SportMalta Cup Opens Champions League Week
Two local derbies on Monday night at the National Pool Complex in Msida provided a fitting start to what promises to be a significant week for Maltese water polo. Both matches were decided by a single goal, with the men’s game going to a penalty shootout. The evening was organised by SportMalta and the Aquatic Sports Association, with Visit Malta as the main sponsor.
Sirens Make History
The opening match carried extra significance as the Women’s SportMalta Cup was played for the very first time. That was already a milestone worth celebrating â but Sirens and Sliema made sure the occasion was more than just symbolic, serving up a contest that kept everyone on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
Goals flew in at both ends as the two sides refused to pull away from one another. Every time one threatened to take control, the other responded. It made for breathless viewing, and when the final whistle went, it was Sirens who emerged on top, winning 15â14 to be crowned the inaugural Women’s SportMalta Cup champions.
Neptunes Survive the Shootout
The men’s match was equally gripping. Neptunes and San Ä iljan need no introduction when it comes to derby rivalry, and Monday’s encounter delivered everything supporters have come to expect â physical, intense and impossible to call from one moment to the next.
Croatian debutant Kristjan Culina made an immediate impression with seven goals, helping Neptunes establish a two-goal lead that looked to be enough heading into the final minutes. San Ä iljan, however, refused to fold. They clawed back a two-goal deficit in the dying minutes, levelling at 14â14 and forcing a penalty shootout.
From the spot, Neptunes goalkeeper Matthew Castillo proved the difference, making two crucial saves to swing the momentum. Sam Gialanze then stepped up to convert the winning penalty, sealing a 4â3 shootout victory and retaining the cup for a second consecutive year. Captain Stevie Camilleri was presented the trophy by ASA President Karl Izzo and SportMalta Chairman Matthew Pisani.
The Main Event Awaits
With the SportMalta Cup settled, attention now turns to the European stage. The Women’s Champions League Semi-Finals take place on Wednesday evening, with the Men’s to follow on Thursday. Saturday’s finals will bring the week to a close, with two teams being crowned champions.
Monday was just the beginning.
