MALTA 19
KAZAKHSTAN 7
(4-2, 4-2, 8-2, 3-1)
The Malta water polo national team recorded their first win in the World Cup Division II after dispatching Kazakhstan 19-7 at the National Pool.
It was a convincing victory for the Maltese outfit, who were clinical throughout the match, and surely provides a major psychological boost to this young outfit after suffering a 15-12 defeat to Australia in the tournament opener.
Ivan Nagaev was Malta’s leading scorer with five goals, while Julian Valletta grabbed a hat-trick. Luigi Dimech, Jake Cachia, Sam Engerer and Elijah Schembri netted a brace, with the other goals coming from Benji Cachia, Jeremy Abela, and Darren Zammit.
The final result was a much-needed boost for coach Milan Cirovic, who, earlier in the day, had suffered a significant blow with the news that the team’s skipper Stevie Camilleri had been ruled out of the tournament due to a facial injury.
The veteran Neptunes player suffered a serious nasal injury during the team’s 15-12 defeat to Australia on Tuesday and is set to undergo surgery, with his return scheduled in a month.
Malta started briskly, as after surviving a scare when Ruslan Akmetov fired over from a penalty, they forged ahead from another penalty converted by Ivan Nagaev before Elijah Scembri tapped home a second.
The home side remained firmly in control as goals from Luigi Dimech and Benjamin Cachia put them 4-2 up at the end of the opening session.
Nagaev grabbed a quickfire double at the start of the second session to further extend the team’s advantage to 6-2.
Julian Valletta did well to put his name twice on the scoresheet when he blasted the ball past the Kazakh goalkeeper from routine distance and then fired home with a firm drive.
Malta dominated the third session as they put the game beyond their opponents’ reach.
Early goals from Jake Cachia, Jeremy Abela and Ivan Nagaev stretched their lead to 11-4.
The Kazaks looked rattled, and further nettings from Luigi Dimech, Nagaev, and Sam Engerer increased the gulf between the two teams before Darren Zammit wrapped up the session with another goal to leave the hosts 16-6 ahead.
The final session was purely academic as Malta wrapped up the convincing victory with three other goals from Elijah Schembri, Julian Valletta, and Jake Cachia to seal a 19-7 win.
Malta will continue their campaign on Thursday when they take on Romania.
MALTA: N. Grixti, E. Schembri 2, j. Valletta 3, J. Zerafa Gregory, J. Cachia 2, B. Cachia 1, R. Bugelli, I. Nagaev 5, J. Abela, F. Bugelli, D. Zammit 1, L. Dimech 2, Z. Dzanovic, S. Engerer 2.