Fourth semi-finalist emerges: Team Desert Palm

Yesterday the last preliminary matches of group B took place at the Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club. With the Abu Dhabi Polo Team already having qualified for the semi-finals (POLO+10 reported), now the second semi-finalist of group B has emerged. Both the Desert Palm Polo Team as well as the ADCB Team from Ghantoot had won one match each and were defeated once. For this reason both went head to head following the group’s number one, Abu Dhabi. Zedan Polo remains without a victory and comes in last of group B.
Accordingly, yesterday’s match between Desert Palm Polo Team and ADCB Team from Ghantoot brought the decision, which team would become second semi-finalist of group B. The match was highly competitive. Juan Zavalita scored the first goal for ADCB Team from Ghantoot in the fourth minute of the first chukka. Two minutes later Alejo Taranco (+6) of team Desert Palm drew level. After ADCB taking the lead again and Desert Palm drawing level once more, Desert Palm took the lead in the second chukka for the first time thanks to a goal by Santiago Laborde (+5) – and did not let go of it for the rest of the match. Though ADCB continued to draw level and Desert Palm continued taking the lead again, ADCB did not succeed in pulling ahead of Desert Palm.
In the third chukka Alejo Taranco scored a 2-goal margin for Desert Palm, 5-3. Juan Zavalita, the only player scoring for ADCB, scored one more goal in the final chukka and by this narrowed the gap to 4-5, but then the chukka bell ended the match and Desert Palm Polo Team emerged victorious and as semi-finalist.
In yesterday’s second match, Abu Dhabi Polo encountered Zedan Polo. Abu Dhabi had already made it to the finals, but nevertheless gave their best and took the lead in the first chukka straightaway. This was followed by both teams scoring goals: After Zedan Polo drawing level, Abu Dhabi again and again scored and took the lead. In the second half of the match the tide turned. At the beginning of the third chukka, Zedan Polo took the lead (4-3) and extended the lead during the fourth chukka (7-4). In the fifth minute of the final chukka, Alfredo Cappella (+6) scored the last goal of the match, 7-5. This was Zedan Polo’s first victory meant of the tournament.
Today all teams enjoy a day of rest and the semi-finalists have the opportunity to concentrate on tomorrow’s matches. In the first semi-final on 3.00 pm (local time) team Abu Dhabi will meet Bin Drai. Subsequently to this follows the second semi-final on 5.00 pm (local time) with UAE Polo Team encountering Desert Palm.

The results:

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014

Wednesday, January 15th, 2014

Friday, January 17th, 2014

Saturday, January 18th, 2014

Sunday, January 19th, 2014

Monday, January 20th, 2014

The teams:
Group A
Bin Drai Polo (+16)
Mohammed Bin Drai (0)
Tomas Iriarte (+4)
Manuel Llorente (+6)
Raul Laplacette (+6)
Ghantoot Al Basti Polo (+16)
Nasser Al Shamsi (+1)
Diego Cossio (+4)
Juan Zavaleta (+7)
Oscar Colombres (+4)
UAE Polo (+16)
HH Shaikha Maitha (0)
Tomas Gagliardi (+2)
Ollie Cudmore (+5)
Lucas Monteverde (+9)
Al Habtoor Polo (+16)
Habtoor Al Habtoor (0)
Santiago Romero (+3)
Francisco Elizalde (+7)
Guillemo Cuitino (+6)

Group B
Abu Dhabi Polo (+16)
Faris Al Yabhouni (0)
Victorio Monteverde (+3)
Juan Storni (+7)
Alfredo Cappella (+6)
Desert Palm Polo (+15)
Tariq Albwardy (0)
Matias Machado (+4)
Santiago Laborde (+5)
Alejo Taranco (+6)
Zedan Polo (+16)
Amr Zedan (0)
Luis Gagliardi (+2)
Felipe Viana (+4)
Pelon Stirling (+10)
ADCB Team from Ghantoot (+16)
Ali Al Merri (0)
Juan Zubiaurre (+4)
Facundo Sola (+8) / Juan Zavalita
Pelayo Berazadi (+4)

For more information:
www.presidentpolocup.ae
www.facebook.com/GhantootPolo
twitter.com/GhantootPolo
Gallery:
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