The Maltese senior men’s national water polo team made an emphatic start to their international commitments with a commanding 29–13 victory over Portugal. This was the opening match of a three-game friendly series at the Cottonera Sports Complex on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
The encounter forms part of Malta’s build-up towards the 2026 European Water Polo Championships in Belgrade, a tournament for which the national side has already secured qualification. From the opening swim-off, Malta asserted their authority, controlling proceedings throughout and eventually opening up a decisive 16-goal margin.
Malta’s performance was marked by impressive attacking balance, with goals spread across almost the entire squad, underlining the team’s depth and collective strength.
Malta Top Scorers
Leading the charge was Stevie Camilleri, who once again demonstrated his importance to the national side with a superb five-goal haul. He was well supported by:
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Liam Galea – 4 goals
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Jake Muscat Melito – 4 goals
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Jeremy Abela – 3 goals
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Matthew Zammit – 2 goals
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Nikolai Zammit – 2 goals
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Benji Cachia – 2 goals
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Jake Bonavia – 2 goals
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Darrin Zammit – 1 goal
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Mark Castillo – 1 goal
Portugal Scorers
For Portugal, Pedro Camargo led the scoring with four goals, while Ricardo Teixeira, Diogo Pinto, Salvador Lopes, and Luis Moreira each added three goals in a challenging evening for the visitors.
The remaining two matches of the friendly series will continue to provide valuable match practice as Malta fine-tune their preparations ahead of their European Championship campaign.
Sports Editor
Veteran Journalist
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