Sports Bulletin Report
LAHORE: Platinum Homes/Master Paints and FG/Din Polo qualified for the semifinals of the 3rd Allama Iqbal Polo Tournament sponsored by Lahore Smart City after winning their respective matches played here at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Thursday.
Four teams, which lost from Pool A and B, will compete against each other for the subsidiary final. In the matches played at the Pakistan Park Cavalry Ground on Thursday, Platinum Homes/Master Paints defeated BN Polo 7-4½ to qualify for the semifinal.
Amirreza Behboudi played exceptionally and fired in four goals while Agha Musa Ali Khan banged in a beautiful brace and Qadeer Ashfaq converted one for Platinum Homes/Master Paints. Haider Naseem pumped in two goals while Babar Naseem and Hamza Ejaz scored one goal each for BN Polo.
Platinum Homes/Master Paints were off to a flying start as they converted four goals against one by BN Polo to take a 4-1 lead by the end of the first chukker. The second and third chukkers were evenly poised as both the sides struck three goals each in both the chukkers, with Platinum Homes/Master Paints still enjoying a healthy 7-4. No more goals were scored in the fourth and last chukker, as Platinum Homes/Master Paints emerging as winners by 7-4½.
In the second match of the day, FG/Din Polo also qualified for semifinal by beating 4 Corps team 6-3. Abbas Mukhtar hammered three goals, Sheikh Muhammad Raffay scored two goals and Saqib Khan Khakwani one for FG/Din Polo. For 4 Corps, Lt Col Rab Nawaz Tiwana thrashed in two goals and Ibrahim Khalil struck one.
FG/Din Polo dominated the first and second chukkers fully and hammered two goals each in both the chukkers to gain a good 4-0 lead. The third chukker saw both the teams scoring one goal each with FG/Din Polo still enjoying a 5-1 lead. 4 Corps though played well in the fourth and last chukker by converting a brace against one by FG/Din Polo, but lost the match by 3-6. Both the semifinals will be played at Jinnah Polo Fields on Friday, as the first semifinal will be played at 2:00 pm, while the second semifinal will be contested at 3:00 pm.
