By Jorge Andrades
In a good match which resulted even and close up to the final CHUKKER, Pilara Piaget edged El Paraiso 16-9, last Saturday for the 115th edition of the Argentine Open at the Argentine Open at the Palermo polo fields in Buenos Aires, Argentina. With their triumph, the winners, who are unbeaten at “The Cathedral”, will calsh next Saturday against the defending Champions La Dolfina for a place in the final.
Pilara Piaget could not develop the good play their showed Indios Chapaleufu II in their debut in the tournament but fought hard to reach victory.
On the other side El Paraiso put up their finest performance this year, bolstered by a great performance by their back Alejandro Novillo Astrada who not only controlled dangerous Agustin Merlos during most of the game but also went forward very frequently, scoring important goals.
As the winners gave their best horses a rest in order to preservethem for the next match against La Dolfina and El Pariso took advantage of that, pressing them from the start, gaining the ball and preventing them from developing their open play.
But as said the men in the blue-jerseys did not show a convincing task, committing various errors with the ball and failing to find their rhythm.
The teams entered the last period with Pilara just ahead by two goals (11-9). Nevertheless, they went on to finish the game with a couple of good goals by Santiago Chavanne, showing for their first time a good collective play.
Marcos Heguy, the best figure of his teamthis season, was not happy after the game. Laconic as always, the back tried to find a phrase to describe their task and said “we did not play well. We had to win the match and we did it, but we committed some errors which cost us very expensive. We will have to do better if we want to beat La Dolfina next Saturday.”
Many Piaget authorities, including their C.E.O, watched the match wearing their plays’ blue t-shirts and when it finished they went to greet the winners. Among them was Mrs. Beatrice Vuille -Willemtz, marketing and communications chief, who felt very happy with their triumph. She explained that it was her time in Palermo and she great. “Unfortunately I must leave Buenos Aires on Monday so I will not be able to be here for the match against La Dolfina, but surely we will follow it from Switzerland where I leave.”
“Our players are great- continued saying-. I enjoyed the match very much and I’m very happy victory. I think we can continue sponsoring them in the future but we have not decided it yet.” Asked if she understood the game, she said that she enjoys “a little bit” polo in her country, but she knew the rules and thus what happened on the field. That was the reason why she was so happy with the task put up by Pilara Piaget.Was really well played, with excellent goals and probably a record, as La Dolfina scored all of their 17 goals through field plays.
Teams:
Pilara Piaget: Agustin Merlos, Santiago Chavanne 8, Sebastian Merlos 9, Marcos Heguy 10. Total, 37.
El Paraiso :Julio Novillo Astrada 8, Ignacio Toccalino 7, Guillermo Willington 7, Alejandro Novillo Astrada 7. Total 29.
Scorers:
Pilara Piaget: Agustin Merlos 9, 5 penalities; Santiago Chavanne 3, Sebastian Merlos 1, 1 own goal, Marcos Heguy 3 El Paraiso:Ignacio Toccalino 3-1 penalty, Guillermo Willington 1, Alejandri Novillo Astrada
4 Chukker scores: Pilara Piaget 2-0; 3-1; 4-5; 7-5; 9-8; 10-9; 11-9; 16-9.