Sports Bulletin Report
LAHORE: Team Master Paints qualified for the main final while Diamond Paints booked berth in the subsidiary final of the Jinnah Gold Polo Cup 2023 sponsored by Al Rehman Developers and Town Planners here at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Thursday.
Manuel Crespo’s sensational performance guided Team Master Paints to a convincing 9½-3 victory over DS Polo team. This win also helped them qualify for the main final. Manuel Crespo, the hero of the day for Master Paints, played extremely well for his team and contributed with five fantastic goals while Pelagio Balazaldi banged in a brace and Sufi Mohammad Haroon and Agha Musa Ali Khan struck one goal each. For DS Polo, Javier Guerrero thrashed in two goals Bautista Garcia scored one goal.
Master Paints started the match with a fabulous field goal to gain 1-0 lead by the end of the first chukker. DS Polo dominated the second chukker with two back-to-back goals to take a slight 2-1 lead. The third chukker saw dominance of Master Paints, as they thrashed in three back-to-back goals to get back a 4-2 lead. DS Polo struck a one goal in the beginning of the fourth and last chukker to reduce the margin to 3-4. This was all that DS Polo could get from the match as Master Paints dominated the remaining match by firing in five fabulous goals to win the encounter by 9½-3 as Master Paints had a half goal handicap advantage.
Earlier in the first match of the day, phenomenal Chulo Corti steered Diamond Pants to a close 10½-8 win over Remounts. Chulo Corti was in sublime form and displayed outstanding mallet and pony work and also smashed in seven superb goals. He was ably assisted by his teammate Nico Roberts, who hammered an impressive hat-trick of the goals. Manuel Sundblad fired in four goals, Jota Chavanne thrashed in two and Imran Shahid and Ahmed Zubair Butt hit one goal each for Remounts.
Both the teams scored two goals each to level the score at 2-2 by the end of the first chukker. Diamond Paints played better polo in the second chukker by hammering a hat-trick of goals against two by Remounts to earn a slight 5-4 lead. Diamond Paints dominated the third chukker by smashing in three goals against one by Remounts to stretch their lead to 8-5. The fourth and last chukker saw Remounts hammering a hat-trick of goals against a brace by Diamond Paint to make it 8-10. Diamond Paints won the match by 10½-8 as they had a half goal handicap advantage.
Spectators and families were present on the occasion to watch the exciting polo matches at the Jinnah Polo Fields. JPF President Lt Col Shoaib Aftab (R), Secretary Maj Ali Taimur (R) and others were also present on this occasion. Tomorrow (Friday), two important matches will be played.
