ZC Excess retain Futsal Championship title

ZC Excess Lazio Futsal Club are once again the local Futsal Champions, for the second consecutive year, after beating Paola Downtown by penalties, in last Friday’s thrilling encounter at the Corradino Sports Pavilion.

In the playoffs, Excess and Downtown beat River Plate Bidnija and Naxxar Motors respectively, to reach the final. The final match proved to be a spectacle of Futsal, sealed off by a penalty shoot out with the game ending 6-6 after extra time. Excess were winning during extra time, when Downtown levelled the score with just 13 seconds to go.

Prior to the play-offs, ZC Excess – led by player coach Florin Anton – managed to top the league, with a noteable unbeaten run since last September. In fact, Excess have only been beaten once throughout this season.

Excess now represent Malta in the preliminary round of the UEFA Futsal Cup. During last year’s participation in the Futsal Cup, hosted for the first time in Malta at the Cottonera Sports Complex, ZC Excess had registered the first ever win for a local futsal team in a UEFA competition.

The local Futsal Competition comes to an end next Friday, with the Knock Out final at 8pm, Corradino Pavilion. Knock Out title holders – Naxxar Motors seek to retain the title, against ZC Excess who will be trying to earn a double. ZC Excess players, Florin Anton and Carlos Scicluna are also nominated for the Futsal Player of the Year Award.