Sports Bulletin Report
LAHORE: The Bank Alfalah National Open Polo Championship for Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup 2024 witnessed spectacular victories for BN Polo and FG Polo in their respective matches at the Lahore Polo Club on Wednesday.
BN Polo showcased a stellar performance to secure a win against Olympia/AZB Polo with a score of 9-7. The dynamic duo of Babar Naseem and Hamza Mawaz Khan led the charge, netting three goals each, with Santiago Loza adding two more and Santos Iriarte chipping in with one. Olympia/AZB Polo's counterattack was spearheaded by Abdul Rehman Monnoo, who scored three goals, while Ahmed Zubair Butt and Nicolas Corti each contributed two goals.
The match kicked off with BN Polo quickly establishing a 2-0 lead, maintaining the momentum to double their advantage by the end of the second chukker. Olympia/AZB Polo mounted a formidable comeback, leveling the score at 4-4, before BN Polo narrowly edged ahead to close the chukker at 5-4.
The fourth chukker saw both teams locked in a tight contest, but BN Polo managed to maintain a one-goal lead. The decisive fifth chukker was fiercely contested, with BN Polo outscoring their opponents to clinch the victory at 9-7.
The day's second match was an equally intense affair, with FG Polo edging out Diamond Paints/Master Paints by a narrow margin of 8-7. Raul Laplacette was the hero for FG Polo, delivering an outstanding performance with seven goals, while Raja Mikayial Sami contributed one goal. Diamond Paints/Master Paints' effort was led by Martin Gandhara with four goals, Mir Huzaifa with two, and Raja Temur Nadeem adding one to the tally.
Following these matches, the league phase of the tournament concluded, with FG Polo, BN Polo, and DS Polo tied at six points each atop the points table. A penalty shootout will determine the team advancing directly to the final, while the second and third-place teams will face off in the semifinals on Friday.
