ISRAEL 7 MALTA 11

Malta defeated Israel in game one of Day Eight to win ninth place in the LEN European Nations Trophy at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

The match was even until the final quarter when Malta scored five times without reply for their third win of the competition. Malta’s Steve Camilleri scored twice to take his tally to 19 for the competition.

Israel’s Maoz Gaver opened the scoring, with Matthew Zammit replying for Malta in a dull first period where few chances were created. Amit Seker spurned a penalty as the quarter ended level.

The second period was far better, with Israel quickly establishing a two-goal lead with goals from Itamar Schwartz and Shy Hemed. Jurgen Borg pulled one back for Malta, but Gaver claimed his second of the game. Malta captain Paul Privitera pulled his team to within one before conceding a penalty. Gaver put his five-metre penalty throw wide. Gil Lunliner conceded a penalty at the other end with 38 seconds of the half left and Camilleri made no mistake to level.

Karl Montfort put Malta ahead for the first time early in the third period, but Hemed scored his second of the game to equalise. Dolev Koifman put Israel one ahead again, but Malta equalised through Montfort’s second of the period after Ofir Golombek had been sent out.

Golombek scored from a man-up before Clint Mercieca replied with an extra-man strike in the first of five Malta goals without reply.  Zammit and Michele Stellini added goals from 6-on-5 attacks as Malta made Israel pay for their indiscipline. Camilleri notched his second of the game to give his side a three-goal cushion with 2:47 remaining. Mercieca grabbed his second with 34 seconds to go.

Result: 7-11 (1-1; 3-3; 2-2; 1-5)

Israel: 1 Itamar Inbar, 2 Shy Hemed (2 goals), 3 Ofir Golombek (1), 4 Navot Luria, 5 Maoz Gaver (2), 6 Or Keren, 7 Gil Lunliner, 8 Amit Seker (Capt) 9 Ayal Keren, 10 Ori Raz, 11 Dolev Koifman (1), 12 Itamar Schwartz (1), 13 Alex Malkis

Malta: 1 Josie Cachia, 2 Niki Lanzon, 3 Paul Fava, 4 Paul Privitera (Capt, 1 goal), 5 Mark Meli, 6 John Soler, 7 Steve Camilleri (2), 8 Jurgen Borg (1), 9 Karl Montfort (2), 10 Matthew Zammit (2), 11 Clint Mercieca (2), 12 Michele Stellini (1), 13 Ian Bugeja