Although showing better fighting qualities and refusing to be outdone in terms of swimming, Malta’s cadets were unable to avoid a 14-4 defeat against a superior French team for whom Cedric Rocchietta was the top scorer with four goals.

Despite winning a total of 11 exclusions in their favour, Anthony Farrugia’s team could only exploit three of these sets while also missing two penalties. As a result they were punished by their more-clinical opponents.

The Maltese fell behind by a single goal in the opening quarter. However, they played tenaciously with goalkeeper Zack Sciberras pulling off some fine saves.

The visitors maintained very close marking tactics and sped forward following several steals. France made it 3-0 before John Napier missed a penalty.

Sciberras kept up the good work in goal but could not stop Rocchietta from reaching his hat-trick for a 4-1 half-time score. Earlier, Nicholas Bugelli converted an extra-man set at Malta’s fourth time of asking to make it 3-1.

France increased their advan-tage to 10-3 when winning the third session.

At least, Andrea Galea and Ben Plumpton had the satisfaction of finding the opposing net.

France managed to win the last session 4-1 with Malta’s goal coming from Michele Mifsud.

Group B

Malta 4
France 14

(0-1, 1-3, 2-6, 1-4)

Malta: J. Sciberras, M. Lanzon, A. Galea 1, M. Mifsud 1, M. Grech, B. Plumpton 1, N. Paris, G. Mizzi, J. Napier, M. Zammit, A. Mifsud, N. Bugelli 1, D. Spiteri.

France: T. Rodrigues, C. Andre 2, A. Denux 2, D. Do Carmo 1, N. Comat, H. Zaoui 1, C. Cannone 1, C. Croquet, T. Avena 2, C. Rocchietta 4, M. Bonniou, D. Manca 1, N. Cardez.

Refs: N. Stefanovic, A. Krativil.

Turkey 14
Spain 11

(4-4, 3-3, 5-2, 2-2)

Other results

Belarus 4
Croatia 31

(0-7, 2-9, 1-7, 1-8)

Serbia 11
Russia 12

(2-2, 3-5, 3-2, 3-3)

Germany 8
Italy 9

(3-2, 0-6, 3-1, 2-0)

Hungary 9
Georgia 5

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

Romania 10
Montenegro 15

(2-5, 3-3, 3-3, 2-4)

Ukraine 11
Greece 17

(3-2, 4-5, 3-6, 1-4)

Playing today: 9am Germany vs Hungary; 10.15am Ukraine vs Ro-mania; 11.30am France vs Spain; 12.45pm Belarus vs Serbia; 3pm Georgia vs Italy; 4.15pm Montenegro vs Greeece; 5.30pm Russia vs Croatia; 6.45pm Turkey vs Malta.

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