La Indiana and Zacara get through to the Cartier Queen’s Cup semi-finals
La Indiana have earned themselves a place in Wednesday’s Cartier Queen’s Cup semi-finals at the first time of asking after substantially defeating Sifani (rec 1) 16-7 at Billingbear this morning. Patron Michael Bickford contributed to their victory, scoring goals in the first and fourth chukkas. American player Nic Roldan was especially impressive, scoring seven of his team’s tally, but this was very much a team effort. Hilali Noordeen’s Sifani kept them in sight in the first half – the score was 7-5 at half-time – but the damage was done in the fourth. Bickford, Roldan, Julian de Lusaretta and Agustin Merlos scored five goals in this chukka to none in reply from Sifani and they just then kept pulling away. Sifani’s Juan Gris Zavalata worked hard at getting free, but with La Indiana winning almost all the throw-ins, the writing was on the wall from the fourth chukka. La Indiana will now play King Power Foxes in the second semi-final (4pm) on Wednesday afternoon.
The second semi, at Guards Polo Club, was a much tighter affair and produced the first golden goal of this year’s competition. Lyndon Lea’s Zacara won the ticket through to the semi-finals, and a match against Dubai, but it took seven chukkas and a change in personnel to achieve their aim Their opponents Ben Soleimani’s RH Polo produced a brilliant game and the packed stands, enjoying some hot sunshine at last, appreciated the tussle between Lucas Monteverde and Pablo MacDonough for Zacara and Rodrigo Andrade and Nico Pieres for RH Polo.
The game had to stop just two minutes in as the young Englishman Jack Hyde, who has been playing so well for Zacara had to retire due to a hand injury suffered earlier in the week. His place was taken by another rising star Juan Jose (JJ) de Alba. Although currently playing in the 15-goal Royal Windsor, this young Spaniard was making his Cartier Queen’s Cup debut, but produced a confident and mature game.
RH Polo had snatched the lead (5-4) at the half-time bell, but Monteverde found his way through traffic to equalise for Zacara in the fourth. He followed this up in the fifth with a great run to goal and with MacDonough converting a penalty, it was Zacara had a two-goal advantage ( 7-5) six minutes into the penultimate chukka. But with Pieres converting a 40-yard penalty with just a minute left it was clear this was still anyone’s game.
So a nail-biting sixth chukka was on the cards. MacDonough sent a lovely pass to JJ de Alba to give Zacara some air in the score, only for Pieres to produce a fabulous free hit to goal, at least 70 yards out. Then MacDonough found the flags with a wonderful cut shot, despite having Pieres at his shoulder, only for Pieres to slot through a 40-yarder. With both patrons very much in the mix in these latter stages this was very much anyone’s game. So when RH Polo were awarded and successfully converted a penalty with less than a minute left – taking the score to 9-9 – sudden death became a reality.
This seventh chukka began with some great runs, but an infringement by RH Polo within a couple of minutes saw MacDonough hit a penalty 30 and secure his side’s place in Wednesday’s semi-final.
Cartier Queen’s Cup Semi-Finals Wednesday 8 June
12 noon Dubai v Zacara
4pm King Power Foxes v La Indiana. The winner of this match will receive the Hubert Perrodo Trophy
Cartier Queen’s Cup Subsidiary Semi-Finals Wednesday 8 June
10.30am HB Polo v RH Polo at Coworth Park
2pm La Bamba de Areco v Sifanai at Coworth Park