Msida Collies Crowned SWAN AFA President's Cup Champions after Edge-of-the-Seat Final

The Sliema Wolves struck first blood early in the first half. Angus Wilhelm Murphy found the back of the net in the 20th minute to give the Wolves an early 1-0 advantage. However, Msida Collies refused to let the early deficit dictate the game. The Collies' tactical persistence paid off in the second half when Andrea Borg leveled the scoreline in the 54th minute. With momentum firmly on their side, it didn't take long for Msida to strike again. Just over fifteen minutes later, Steven Camilleri scored what would prove to be the match-winner in the 70+1 minute, sealing the 2-1 comeback for the Collies. Disciplinary & Substitutions The intense nature of the final was reflected in the referee's notebook, with both sides receiving multiple bookings: - Msida Collies Yellow Cards: Julian Xuereb (27', Simulation), Yassine Bouslimi (35', Delaying restart), Darrell Baldacchino (65', Reckless tackle), and Andrea Borg (68', Dissent). - Sliema Wolves Yellow Cards: Mouhamadou Toure (31', Dissent), Adam Abela (45', Reckless tackle), and Andrew Micallef St John (64', Reckless tackle). Both managers utilized their benches extensively in the second half to keep energy levels high. Msida’s Dylan Lee Tanti introduced Bradley Cassar, Antonio Privitera, and Jonathan Farrugia to secure the backline, while Sliema's tactical changes—including the introduction of Shawn Aquilina, Edwin Javier Romero Barros, marco Solito, Andrew Micallef St John, and Juan Sebastian Villamil Robayo—fell just short of finding a late equalizer. Match Details Competition: SWAN AFA - President's Cup 25/26 (Final) Venue: Luxol Stadium, Pembroke Final Score: Msida Collies 2 : 1 Sliema Wolves Officials: Igor Kankaras (Referee), Paul Apap (1st Assistant), Raymond Tabone (2nd Assistant)