Hong Kong China Will Play Brazil in the First Semi-Final of the Fortune Heights Snow Polo World Cup 2014
Today would be the last time the Buenos Aires Marching Band played the national anthems of USA and Mexico at the Fortune Heights Snow Polo World Cup 2014. In a pair of tantalisingly close quarterfinals at the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club, the two nations were edged out of the competition by Hong Kong China and Brazil respectively.
Defending champions Hong Kong China may have ensured their progress to the semi-finals of the Snow Polo World Cup, but for much of an explosive quarterfinal match-up they were chasing the Americans, and it took a penalty shoot-out to decide the victors.
The first of four chukkas was an absolute belter, Hong Kong China opening the scoring with a 20-yard penalty tapped over by John Fisher. USA’s Thomas Biddle Jr. followed up with a wonderful goal; the powerful number three showing great control to connect with his own lofted pass and score. Good stick control at the boards by John Fisher saw the Hong Kong number three cut the ball infield and run in a goal to make it 2 – 1 to Hong Kong China. Seconds after the throw-in, USA’s number one Del Walton turned on a sixpence to score, and Thomas Biddle Jr. added another at such pace the spectators could barely keep up. Fisher levelled the scores at the end of the chukka with a 30-yard penalty, leaving the game balanced and breathless at three goals each.
USA flew out of the blocks in the second chukka, converting two quick goals to pull away from the defending champions. Guillermo Terrera sneaked the ball out of a ruck in the corner to pull a goal back for Hong Kong China as the game began to settle. No further goals in the second chukka meant it remained advantage USA at the halfway stage of the match, leading Hong Kong 5 – 4.
Thomas Biddle Jr. thumped home a penalty at the start of the third to put USA two goals ahead. The Americans were keeping their opposite numbers tightly marked, Hong Kong China pushing and probing but struggling to find an opening. Eventually winning a penalty, Hong Kong China’s John Fisher pulled it wide. Nerves were creeping in as the usually accurate Fisher then missed a second penalty opportunity. So at the end of three chukkas, USA were up six goals to four; Hong Kong China needing to dig deep in the final six minutes.
John Fisher made no mistake with a hit from the spot at the start of the fourth, and finally the equaliser came, Terrera and LLorente combining to bundle the ball between the posts. But USA’s Thomas Biddle Jr, in rampant form all match, galloped cross-field to blast the ball in between the posts and put USA a goal ahead close to the three-minute mark. Hong Kong China hung in there, however, their number one Guillermo Terrera squaring the scores with a penalty to send the game to a shoot-out.
In the first exchange of penalties it was nervous stuff for both sides as USA’s Thomas Biddle Jr. put his left of the posts, and John Fisher rolled his wide to the right. USA missed again with their second but Hong Kong China scored, so the pressure was on USA’s Pelon Escapite as he trotted up for his side’s third penalty. He made no mistake, which meant that Guillermo Terrera, the tournament’s highest rated player, had the chance to put his team through to the semi-finals. He did so, to the whoops of the home crowd, and the disappointment of the Americans.
With the temperature just above freezing, Brazil and Mexico took to the snow to contest the day’s second quarterfinal. After a tense opening five minutes, Brazil’s number one Gustavo Garcia claimed first blood with a superb goal taken wide then tucked inside the far post. Julio Gracida replied for Mexico with a thunderous shot from the ruck at the end of the chukka, to level the scores at one each.
Brazil’s Renato Junqueira broke away to score early in the second, then play stopped for several minutes as Julio Gracida left the field nursing an arm injury. On came Mexican substitute Diego Solorzano, and play resumed with Brazil’s number two Rodrigues tapping in a third goal from the spot. Carlos Gracida pulled a shot wide at the 30-second bell, and at the end of the halfway mark Brazil were leading 3 – 1.
Trailing by two goals and fielding a substitute playing for the first time at the Snow Polo World Cup, an uphill battle was on the cards for Mexico, especially when Brazil pushed further out in front in the third chukka with Rodrigues scoring a simple tap in from the spot after a penetrating attack to make it 4 – 1. But the veteran Carlos Gracida rallied his troops and pulled a goal back for Mexico at the 30-second bell, and then substitute Solorzano notched a lightning quick third to set up a final chukka with just a single goal separating the teams.
Brazil scored from a penalty at the start of the fourth chukka, but Mexico’s Valerio Aguilar latched on to a wonderful approach shot from Carlos Gracida to pull a goal back. Then at the four-minute mark, Aguilar rolled in another to put the scores all square at five each. The decisive breakthrough came with 19 seconds left on the clock, Brazil winning a 30-yard penalty. Defending the goal, Carlos Gracida got his stick to the ball but couldn’t keep it out, Brazil scoring to win the second quarterfinal of the Snow Polo World Cup 2014 by six goals to five.
Leaving the field, Brazil’s William Rodrigues was delighted with his team’s performance. “It was a very tough game with no clear favourites, and Mexico have a true legend in Carlos Gracida,†said Rodrigues. “But we played very well as a team, and now we have a tough semi-final ahead of us against Hong Kong China.†Does Rodrigues think Brazil have it in them to beat the defending champions? “Yes they are the favourites but we are Brazil, and Brazil always plays to win. We will give it our all.â€
Hong Kong China will play Brazil in the first of two semi-finals on Saturday 18 January. The second semi-final will be decided following tomorrow’s quarterfinal contests of New Zealand vs Chile, and England vs France.
The results so far:
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Results: Hong Kong China vs Spain 6 – 4
Australia vs Chile 0 – 4
England vs Mexico 5 – 1
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Results: New Zealand vs USA 3 (4) – 3 (3)
Canada vs France 3 – 5
Brazil vs South Africa 3 – 2
Friday, 10 January 2014
Results: England vs Australia 4 – 3
Hong Kong China vs Chile 5 – 4
Mexico vs Spain 4 – 3
Saturday, 11 January 2014
Results: South Africa vs France 1 – 2
New Zealand vs Canada 4 (1) – 4 (2)
Brazil vs USA 4 (2) – 4 (3)
Sunday, 12 January 2014
Results: Chile vs Mexico 3 – 4
Australia vs Spain 4 (1) – 4 (2)
Hong Kong China vs England 5 – 3
Monday, 13 January 2014
Results: Canada vs Brazil 1 – 2
France vs USA 3 – 4
New Zealand vs South Africa 3 (3) – 3 (2)
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Results: Hong Kong China vs USA 7 (2) – 7 (1)
Brazil vs Mexico 6 – 5