Maison Décalé (Quirly House), an essentially French team, were not really the favorites for this Silver Cup. Composed of three French players and an Argentinian who partly grew up in France (Ramiro Zavaleta, h4, is also bilingual), this close-knit team came up with a string of surprises.
It started with the victory over Talandracas last Thursday which allowed them to advance to the penalty play-off and then to the final where they would face the impressive Spanish team Marqués de Riscal and its two Argentinian stars, the 8-goaler Alejandro Muzzio and the 7-goaler Santiago Cernadas alongside two amateurs playing „very strong“, the Aznar father and son. In short, a big piece for the „little ones“ of Maison Décalé. But obviously, the victory over Talandracas had given wings to the young Thomas Rolland (best man of the match) and his acolytes. A united game, not giving up, with an impeccable back (Ramiro Zavaleta), a perfect organizer (Pierre-Henri Ngoumou, h6 and scorer of 5 goals) and a decisive Édouard Pan in the key moments.
It was a Hitchcock-style match scenario where neither team ever gave up, making it a blow for blow, so much so that at the end of regular time the score was still undecided: 9 – 9 and overtime! Pierre-Henri Ngoumou put an end to the suspense until the end with a third goal with a mare named Vaivia: „Basically, we are four friends which makes it easier to get along on the field,“ he explained. “I played with Édouard (Pan) at the beginning of the season, I had already won the Gold Cup with Ramiro (Zavaleta) here a few years ago. This team got organized very quickly, we were still in La Baule last week. After losing the first game against Barrière, we got back on track after a comeback against Talandracas, who had dominated us for a good half of the match. It was a structuring victory for the team. We then started to believe in it and we‘re winning today and it‘s always a joy to win here in Deauville“.
The first match between Barrière and Taladrancas will be played on Tuesday. A double for Maison Décalé? Why not?
Maison Décalé: Thomas Rolland (FRA, h2, 3 goals), Édouard Pan (FRA, h4, 2 goals), Pierre Henri Ngoumou (FRA, h6, 5 goals) and Ramiro Zavaleta (ARG, h4)
Marqués de Riscal: Luis Aznar (ESP, h1, ), Santiago Cernadas (ARG, h7.4 goals), Alejandro Muzzio (ARG, h8, 4 goals) and Alejandro Aznar (ESP, h0, 1 goal)
Best playing poney: British, 11 year-olds mare bred, owned and played by Alejandro Muzzio, dark bay by Theol and Franganzia.
© R&B Presse/P.Renauldon
