Sliema NexaWin moved into outright second place in the Maltese Premier Division after surviving a fierce San Giljan MAA Daikin comeback to win 19-18 in one of the most dramatic matches of the summer so far.
This was not a game short on storylines. It had momentum swings, heavy scoring, late controversy and, by the end, anger from San Giljan after a decisive penalty call went against them with only 18 seconds remaining.
Both teams were still missing key players because of suspensions linked to betting charges. San Giljan were without Jake Tanti, Jake Bonavia, Ben Plumpton and Jeremy Abela, while Sliema were missing Liam Galea. Even so, the match carried the intensity of a meeting between two sides who expect to be involved at the serious end of the season.
The opening quarter gave a clear indication of what was to come. The lead changed hands repeatedly, with neither side able to impose control, before Sliema edged ahead 5-4 through Benji Cachia. The second period followed the same pattern. San Giljan kept finding answers, but Sliema kept just enough distance, reaching half-time still one goal in front after a 4-4 quarter.
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The match seemed to tilt towards Sliema in the third. They opened a 13-11 lead and, after Matthew Zammit reduced the gap, Alberto Barroso and Jayden Cassar struck in quick succession to push the score to 15-12. At that stage, San Giljan looked in danger of losing touch.
Instead, they produced their best spell of the contest. By midway through the final quarter they had dragged themselves level at 16-16, turning what had looked like a Sliema-controlled game into a final sprint. Twice more San Giljan equalised after Sliema had gone back in front, refusing to let the match settle.
Then came the decisive moment. With 18 seconds left, referee Fabio Brasiliano judged Russell Caruana to have committed a foul and awarded Sliema a penalty. San Giljan protested furiously, but Barroso converted to complete a six-goal performance and give Sliema the lead for the final time.
San Giljan still had one possession left and appealed for a penalty at the other end, but the chance disappeared when Marinic-Kragic shot quickly rather than making full use of the extra-man situation. The tension continued after the final whistle, with protests from San Giljan and the referee requiring a security escort after objects were reportedly thrown in his direction.
For Sliema, Barroso’s six goals were decisive, while Jake Cutajar added four and Benji Cachia three. Marinic-Kragic led San Giljan with five, supported by Jeremy Muscat and Nicholas Zammit, who scored three each.
Elsewhere, Neptunes Best Gyms Malta maintained their perfect start with a 14-12 win over Sirens Build Fitness. A fast 6-2 opening quarter gave Neptunes the platform, and although Sirens responded strongly after half-time, Neptunes had enough control to close it out. Steve Camilleri and Ivan Nagaev scored four each, while Daniel Angyal hit six for Sirens.
In the First Division, Birzebbuga continued their strong run with a dominant 26-12 victory over Otters Nivea, led by seven goals from Marko Radulovic and six from M. Aquilina.
After four games, Neptunes lead the Premier Division on 12 points, with Sliema second on nine. San Giljan and Sirens sit level on six, Exiles have three, and Valletta remain without a point.
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