That the experimental Maltese representatives would be no match for Split Mornar, the strongest team in the Euro Championship Group B, was never in doubt.

Unluckily for Club Valletta, the situation was made even worse yesterday when an already depleted side was further weakened through the unavailability due to back injuries to Niki Lanzon and Alex Attard.

Competition rules stipulate that no substitutions are allowed in the original squad of 13. Hence coach Karl Izzo could only utilise 11 units.

This made for further imbalance, with the gulf in class between the sides very evident. Rotation of the players was limited and after a respectable opening session, when the visitors were restricted to a 4-3 advantage, it was complete capitulation for the exhausted hosts.

They lost the second session 6-1 and conceded nine goals in the third. The last quarter was wound up on a 4-1 scoreline for a 23-5 final verdict.

It was very much a sacrificial ritual for the hapless Maltese who could not match the Croatians.

Club Valletta5
Split Mornar 23

(3-4, 1-6, 0-9, 1-4)

Club Valletta: A. Borg Cole, K. Galea, C. Mercieca 1, K. Dowling, M. Zammit 1, C. Cluett, Z. Mizzi 1, B. Plumpton, M. Grech 1, D. Zammit 1, N, Grixti.

Split: M. Kacic, M. Cagali, K. Marinic 5, A. Corusic 3, S. Calic 3, M. Shiga 2, I. Zovic 2, D. Lusic 1, R. Buric 1, M. Gluhaic 3, J. Marela 1, M. Ban 2, M. Anic.

Refs: A Bender, G. Polychronopoulos.

Other result
S. Bucharest vs Montpellier - 7-6

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