Argentina earns Super Nations Cup finals with 10-8 win
over England
By Alex Webbe
Argentina used four fourth chukker goals to score a 10-8
win over England in the Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup at the Goldin
Metropolitan Polo Club in Tianjin, China Tuesday afternoon. The victory will place Argentina in Friday’s
finals against a resilient USA team.
England seemed to take control early, scoring the first
goals of the contest. James Harper
connected on a pass from James Beim for the first goal, four minutes into the
game. Beim converted a 30-yard penalty
shot for the 2-0 advantage. Santiago
Cernadas kept Argentina from getting blanked when he jumped an English hit from
midfield and charged 200 yards down the field for a goal. At the end of one period, England led 2-1.
England continued to press the attack in the second with
Beim failing on a 60-yard penalty shot and then converting on a 30-yarder just
a minute into the chukker. Argentina
missed their first penalty shot and England led, 3-1. Cudmore took a shot at goal that was tapped
through by Beim, and England was ahead, 4-1.
Cernadas came through for Argentina once again, scoring with 11 seconds
on the cluck to end the second period trailing England, 4-2.
Argentina continued its comeback in the third, picking up
single goals from Juan Ambroggio and Marcos Araya (penalty conversion) while
shutting out the English attack. The
score was all even at the end of the first half, 4-4.
Argentina took control of the game in the fourth
chukker. Cernadas scored the first goal
of the period on a pass from Ambroggio less than a minute into play. Ambroggio scored on a pass from Laplacette
three minutes later. Araya converted
another 30-yard penalty shot with 1:24 on the clock and Cernadas scored his second
goal of the chukker with just 11 seconds remaining. In the blink of an eye England found
themselves trailing, 8-4.
Argentine fouls and successful penalty hitting from Beim
helped to get England back into the game in the fifth period as he converted
two 60-yarders to cut the Argentine lead to 8-6. Araya ran the ball along the English
backline, pushing it into the goal on a lateral run for a 9-6led. Beim closed out the chukker with a penalty
conversion from in front of the Argentine goal, but England continued to trail,
9-7 with one chukker left to play.
England continued to press its attack in the final
period, but the Argentine defense was ready.
Araya converted for a goal on a pass from Ambroggio for a 10-7 advantage
with 5:25 left in the chukker. England
was unable to get any rhythm going with Beim scoring the final goal of the
match on a 40-yard penalty shot with 2:35 on the clock.
The
win set up Friday’s Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup finals with Argentina
meeting the United States. England will
meet Hong Kong on Wednesday to battle
for 3rd place.