Sports Bulletin Report
LAHORE: BN Polo edged out FG Polo by 7-6 to qualify for the main final of the 3rd Jinnah Gold Polo Cup 2023 sponsored by Al Rehman Developers and Town Planners while Master Paints/Newage Cables beat HN Polo to qualify for the subsidiary final here at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Friday.
The match between BN Polo and FG Polo was very exciting. At the end of the first two chukker, FG Polo were leading the BN Polo by 5-2. But in the third and fourth chukkers, BN Polo team turned the tables of the match by staging a strong comeback and won the match by a narrow margin of 7-6 and earned a place in the main final.
From BN Polo, Hamza Mawaz Khan emerged as hero of the day as he was the major contributor in the BN Polo’s tremendous triumph. He displayed outstanding mallet and pony skills and smashed in five superb goals. He was ably assisted by Tito Ruiz Guinazu, who thrashed in two impressive goals.
From FG Polo, Rual Laplacette though did well with mallet and polo pony and also hammered five fabulous goals while Mian Abbas Mukhtar converted one goal, yet they couldn’t convert more goals to guide their side to a well-deserving victory. The defeat also broke the unbeaten winning streak of FG Polo.
FG Polo started the match in great style by slamming in three back-to-back goals to earn a 3-0 lead. BN Polo then opened their account by successfully converting a 30-yard penalty to reduce the margin to 1-3. Just before the end of the first chukker, FG Polo converted one more to stretch their lead to 4-1. FG Polo scored one more in the beginning of the second chukker to enhance their lead to 5-1.
BN hammered one before the end of the chukker to make it 2-5 and then they dominated the entire third chukker by thrashing two back-to-back goals to further reduce the margin to 4-5. FG Polo though started the fourth and decisive chukker by converting an impressive goal to gain a 6-4 lead, yet it were BN Polo, who stole the show as they came from behind and fired in three back-to-back goals to win the most entertaining match of the day by a close margin of 7-6.
Manuel Crespo steered Master Paints/Newage Cables to a convincing 10-7 victory over HN Polo in another match of the day. Manuel Crespo, who replaced the ailing Simon Prada, played extremely well for Master Paints/Newage Cables and smashed in superb six goals while Juan Cruz Greguol thrashed in three goals and Farooq Amin Sufi converted one.
From the HN Polo team, which had a two-goal handicap advantage, Raja Mikayial Sami banged in a brace while Raja Jalal Arsalan, Raja Samiullah and Haider Naseem struck one goal apiece. A large number of spectators, including polo players and their families, were present on the occasion to watch the thrilling matches. Jinna Polo Club President Lt Col Shoaib Aftab (R), Secretary Maj Taimur Ali (R) and others were also present there.
