Sliema ASC stay perfect in Challenger Cup with crushing win over APOEL Nicosia

Sliema ASC hammered Cypriot side APOEL Nicosia 28-9 to seal spot in their qualifying group in the European Aquatics Challenger Cup on Sunday.

As the scoreline shows, the Blues were a class above their opponents and have now completed their qualifying campaign with a perfect record, proceeding to the next round.

Sliema ASC will be joined in the next round by their local rivals San Ġiljan, who earlier in the day sealed the second spot in the group after defeating the Israeli side Hapoel Palram Zvulun 14-10.

Jayden Cassar and Elijah Schembri topped the scorers’ list after scoring five goals apiece.

Sliema were in control right from the word go as a brace from Elijah Schembri and further nettings from Dino Zammit, Liam Galea and Julian Chircop handed the Blues a 5-2 lead by the end of the opening session.

The goals kept coming in the second session as Sliema continued to be highly efficient in front their opponents’ goal. Sam Engerer, Jayden Cassar and Jake Cachia each netted a brace while Daniel Rizzo and Benjamin Cachia added further gloss to the scoreline as Sliema led 13-4 at half-time.

The floodgates remained open as Sliema kept piling the goals with Elijah Schembri notched a hat-trick before further goals from Jamie Gambin, Jayden Cassar, Jake Cachia and Liam Galea also putting their name on the scoresheet and see Sliema lead 20-7.

The game was long dead and buried, but the onslaught continued in the final quarter as Sliema added seven more goals through a brace from Jayden Cassar and Daniel Rizzo as well as further nettings from Giancarlo Gatt, Jake Cachia, and Sebastian Busuttil to seal an emphatic victory.