Charles Aquilina (r) winner of the Final
The Bormla Open delivered a lively group stage before a tense knockout run decided by fine margins, with Charles Aquilina (MLT/Bormla SC) ultimately lifting the title after a disciplined finals performance.
Group stage sets the tone
The group phase produced several statement wins and a handful of notable intra-club meetings that underlined the depth of Bormla SC and Messina Table Soccer representation.
Carmelo Sciacca (ITA/Messina Table Soccer) was the standout performer across the groups, combining defensive control with heavy scoring. His campaign included a brutal 8–1 win over Josef Camilleri (MLT/Valletta SC) and a composed 2–0 win against John Zammit (MLT/Bormla SC), while a club-mate clash saw Sciacca edge Riccardo Natoli (ITA/Messina Table Soccer) 1–0.
In Group 2, Jurgen Balzan (MLT/Valletta SC) laid down a marker with a clean-sheet run that included a 6–0 defeat of Giuseppe Frasca (ITA/Messina Table Soccer) and a 5–0 win over Gabriel Ebejer (MLT/Bormla SC).
Group 5 produced one of the most competitive sets of results, where Charles Aquilina (MLT/Bormla SC) consistently delivered in key moments — notably beating Jayden Bonnici (MLT/Palermo) 4–2 and remaining firmly in contention through to the business end of the tournament.
There was also a strong “club derby” flavour in places, including Melvin Barun (MLT/Bormla SC) defeating Gabriel Ebejer (MLT/Bormla SC) 2–0, and Jason Pisani (MLT/Bormla SC) edging Mauro Camilleri (MLT/Bormla SC) 3–2.
Knockout phase: one-goal games and shoot-out drama
The transition into knockout football immediately raised the stakes. In the Barrage, Patrick Pace (MLT/Valletta SC) squeezed past Melvin Barun (MLT/Bormla SC) 1–0, while Charles Aquilina (MLT/Bormla SC) advanced with another tight 1–0 win over Kurt Polidano (MLT/Valletta SC).
The Last 8 delivered a mix of control and chaos. Jason Pisani (MLT/Bormla SC) beat Patrick Pace (MLT/Valletta SC) 2–0, while Sciacca’s quarterfinal was the thriller of the round: Jamie Bonnici (MLT/SS Lazio TFC) held him 1–1, before Carmelo Sciacca (ITA/Messina Table Soccer) progressed by winning 3–2 on shots. Elsewhere, Mark Gauci (MLT/Bormla SC) edged Jean Carl Tabone (MLT/Bormla SC) 3–2, and Aquilina continued his composed run by defeating Jurgen Balzan (MLT/Valletta SC) 1–0.
In the Semifinals, Sciacca maintained his defensive edge to beat Jason Pisani (MLT/Bormla SC) 1–0, while Aquilina produced the attacking moment of the finals series, overcoming Mark Gauci (MLT/Bormla SC) 4–3 in extra time to reach the decider.
The Final was settled by the finest of margins, with Charles Aquilina (MLT/Bormla SC) defeating Carmelo Sciacca (ITA/Messina Table Soccer) 1–0 to claim the Open title.
Final placings – Open
1. Charles Aquilina (MLT/Bormla SC)
2. Carmelo Sciacca (ITA/Messina Table Soccer)
3.= Jason Pisani (MLT/Bormla SC), Mark Gauci (MLT/Bormla SC)
Cesare Natoli (ITA/Messina) won the consolation event, beating clubmate Giuseppe Frasca 4-3 on shots.
Valletta SC took the teams event, beating Messina TS 2-1
