Exiles Ferretti and Valletta McDonalds shared 18 goals and the points in a close duel while Marsaxlokk Fischer had the better of Ta’ Xbiex Amigos in yesterday’s matches played in front of almost empty stands.
The scant attendance was no doubt due to the attraction of the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals. Here one questions the ASA’s insistence to stick to the scheduled dates and not play this weekend’s matches in midweek.
In the Premier Division match the City team and Exiles remained locked after a keen contest which had the latter side, thanks mainly to five-goal Hungarian Gergely Katonas, keep within touch of their opponents and finally save the game with two late goals.
Led from the bench by old coaching acquaintance Stephen Rizzo, who deputised for the suspended Anthony Farrugia, Valletta started well and twice led by three goals in the opening sessions, Daniel Paolella, scorer of a hat-trick, Michael Spiteri Staines and Michael Rizzo (two goals each) displayed opportunistic qualities.
But for an excellent performance by goalkeeper Ryan Sciortino, who also saved a penalty, Exiles would have offered a sterner challenge and perhaps won the game.
However, the persistence of Maurizio Mirarchi’s lads was rewarded when David Pace Lupi and Katonas scored two late goals to level matters after their team had twice been adrift on 8-6 and 9-7.
In the opening match the southerners took over from the third session onwards after Ta’ Xbiex had been constantly in the lead.
But after Peter Markoch and Otis Zammit netted a hat-trick each, Mario Zammit’s side stalled in scoring terms, only for Milos Maksimovic to pick his spot with a late seventh goal.
Marsaxlokk had pulled ahead on 8-6 after ends were changed on 6-4 for Ta’ Xbiex.
That advantage was extended to 10-6 in the last quarter as Otto Frick hit three late goals, with Bence Fulop and the evergreen Anthony Galea each scoring twice.
Summaries
Ta’ Xbiex 7
Marsaxlokk 10
(2-2, 4-2, 0-4, 1-2)
Ta’ Xbiex: L. Borg, L. Pace, J. Cauchi, S. Aquilina, K. Debattista, K. Mock, S. Gravina, K. Camilleri, M. Agius, M. Maksimovic 1, R. Attard, O. Zammit 3, P. Markoch 3.
Marsaxlokk: A. Xuereb, A. Agius, B. Fulop 2, A. Galea 2, G. Busuttil, C. Bugeja, M. Fenech 1, S. Xerri De Caro 2, A. Mifsud, O. Frick 3, A. Arrigo, D. Borg Millo, M. Scerri.
Referees: A. De Raffaele, A. Sgarra.
Exiles 9
Valletta 9
(2-4, 1-1, 3-2, 3-2)
Exiles: I. Bugeja, J. Rizzo Naudi. S. Vassallo, D. Pace Lupi 2, G. Katonas 5, S. Galea Pace, J. Spiteri Staines, K. Grixti, L. Sekulic 1, P. Borg 1, B. Lanzon, D. Borg, K. Lanzon
Valletta: R. Sciortino, R. Mock, M. Spiteri Staines 2, M. Korolija 1, D. Abela, S. Cachia, M. Cordina, C. Zammit, C. Debono, R. Scerri, D. Paolella 3, D. Filipovic 1, M. Rizzo 2.
Referees: M. Dalli, L. Castagnol.