Waterpolo: Sirens show mettle to defeat Birżebbuġa

SIRENS BUILD FITNESS....13BIRŻEBBUĠA FREEPORT... 5(3-2), (3-2), (3-1), (4-0) Sirens Build Fitness recovered from a setback midway through the game to obtain their fourth win of the Premier League and climb momentarily in third place. A

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Jul 27 2024
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Waterpolo: Sirens show mettle

SIRENS BUILD FITNESS....13

BIRŻEBBUĠA FREEPORT... 5

(3-2), (3-2), (3-1), (4-0)

Sirens Build Fitness recovered from a setback midway through the game to obtain their fourth win of the Premier League and climb momentarily in third place. Although they defeated Birżebbuġa Freeport 13-5, the final score did not reflect the evolution of the game as Birżebbuġa were in the game for a bit more than half of the encounter.

They did have the opportunity to leave their mark on the game but failed to, when it mattered the most, after playing half a session with numerical superiority. Birżebbuġa must be disappointed by their overall performance as they had a chance to win their first points in the league should they have kept the performance of the first two sessions.

Youngster Jake Cachia carried Sirens during the first session as he gave his team a one-goal in three separate occasions. Gianni Farrugia and Peter Borg gave Ranko Perovic’s team a 5-3 edge over their opponents.

But the game could have turned on its head 47 seconds from the end of the second session. After a war of words between Sirens player Matthias Azzopardi and Birżebbuġa centre Ben Grech, Azzopardi lashed out onto his opponent with a fierce punch that left no option for referee Stefan Licari to show the red card for brutality and a penalty to Birżebbuġa.

With only a two-goal advantage, these four minutes with a man less could have jeopardized what they had built at that moment. But not only did Birżebbuġa failed to take advantage (except for the penalty scored from the subsequent action), but Sirens managed to enlarge their gap to 7-4. This episode left a mark on the performance of Birżebbuġa as they never recovered to push their opponents to the limit.

Peter Borg and Isaiah Riolo gave Sirens a four-goal cushion for the start of the last session. Sirens not only sealed the win but added another four consecutive goals with no reply to close off with a commanding 13-5 win.

Sirens: M. Bonello duPuis, P. Serracino, K. Erdogan, P. Borg (2), J. Cachia (3), K. Agius, D. Merkulov (3), I. Riolo (1), J. Zerafa Gregory (1), G. Farrugia (2), M. Sciberras, M. Azzopardi, J. Parnis, M. Ortoleva (1)

Birżebbuġa: M. Sladden, M. Aquilina, N. Cassar, B. Grech (2), S. Bezzina, M. Manara, A. Barroso (2), M. Cassar, D. Farrugia, M. Cutajar, M. Mannino (1), M. Curmi, S. Livori, D. Incorvaja

Referees: Stefan Licari, Matteo Giacchini

FIRST DIVISION

EXILES WELBEE’S......... 20

BARRACUDAS............... 8

(4-1), (5-1), (7-4), (4-2)

Exiles: Z. Dzanovic, Z. Cutajar Licari, Z. Micallef (1), D. Pace Lupi (1), M. Martellacci, N. Bonavia, D. Gogov (7), K. Griscti (3), N. Paris (3), K. Tanti, M. Fenech (3), N. Saliba (1), S. Cutajar Casha, M. Paris Roding (1)

Barracudas: C. Bugeja, G. Massa (1), N. Farrugia (2), P. Micallef, W. Ruggier, R. Sciortino (1), N. Rizzo, J. Schembri Young, S. Apap, M. Guidi (3), L. Pursehouse (1), C.J. Saliba, A. Micallef, T. Camilleri

Referees: Richard Magri, Matteo Giacchini

OTTERS NIVEA............... 8

MARSASKALA OPTIMA... 11

(4-2), (0-3), (1-2), (3-4)

Otters: M. Xerri, M. Bonnici, K. Scicluna, K. Micallef, M. Meli (1), D. Dimech, I. Azzopardi, S. Dimech, L. Dimech (1), P. Smiljevic (6), M. Farrugia, A. Dimech, M. Grech, T.J. Mifsud

Marsaskala: A. Muscat, D. Ciantar, E. Manzi (5), J. Pace Mizzi, M. Carani (2), R. Greco, K. Navarro, M. Farrugia, K. Grech, G. Sammut (1), J. Ciantar (2), M. Agius, M. Borg, L. Montebello Brownrigg (1)

Referees: Neville Mercieca, Michele Campora

Premier League

Sliema 6 5 1 0 86 59 16

San Ġiljan 6 4 2 0 95 52 16

Sirens 7 4 0 3 71 71 12

Neptunes 6 3 1 2 76 68 10

Valletta 6 1 0 5 71 90 3

Birżebbuġa 7 0 0 7 52 111 0

*2 points for the winner and 1 point for the loser if the game has to be decided on penalties

First Division

Marsaxlokk 6 6 0 0 95 52 18

Exiles 7 5 0 2 96 68 15