UAE Polo On A Race To The Quarterfinals

Final Scores: UAE Polo 14 – 10 Sujan Indian Tigers | Venue: Castle's Ground

A trio of games on Friday began with Sujan Indian Tigers looking to become the first team to achieve two victories but met a determined UAE Polo Team that pressured them throughout the match. Francisco Elizalde and Louis Hine found the goal to give Sujan Indian Tigers the early 2-1 lead. However, foul trouble led to four penalty conversions for Tomas Beresford as part of a five-goal unanswered run for UAE Polo Team that put them ahead by four.

Sujan Indian Tigers inched one goal closer by half-time but trailed 8-5. An exhilarating fourth chukka featured the two teams exchanging goals, scoring three each with UAE Polo Team led by an impressive effort from Bartolome Castagnola Jnr. A decisive fifth chukka sealed the victory for UAE Polo Team, outscoring Sujan Indian Tigers 3-0 in the chukka with all three coming off the mallet of Beresford. Despite being held scoreless in the sixth, UAE Polo Team claimed the 14-10 win as both teams now hold a 1-1 record.

Dubai Polo. Camilo Castagnola. La Natividad — Lucas Monteverde Jnr of the UAE Polo Team vs Fran Elizalde of Sujan Indian Tigers

BLACK BEARS VS. PARK PLACE VAARA

Final Scores: Black Bears 10 – 9 Park Place Vaara | Venue: Black Bears Polo Club

In search of their first victory, Black Bears faced Park Place Vaara in a match that came down to the final seconds. A quick pace was set with few whistles stopping play. Two goals from Hilario Ulloa matched the two goals from Black Bears in an evenly-matched first chukka. However, after receiving support from Santos Merlos in the second chukka, Park Place Vaara held a narrow 5-4 advantage. Before the half-time bell, Black Bears surged ahead in a dominant third chukka, holding Park Place Vaara without a shot while also converting both of their penalty attempts to take a 7-5 lead into the break.

After the high-scoring first half, both teams dug in defensively with Black Bears intent on maintaining their lead. Park Place Vaara finally levelled on consecutive penalty conversions from Ulloa as the two teams were deadlocked at 8-8 entering the final chukka of play. Antonio Heguy scored 30 seconds into the sixth chukka for Black Bears and then hit an exceptional backshot to goal that was sent through by Oliver Cudmore just under two minutes later in what proved to be the difference in the 10-9 victory for Black Bears.

Queens Cup 2023 Chris Mackenzie for Marques de Riscal — Black Bears vs Park Place Vaara

SCONE VS. LA MAGDELEINE

Final Scores: Scone 10 – 9 La Magdeleine | Venue: The Prince's Ground

Making their 2023 debut, Scone Polo’s Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso led their team into a match against La Magdeleine, who had captured a convincing victory on the opening day of the tournament. Poroto Cambiaso produced two goals in the opening chukka to give Scone Polo a narrow, one-goal lead. La Magdeleine’s Pablo MacDonough led the charge in the second chukka with back-to-back goals, while Facundo Fernandez Llorente’s second goal of the match resulted in a 5-3 lead at halftime.

The impressive defensive performance from La Magdeleine in the first half was analysed by Scone Polo and they stormed out of the break with four unanswered goals, three from Poroto and one from Adolfo to suddenly hold a two-goal lead of their own. In a match featuring multiple runs by each team, La Magdeleine re-asserted their attack as MacDonough added his fourth and fifth goal of the matche to bring the score even at 8-all with one chukka remaining.

After nearly six minutes of scoreless play, Adolfo Cambiaso sent a shot through traffic with little time remaining on the clock and surely claiming the victory, but La Magdeleine then ran downfield and a foul in front of goal allowed MacDonough to send the Penalty 2 through the goal and force this match into overtime. In the extra chukka, Scone Polo pressured La Magdeleine and after a goal-saving play from MacDonough, Poroto Cambiaso jumped on the loose ball and sent the game-winning shot through the posts to claim the exciting 10-9 victory.

Cartier Queen's Cup 2023 Day 4 Gallery