The 2011 waterpolo season is set for a pulsating finale as champions Neptunes Emirates and rivals Sliema McDonald’s lock horns in the fifth and decisive match from the championship play-off final series at the National Pool this evening (5.15 p.m).

With the score tied at 2-2, today’s game is a veritable title decider as the winners will be crowned 2011 champions. On Thursday, Sliema showed great character and fighting spirit as they edged Neptunes 12-11 to take the title race to the wire.

Club stalwart John Soler and Romanian Bogdan Rath, with three goals each, shone in Sliema’s hard-fought victory over Neptunes while goalkeeper Ryan Coleiro was also instrumental with a string of fine saves.

Sliema’s never-say-die attitude was key to their victory which sparked feelings of joy and relief among their players and fans. As the Blues players celebrated their vital win, coach Sergio Afric seized the moment to rally his troops for today’s make-or-break encounter.

Neptunes will be kicking themselves at their failure to wrap up the championship after being 10-9 ahead in the final session of Thursday’s game.

The Reds now need to put that upset behind them and concentrate on today’s decider.

Their fans will be hoping that the defeat to Sliema will trigger the same kind of reaction that saw the Balluta Bay team thump their rivals 15-9 in game three after the Blues had levelled the series.

Sergey Markoch, the Neptunes coach, will do everything in his powers to pep up his players’ morale as the champions look to recapture the mental resilience and form which made them unstoppable for much of the summer.