Sliema Wanderers recorded the first title in the playoffs stage, as they were yesterday crowned First Division Champions. In the First Division Playoffs Final, despite every effort done by Sirens to get into advantage, Sliema proved to be the best side.
Following a Sirens’ defensive mistake, the Wanderers opened the score through Christian Micallef. A few minutes later, Eslam Khalifa doubled the advantage, by another score for Sliema. Eight minutes towards the end of the first half, Sirens’ Leonard Zammit reduced the arrears, while Darren Agius responded and made it 3-1 for Sliema. In the dying minutes of the first half, Andy Portelli scored Sirens’ second goal.
The second half of the game saw a more organised Wanderers team who offered minimal chances to its opponents. After four minutes Dexter O’Brien scored Sliema’s fourth goal. This was followed by Aleksander Ribic who put the ball at the back of the net in the middle of the second half. Antoine Galea managed to score the third and last goal for Sirens, in the 14th minute. Five minutes to the final whistle, George Chircop was sent off after receving the second yellow card. It was from this moment that Sirens played with Ryan Gilmour Cassar as flying keeper, but they had to give up and leave Sliema dominating the last three minutes, with Eslam Khalifa scoring twice more, sealing the end result of 7-3 for Sliema Wandereres.
After the match, Futsal Malta Association’s President Mark Borg together with the Vice President Alfred Camilleri, presented the medals to both teams. Finally came Sliema’s captain Jurgen Mifsud to raise the cup among the Wanderers’ celebrations.