Sliema paid the ultimate price in a dramatic penalty shootout, as Neptunes booked their place in the play-off final after an epic, nerve-shredding decider that required ten penalties per side to separate the two rivals.
In a twist of fate, Neptunes overcame their earlier misfortunes and showed immense character to prevail – despite their influential captain, Stevie Camilleri, missing twice during the shootout.
It was a coming-of-age moment for the youngest team in the Premier Division, who held their nerve when it mattered most.
As always, the fierce rivalry between Sliema and Neptunes delivered another gripping contest, and this final match in the semi-final series proved to be a true showcase for the local game.
With a 2-1 series win, Neptunes now advance to face San Ġiljan in the final on August 25.
Sliema began the match with clear intent to erase memories of their previous outing.
Angelos Vlachopoulos converted a five-metre throw, and Jayden Cutajar quickly made it 2-0. Mark Castillo took advantage of a double man-up situation to pull one back for Neptunes.
Liam Galea then restored Sliema’s two-goal cushion with a beautifully executed backhand. Jordan Camilleri made it 3-2 before Sam Gialanze slipped past John Brownrigg’s marking to level the score.
Gergo Zalanki gave Neptunes the lead for the first time, but Galea, operating from position six, shrugged off Matthias Azzopardi’s marking to bring the score to 4-4.
Elijah Schembri nudged Sliema ahead once again, only for Stevie Camilleri to open his account and make it 5-5 at the end of a mouth-watering opening session.
Sliema coach Giannis Katrouzanakis looked to shake things up at the start of the second session, swapping goalkeepers as Nicky Grixti replaced Benji Busuttil.
However, it was Neptunes’ goalkeeper, Matthew Castillo, who made the first major impact of the quarter, blocking a bouncing effort from Elijah Schembri to deny Sliema in a man-up situation.
Grixti soon left his mark, stopping Alec Fenech and launching a swift counterattack that allowed Liam Galea to complete his hat-trick.
Grixti followed up with three quick saves, but was eventually beaten by a well-placed shot from Matthias Azzopardi.
Neptunes then pulled ahead, with goals from Valletta and Jordan Camilleri giving them an 8-6 lead – their first two-goal advantage of the match.
The Reds widened the gap further through another strike by Gergo Zalanki.
Yet Sliema kept themselves in contention as Jayden Cassar pulled one back to rekindle their hopes.
Grixti then came up big once more, producing a fine save to deny Castillo, who had broken free of his marker before the two sides changed ends 9-7 in favour of Neptunes.
Cutajar capitalised on Jordan Camilleri’s second personal foul to bounce the ball past Castillo.
Vlachopoulos then levelled the score at 9-9 with a perfectly judged lob.
However, quick goals from Luigi Mallia and Gergo Zalanki restored Neptunes’ two-goal cushion.
Vlachopoulos continued to pull Sliema’s strings, keeping the Blues within striking distance.
Following a contra-foul, the Greek ace launched a precise pass to Ben Cachia, who evaded the Reds’ attentions and lobbed the ball over Castillo.
Grixti produced another crucial save on Gialanze to maintain the balance between the sides. But he could do nothing to stop Zalanki’s powerful left-handed effort, as the Hungarian star completed a poker in the third quarter.
Sliema responded with a well-worked team move: the ball flowed from Dino Zammit to Vlachopoulos, back to Jayden Cassar, who set up Cutajar on position five to fire home and tie the score at 12-12.
At the start of the fourth session, Stevie Camilleri rattled the crossbar, and soon after, Vlachopoulos put Sliema ahead for the first time in three quarters.
Camilleri was denied again, this time by a superb fingertip save from Grixti, who pushed his shot around the post.
Sensing the urgency, Neptunes coach Alexander Ciric called a timeout to organise the next play, but Sliema’s disciplined defence stood firm.
Alec Fenech then conceded a personal foul, leaving Neptunes a man down—prompting Katrouzanakis to call a timeout of his own.
Whatever he said paid off, as Vlachopoulos fired a thunderous shot past Castillo to stretch Sliema’s lead.
Jordan Camilleri responded quickly to cut the deficit to 13-14, but was again unlucky when his next effort hit the post.
The Reds’ misfortune continued as Stevie Camilleri struck the woodwork yet again. Still, with just under a minute to play, Camilleri finally found the breakthrough to level the score at 14-14.
In the dying seconds, Sliema earned a man-up opportunity, but Vlachopoulos, from position five, could only find the post – leaving the match to end in a dramatic stalemate. More drama ensued as penalties followed with Neptunes coming out on top.
MARSASKALA 12
OTTERS 17
(3-4, 4-5, 1-2, 4-6)
MARSASKALA: A. Muscat, D. Ciantar 1, T. Fenech, J. Pace Mizzi 2, J. Simpson, R. Greco 1, M. Agius, G. Kovacs 5, K. Grech 1, G. Sammut, M. Curmi 1, T. Camilleri 1, L. Gatt, N. Rizzo.
OTTERS: M. Xerri, M. Bonnici, A. Dimech 1, CJ Saliba, M. Meli 1, K. Micallef, D. Gogov 5, M. Soler 1, L. Dimech 4, V. Figliomeni. M. Farrugia, P. Tabone 3, Z. Dzanovic, S. Cutajar 2.
Refs: R. D’Antoni, M. Angileri.
SLIEMA 21
NEPTUNES 22
(5-5, 4-2, 3-5, 2-2)
NEPTUNES
M. Castillo, S. Gialanze 1, G. Zalanki 4, L. Mallia 1 , J. Camilleri 3, J. Valletta 1 , S. Camilleri 2 , M. Castillo 1 , B. Schranz, J. Bajada , A. Fenech , M. Azzopardi 1, M. Rossi, E. Mallia.
SLIEMA
N.Grixti, E. Schembri 1, L. Galea 3, J. Gambin , J. Cassar 1, B. Cachia 1, J. Cutajar 3, D. Rizzo, A. Galea, A. Vlachopulos 5, D. Zammit , B. Busuttil, J. Chircop, S. Engerer
Refs: J. Bourges, A. DeRaffaele
Penalty sequence: Zalanki (N) scored 14-15; Vlachopulos (S) scored 15-15; Camilleri (N) saved 15-15; Zammit (S) scores 16-15; Gialanze (N) scores 16-16; Galea (S) scores 17-16; Valletta (N) scores 17-17; A. Galea (S) saved 17-17; A. Fenech (N) scores 17-18; J. Cutajar (S) scores 18-18; Zalanki (N) scores 19-18; Vlachopulos (S) scores 19-19; S. Camilleri (N) saved 19-19; D. Zammit (S) saved 19-19; Gialanze (N) scores 20-19; L. Galea (S) scores 20-20; Valletta (N) scores 21-20; A. Galea (S) scores 21-21; A. Fenech (N) scores 22-21; J. Cutajar (S) saved 22-21.
