Sliema Aquatic Sports Club have registered their first win in the European Aquatics Men’s Challenger Cup qualification round, defeating Israeli side Hapoel Palram Gush Zvulun with a final score of 18-13. The match was part of the Group A fixtures hosted in Malta, which also includes Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus) and San Ġiljan ASC (Malta).

Sliema managed to get off to a strong start, which proved to be the difference in the end, as Hapoel Palram battled back in the middle quarters.

Match Details and Top Scorers

The high-scoring affair saw several players make significant contributions:

Sliema Scorers:

• Dino Zammit was the top scorer of the match, netting 6 goals.
• Liam Galea added 4 goals.
• Sam Engerer scored a hat-trick (3 goals).
• Jayden Cassar, Benji Cachia, Elijah Schembri, Jake Cachia, and Julian Chircop each scored a single goal.

Hapoel Palram Scorers:

• Begin, Goildmicdt, and Klarfeld each scored 3 goals.
• Gross, Horsh, Shafrir, and Koter each contributed one goal.

The tournament is part of the 2025/26 European water polo season. Hapoel Palram are the current Israeli champions and cup holders, representing Israel in the competition for the second consecutive year.

San Ġiljan Secure Dominant 26-10 Victory Over Apoel Nicosia in Challenger Cup

San Ġiljan ASC cruised to a dominant 26-10 victory against Cypriot side Apoel Nicosia in the European Aquatics Men’s Challenger Cup qualification round held in Malta. The Maltese team established an early and unassailable lead, ensuring a comfortable win in their opening match.

The Saints put the game to rest within the first two sessions, racing to a 14-5 advantage by halftime, leaving no path for Apoel Nicosia to recover. The final two sessions were academic as San Ġiljan continued to extend their lead, netting a total of 12 more goals to seal a comfortable win.

Match Details and Top Scorers

San Ġiljan displayed strong offensive power, with multiple players contributing to the high score:

• Marko Vavic and Nikolai Zammit were top scorers, each netting 5 goals.
• Matthew Zammit bagged 4 goals.
• Russell Caruana, Jeremy Abela, Nico Schiavone, and Luigi Dimech each scored 2 goals.
• Dean Bugeja, Gabriel Bonavia, Ben Plumpton, and Darren Zammit each added one goal.

Apoel Nicosia’s scorers included Varga and Nikolaou with 2 goals each, and Alkuvadis, Milas, Shehadeh, Klevoulou, Bournazos, and Theodosou each contributing a single goal.

This win sets up a battle for the top spot in the group as San Ġiljan prepare to face fellow Maltese side Sliema, who also secured an emphatic win in their first match of the tournament.