12th July – Match Reports Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship
By Katie Vickery, Editor, Fantasy Polo
El Remanso 9 vs 8 King Power
A close match between two of the most promising teams in the Gold Cup tournament determined the league rankings and the quarter final match-ups. It was a clean match, with only three fouls from King Power and 4 from El Remanso, and as such was field goal heavy with just one penalty shot for each team (a spot converted by Gonzalo Pieres and a 40 converted by James Harper.)
El Remanso dominated from the outset, King Power managing to tie the score by half time, but El Remanso soon drew away again fighting for a better zone position to give them an “easier” quarter final opposition in Monterosso, while King Power will have to face the tough Talandracas side. King Power made a valiant effort, scoring three goals in the last chukka to El Remanso’s single goal, but it wasn’t quite enough and El Remanso ran out the winners 9-8.
Match Progression:
3-1 5-4 5-5 7-5 7-6 9-8
Habtoor 12 vs 9 La Bamba de Areco
More surprises were in store in the last match of the zone stage with Habtoor defeating La Bamba de Areco 12-9 to earn their place in the quarter finals. With Guillermo Terrera in for an injured Christian Laprida, La Bamba could not hold on the the strong start they achieved in the first chukka when they scored four goals. In chukkas 2, 3, 4 and 5 they could only score once in each or not at all and they were trailing by three going into the final chukka. Habtoor pressed home their advantage for their first win of the tournament and the only one that matters as they earned their place in the quarter finals to play RH on Sunday at 12 pm.
Match Progression:
2-4 6-4 6-5 7-6 10-7 12-9
