Argentine Open 2010 – Day 3

La Dofina and Pilará-Piaget victorious at Palermo

By Herbert Spencer

Adolfo Cambiaso’s La Dolfina Peugeot and Pilará-Piaget won decisive matches in Zone A of the 117th Argentine Open Championship at Palermo Saturday, with the latter now topping their section in goal differences, 16 to La Dolfina’s 9.


La Dolfina defeated Chapo Uno Hope Funds 16-13 in a relatively close match that hardly reflected the handicap difference in the two teams. La Dolfina, the reigning champions, are a 39-goal team whereas Chapo Uno is rated only 35. As they have done more than once in this year’s Triple Crown series, La Dolfina left it late to consolidate their victory. 


The match was tied 2-2 at the end of the first period, then La Dolfina took the lead and kept a couple of goals ahead until the sixth period when Chapa Uno equalised to even up the game again 11-11. La Dolfina decisively outscored their opponents in the last three chukkas to win.


Yet again it was 10-goaler Cambiaso who led his team to victory, scoring 10 of La Dofina’s 16 goals. Thus far he leads all the abierto players in goals scored, 24 to his nearest rival, Augustin Merlos (Pilará-Piaget) with 20.  


In the day’s first match, 33-goal Pilará-Piaget trailed for the first three chukkas before drawing even with 30-goal Sao José Audi, 7-7, at half time. Pilará-Piaget took the lead in the fifth period and went on to increase their advantage to win 18-12. Nine-goaler Augustin Merlos was high scorer for the victors, tallying 11 goals.