Long-standing rivals Neptunes and Sliema square up this evening at 6.30 at the National Pool, Tal-Qroqq, to contest the 60th final of the Knock-Out competition, newly sponsored by Wilkinson Sword.
Over the past ten years Sliema reached the final seven times, winning four KO titles.
Neptunes made five appearances with only one success.
During this same period, Sliema and Neptunes met twice in the final, in 1997 and in 1998, and on both occasions the Blues emerged winners by the same score of 7-6. But the last time these two pillars of local waterpolo met in this competition, was in the semi-final of 2003 when in a pulsating tie, the score was 10-10 at the end of normal time. Neptunes went on to oust the Blues 12-11 during extra-time and eventually won the final 8-5 against Marsascala.
Today's match will be Sliema's second consecutive appearance in the final, having lost to Sirens 11-7 last year. Overall, Sliema, who last won this honour in 2002 have 21 such successes to Neptunes' 18.
Next on the list with most wins in this competition, which has always aroused great interest, are San Giljan and Valletta with seven each and Sirens with six. Marsascala is the only top club yet to succeed in this competition.
That is the decade's statistical background of this year's finalists' fortunes in this competition.
Neptunes and Sliema have met three times this season, first in the preliminary round of the league competition which ended in a close 13-12 victory for Blues, former Neptunes stalwart John Paris netting the winner two seconds from time.
The first match of the league proper ended in a pulsating 8-8 draw while the latest meeting between the two sides in the second round of the league was another absorbing encounter which ended with a victory for the Balluta Bay side 12-11.
This result spelt 'finis' to Sliema's aspirations of winning five titles in a row. Needless to say, therefore, that another classic encounter is in the offing. But all-in-all the meetings between these two top guns this year, bar some trivial skirmishes, have been a credit to our waterpolo.
To reach today's final Neptunes emphatically overcame the newly-crowned champions Sirens 11-4 on Wednesday, while Sliema laid low the Marsascala hoodoo by beating the southseasiders 11-8 on Thursday.
Today, Edward Aquilina is expected to return to the Sliema side as he was sick for the semi-final.
However, both Maltese/Australian Nicky Falzon and Gozitan Mark Galea Pace will again be missing, the former having returned home in Australia and the latter serving a 15-day suspension imposed on him by the ASA Disciplinary Commissioner.
On their part, Neptunes do not seem to have any particular problems about their formation, apart from the injured Malcolm Azzopardi. However, they will be having back coach Sergio Afric who was in Sicily during the week to carry out his contractual coaching duties with Palermo.
Karl Izzo, a former Sliema player and now assistant coach at Neptunes, did a sound job on Wednesday in Afric's absence, by leading his side to their best victory against the top teams for many years.
Blues eye revenge
Obviously, Sliema will be seeking revenge for their latest defeat to Neptunes while the team from Balluta Bay will be eager to allay their disappointment of not collecting a league title yet again by lifting their second Knock-Out honour in three years.
Players to watch from both sides who could spark the encounter by providing electrifying fare are Aquilina, Clint Debono, Mark Meli, John Soler, John Paris and Andrea Bianchi for Sliema. Neptunes' hopefuls are Niki Lanzon, Karl Galea, Edward Cachia, Michele Stellini, Steve Camilleri and Matthew Pisani.
Avid waterpolo fans have year-in year-out thronged to the pool to witness this competition's finals.
This year will be no exception especially that Neptunes and Sliema will be the primadonnas. Today's contest should turn out to be a fittingly grand finale to an outstanding waterpolo season.