show.

Younger scored a hat-trick whereas Canella, albeit contriving a dip in sharpness when he came face-to-face with Jake Tanti, scored a gem of a goal from long distance.

Goals were plentiful in the second session, but the balance prevailed as the two teams shared eight goals.

Matthew Castillo pulled off a fine save on Younger, but his counterpart Jake Tanti allowed a Daniel Rizzo tame effort to trickle in.

In the third session, goals kept alternating when Liam Galea replied to Nikolai Zammit’s goal from a fourth man-up situation.

Despite, faltering badly on their extra-man set, scoring two out of five, the Blues scored three times without reply.

Zach Mizzi made it 11-9.

Sliema edge

Sliema looked like taking over at this point but Younger, through a five-metre throw, and Nico Schiavone kept the Blues within reach.

Although Sliema appeared to have an edge, it was still everything to play for as the fourth session loomed.

At the start of the last quarter, Russell Caruana made it 11-11. Sliema tried to dispel any doubts when Cachia and Cutajar restored their two-goal advantage. But that was too soon as Darren Zammit made it 13-12. Galea completed his hat-trick to give Sliema a breather.

Time was against San Ġiljan and so was their ability to raise their game.

When Castillo blocked a five-metre throw by Younger, it was all over for San Ġiljan.

Cannella added gloss to his team’s win as the Sliema’s fans reveled in celebrations.

Earlier, Marsaxlokk lowered the colours of Exiles to secure the Division One title with foreigner Fran Varela, the absolute protagonist with 10 goals.

RESULTS

EXILES   11

MARSAXLOKK    22

(2-3, 3-9, 2-4, 4-6)

MARSAXLOKK: M. Farrugia, M. Lanzon 1, A. Cook , A. Aquilina 3, T. Agius, J. Valletta 1, R. Spiteri 2, J.Pawley, R. Galea 2, J. Borg Tabone 2, F. Valera 10, R. Attard, A. Fava 1, S. Mifsud.

EXILES: Z. Dzanovic, Z. Cutajar Licari, Z. Micallef, D. Pace Lupi 1, M. Martelacci, N. Bonavia 1, D. Gogov 4, K. Griscti 2, N. Paris 1, K. Tanti 1, M. Fenech, N. Saliba 1, G. Galea Curmi, S. Cutajar Casha.

Refs: R. Spiteri, A. Zedda.

SAN ĠILJAN        12

SLIEMA 15

(3-3, 4-4. 3-4, 2-4)

SAN ĠILJAN: J. Tanti, N. Bugelli, D. Tully, R. Caruana 1, A. Younger 4, M. Zammit 2, J. Bonavia 2, J.Zammit, J. Abela, N. Zammit 1, D. Zammit 1, N. Schiavone 1, G. Borg, G. Bonavia.

SLIEMA: N. Grixti, E. Schembri, L. Galea 3, J. Gambin 1, G. Cannella 3, B. Cachia 3, J. Cutajar 2, D. Rizzo 1, J. Brownrigg, A. Galea, Z. Mizzi 1, M. Castillo, J. Cassar.

Refs: F. Brasiliano, M. Angilleri.