Sirens Ritter Sport 4 San Giljan 11
(1-2. 0-2, 1-4, 2-3)
San Giljan continued on their good start this week, after their success in the President’s Cup, as they overcame the Sirens obstacle with a good victory, which has made them the team to beat this season. Sirens promised much at the start of the match, as they kept up the pace with their opponents, but as the game progressed in the middle sessions, the Saints were in control, as they found their opponents’ net at regular intervals, with Sirens unable to furnish any adequate reply.
When they finally did, the champions had opened up a heavy advantage, which stood them till the remainder of the encounter despite Sirens brief comeback. The saints could increase their advantage once again. The St Paul’s Bay side are now under the guidance of the Italian experienced coach, Marco Baldinetti, and for this match San Giljan had their mentor, Marko Orlovic, suspended from last season, with his Serbian compatriot, Igor Vukanovic, taking his place. Sirens failed in their man ups, failing to score in all four of them. On the other hand San Giljan couldn’t do any better, converting all their five man ups.
Clint Mercieca shot the Saints ahead at the start, with Spaniard Sergi Mora scoring a penalty, putting Sirens level. Mora was plying his trade with Marsascala last season. Aurelien Cousin had San Giljan back in front till the end of the period. Two goals from Boris Vapenski, the first from a penalty, had the champions on a better 4-1 advantage till the interval.
After the break San Giljan could not be denied, and their goal tally kept on increasing, with goals by Cousin, Vapenski and a brace from Dino Zammit. Marco grech finally obtained a Sirens goal, just before the end of the session, as the Saints were 8-2 in front, before the start of the last session. Sirens managed two more strikes, by Gabriel Pace and John Napier, to show signs of a revival, but the champions had other ideas, and they finished off the match with three more goals, as Paul Fava and two more from Dino Zammit completed the scoring, and a better result for the Saints.
Dino Zammit had a poker of goals, with Boris Vapenski netting three more for San Giljan. The Sirens’ strikes came from four different players.
Sirens: N. Grixti , Z. Mizzi , S. Mora 1, G. Pace , M. Grech 1, I. Riolo , M. Baluci , D. Cutajar , J. Napier 1, J. Sciberras , L. Caruana , N. Farrugia , J. Cremona
San Giljan: J. Sammut , P. Borg , A. Galea , B. Vapenski 4, Da. Zammit ,M. Zammit , K. Galea , C. Mercieca 1, B. Plumpton, A. Cousin 2, P. Fava 1, D. Zammit 4, D. Camilleri
Referees: P. Balzan, M. Sponza
Source: www.independent.com.mt