Dubai Challenge Cup

17 March 2021, Dubai, UAE: Tommy Beresford scored the first goal of the match with a penalty shot from 30 yards followed by another goal from Kian Hall which gave Dubai Wolves an early lead in the game.

The goals from Benjamin Panelo for AM Polo kept AM on its opponents tail through the penultimate chukker. The last chukker showed the defensive work from the Dubai Wolves and added 2 goals which secured their spot at the Subsidiary final of the tournament. The game ended at 7.5  goals to 4.

Match Progression: 2.5 – 1 | 3.5 – 2 | 5.5 – 4 | 7.5 – 4

Tratok/Hesketh Polo team showed a commanding lead from the start of the second game with the opening goal from Santos Iriarte. The team worked in a 3.5 goal advantage by halftime which IFZA/Mahra Polo struggled to catch up to. However, the final chukker saw a goal from Jacinto Amadori and a steal from Khalaf Al Habtoor which lead Tariq Al Habtoor to score the 4th goal for IFZA/Mahra. However, the significant goal advantage that Tratok/Hesketh Polo had, was enough to secure the win for the team at 6.5 goals to 4.

Match Progression: 3.5 – 1 | 5.5 – 1 | 6.5 – 2 | 6.5 – 4

The Dubai Challange Cup 2021 will soon declare its new champion on the 19th of March 2021 in Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club:

Field 3
10:00 AM Polo vs. IFZA/Mahra Polo
11:15 Baylandi Polo vs. Bin Drai

Field 1
15:15 Tratok/Hesketh Polo vs. Dubai Wolves
16:30 UAE Polo vs. Battistoni Polo

Images: © Khalil Ali / ShineTV

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16 March 2021, Dubai, UAE: The third day of the Dubai Challenge Cup ended with double victories for Battistoni Polo and UAE Polo teams.

The first match of the afternoon featured Battistoni and Baylandi Polo, teams. Tomy Iriarte scored the first 2 goals which gave Battistoni Polo a head start in the game. The team increased their lead by the end of the by half time with the consecutive goals delivered by Tomy. The significant goal lead that Battistoni Polo had created was enough to secure the win at 7 goals to 3.

Match Progression: 2 – 0 | 0 – 5 | 5 – 1 | 7 – 3

The second half of the afternoon had spectators at the edge of their seats as UAE Polo and Bin Drai Polo teams brought their A-game on the field. Jacinto Crotto grabbed the initial lead for the UAE Polo team and was backed by a penalty shot from the team‘s patron – Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Quick to catch up was Rashid Bin Drai scoring 2 goals for the team that levelled the game by halftime. Defending the UAE Polo team‘s initial lead, Raja Abuljebain scored a last-second goal by the end of the penultimate chukker. The fourth chukker had UAE Polo team seem like it was close to victory however, Bin Drai Polo team‘s patron – Khalid Bin Drai nicked a goal at the very last second that resulted in a fifth chukker. Both teams raced to score the golden goal and it was Jacinto Crotto taking home the win for UAE Polo at 7 goals to 6.

Match Progression: 2 -1 | 3 – 3 | 5 – 4 | 6 – 6 | 7 – 6

The Dubai Challenge Cup 2021 will continue on the 17th of March at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club. Dubai Wolves will play against AM Polo at 15:15 and Tratok-Hesketh Polo will compete with IFZA – Mahra Polo at 16:30.

Images: © Khalil Ali / ShineTV

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14 March 2021, Dubai, UAE: The Dubai Challenge Cup 2021 is well underway with its qualifying matches and has seen UAE Polo and Battistoni Polo teams win against their opponents on the second day of the tournament.

Tratok-Hesketh Polo team had shown strong gameplay early on the match as they had taken the lead through halftime. UAE Polo on their tail managed to shift the lead to their side by the third chukker as the team delivered consecutive goals with Jacinto Crotto closing with a half goal lead. The final chukker was a race for the win which Crotto managed to secure for UAE Polo and ended the game at 9 goals to 7.5.

Match Progression:  2 – 2.5 | 4.5 – 3 | 7 – 6.5 | 9 – 7.5

The second half of the afternoon featured a game between Battistoni Polo and AM Polo teams. The game was neck and neck from start to finish.  Benjamin Panelo scored the first goal of the match but was quickly matched by Alessandro Barnaba, patron of the Battistoni Polo team. Pierre Jauretche chalked up two goals and had taken the lead for Battistoni Polo by halftime  Panelo managed to score a 60-yard penalty shot at the penultimate chukker but Maxi Malacalza delivered an excellent goal with a pass from Tomy Iriarte. Battistoni Polo carved a 2 goal advantage early in the fourth chukker which AM Polo tried to catch up to. Pablo Urquiza narrowed this gap by a goal and given the time on hand and a seeming need for a fifth chukker, a penalty was called in favour of Battistoni with a few seconds left on the clock which did not leave much for AM Polo to work with. Battistoni claimed their first win in the tournament at 5 goals to 4.

Match Progression: 1 – 1 | 3 – 2 | 4 – 3 | 5 – 4

The Dubai Challenge Cup 2021 will continue on:

16th March:
15:15 Baylandi Polo vs. Battistoni Polo
16:30 Bin Drai Polo vs. UAE Polo

17th March:
15:15 Dubai Wolves Polo vs. AM Polo
16:30 Tratok-Hesketh Polo vs. IFZA – Mahra Polo

Images: © Khalil Ali / ShineTV

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12 March 2021, Dubai, UAE: The fourth tournament of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series has kicked off with two back to back games and has eight participating teams.

The first match between IFZA-Mahra Polo and Bin Drai Polo teams opened with a goal from Bautista Alberdi that was matched by Segundo Amadori that ended the chukker with 1 goal for each team. IFZA-Mahra Polo grabbed the lead with two penalty shots from Jacinto Amadori int he first half of the second chukker, however, the Bin Drai team was able to keep the scores at a tie with the last goal from Rashid Bin Drai.

Past halftime, Bin Drai created a 1 goal advantage and the game ended with a goal from Gelossi that gave Bin Drai Polo team a head start in the tournament.

Match Progression:  1 – 1 | 3 – 3 | 5 – 4 | 6 – 4

Baylandi Polo team faced Dubai Wolves Polo in the second half of the afternoon with an equal start as both teams delivered a goal each by the end of the first chukker. The Dubai Wolves had a half goal advantage in the game which gave them the lead until halftime. Guillermo Cuitinho had shown his class as he had shifted the lead to Baylandi Polo team with 2 goals which Ed Banner Eve followed through

with 2 more goals at the final chukker that sealed the win for Baylandi Polo team at 6 goals to 4.5.

Match Progression: 1 – 1.5 | 2 – 2.5 | 4 – 3.5 | 6 – 4.5

The Dubai Challenge Cup 2021 will continue on the 14th of March. Two games will be played on Field 3 of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club:

15:15 Tratok/Hesketh Polo vs. UAE Polo
16:30 Battistoni Polo vs. AM Polo

Images: © Khalil Ali / ShineTV

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