Tianjin, China, 10 June 2013 – The “Maserati Metropolitan Polo Classic 2013†continued into the second day of semi-finals today at Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Cub. The final match of the tournament, to be played on 12 June 2013, will see Team Maserati, today’s semi-final winner, compete against Team Fortune Heights. The two semi-final runners-up, Team FICOFI and Team FIPA GROUP, will compete for third place tomorrow, 11 June 2013.
The four teams invited to play in this year’s tournament consist of world-class players from Argentina, Chile, England, Italy, New Zealand and Spain, and include celebrated names from distinguished polo families, such as Tomas Pieres and Sebastian Harriott. Each team is playing with a 24-goal handicap, which both makes this the highest level invitational tournament ever played in China, and also places Tianjin in a prominent position on the world polo calendar.
The semi-final match began at 4 p.m. with the players cheerfully parading onto the polo field, where they were introduced one by one. Today’s players included winners of some of the world’s most elite tournaments such as the Prince of Wales Cup, the Argentine National Championship, the New Zealand Open, and the Dubai President Cup.
The match was a display of excellence that captivated even the most seasoned spectators. Over the span of 6 magnificent chukkas, the teams locked together in a fast-riding contest of horsemanship and power, a contest that was neck and neck until late into the final chukka. Ultimately it was Team Maserati who prevailed, but only by a single goal, with the final score ending at 13 goals to 14.
The first goal of the match went to Team FIPA GROUP, scored by New Zealand player Craig Wilson. Craig, a gentleman farmer and horse breeder from New Zealand, shares a passion for polo with his brother Tommy, who is also playing in the tournament. The Wilson brothers, who between them have played at all the major clubs in Asia, were particularly eager to fly to Tianjin to participate in this tournament, being aware of the superb club facilities, excellent stables and the extremely high quality of play they would enjoy.
Team FIPA GROUP’s second goal was scored by Sebastian Harriott, a member of one of the world’s most famous polo families, whose father Alfredo, and uncle, Juan Carlos were both 10-goal players, and who are among the most famous players of polo history. Sebastian, who exudes the relaxed sense of calmness and composure common among the higher echelons of polo, flew in from Argentina to compete after hearing enthusiastic reports about the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club while playing tournaments in his home country.
Team Maserati were provided their first goals by Matias Zavaleta and Gonzalo Azumendi, two well-known Argentine players who proceeded to stand out throughout the duration of the match. Zavaleta, playing offense, frequently takes control of the ball and makes long swings upfield, positioning the ball for his teammates to take the final swing into the goal.
After the first chukka ended with a tied score, the spectators were waiting to see which team would pull ahead. However the teams again ended even 5 goals to 5 at the end of the second chukka, and then even again, 7 goals to 7 at the end of the third chukka.
It was in the second half of the match that Team Maserati began to inch slowly towards victory. Team Maserati player Gonzalo Bourdieu enjoyed a strong fourth chukka, scoring 3 goals and demonstrating tremendous swinging power, both in stationary penalty shots, and in full gallop offensive manoeuvres.
Team FIPA GROUP’s Sebastian Harriott and Matias Vial, a Chilean who has played at Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club several times, made it difficult for Team Maserati to hold their lead during the fourth and fifth chukkas, scoring 4 goals between them. Matias Vial played an extremely versatile game, like a gust of wind, stationary one moment, yet sweeping the ball downfield the next, effortlessly changing directions from defense to offense when needed.
With the fifth chukka ending 11-12 in favour of Team Maserati, the match was still open for either team to win going into the sixth, which proved to be an edge of the seat experience for the spectators. Matias Vial opened with a penalty shot goal two seconds in, bringing the teams again even, Team Maserati player Bautista Sorzana re-established a 1-goal lead, again brought even by Team FIPA GROUP’s Craig Wilson, but with the final goal scored by Team Maserati’s Matias Zavaleta.
Matias Zavaleta, interviewed after the match, stated, “I am so glad to have flown in for this tournament, it is such a pleasure to play here in Tianjin; it will be a highlight of my year, and will add to my precious memoriesâ€.
Team Maserati goes on to play against Team Fortune Heights in the Final, to be held on 12 June 2013.
Daily polo matches are contested as follows:
Semi-final 1
Sunday, 9 Jun 2013
Result:Team FICOFI vs Team Fortune Heights
| Date | Time | Team | Team | |
| 10 June 2013 (MON) | 4 pm | Team FIPA GROUP | Vs | Team Maserati |
| 11 June 2013 (TUE) | 4 pm | Loser of 9 June Match | Vs | Loser of 10 June Match |
| 12 June 2013 (WED) | 4 pm | Winner of 9 June Match | Vs | Winner of 10 June Match |
Semi-final 2
Monday, 10 Jun 2013
Result:Team FIPA GROUP vs Team Maserati
The tournament schedule will continue as follows:–
| Date | Time | Team | Team | |
| 11 June 2013 (TUE) | 4 pm | Team FICOFI | Vs | Team FIPA GROUP |
| 12 June 2013 (WED) | 4 pm | Team Fortune Heights | Vs | Team Maserati |
ORGANISER
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club –http://www.metropolitanpoloclub.com
TITLE SPONSOR
Maserati – http://www.maserati.com
TEAM SPONSORS
FICOFI – http://www.ficofi.com
FIPA GROUP – http://www.fipagroup.com
Fortune Heights – http://www.fortuneheights-tj.com
OFFICIAL JERSEY SUPPLIER
La Martina – http://www.lamartina.com
OFFICIAL GLOBAL MEDIA PARTNER
Equestrio – http://www.equestrio.com/china
TOURNAMENT WEBSITE– http://www.metropolitanpoloclassic.com
About Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club currently features two standard-sized polo fields, stables for over 200 horses, all-weather training facilities, a riding school and a luxurious Club House and 167-room resort-style hotel. The state-of-the-art equestrian facilities are used and maintained by professionals from all over the world.
Apart from being the host venue of the FIP Snow Polo World Cup, major international fixtures on the Club’s annual calendar include various spring and autumn tournaments and matches for different levels of play from youth to professional.
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club was opened in November 2010 as the sporting and social flagship of “Goldin Metropolitanâ€, a mega-development by Hong Kong-listed developer Goldin Properties Holdings Limited, which will comprise three zones: a Central Business District, home to the 117-storey Goldin Finance Tower; the 898,000 square metres (222-acre) Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club and a low-density luxury residential belt to be launched in the near future.
About Maserati
Maserati was founded in Bologna by Alfieri Maserati on 1 December 1914. It is a prestigious brand in the sector of sports and luxury saloon cars. It can be found in more than 60 countries. Maserati celebrated the start of 2013 with the presentation of the new Quattroporte at the Detroit Motor Show, and this will be followed later in the year by the Ghibli, the new top of the range saloon which marks Maserati’s entrance into the E sector of the market. The company has a great sporting tradition that still continues today with the MC12, winner of 14 titles since its debut in the FIA GT Championship in 2004, and also the new GranTurismo MC Trofeo, star of the new single brand trophy, since 2010.