Cartier Queen’s Cup – Quarter Finals – Day 1
By Diana Butler
King Power Foxes 14 – 9 Salkeld
Dubai 10 – 8 Zacara
King Power Foxes and Dubai are the first teams confirmed for next Wednesday’s Cartier Queen’s Cup semi-finals, two of the seeded teams in this tournament.
King Power Foxes earned their ticket through after a tough game against Nick Clarke’s Salkeld. Played at Jo Gottschalk’s Les Lions ground, the Foxes were without doubt the favourites to win this game – Facundo Pieres has been impressive throughout the tournament – and were 3-2 up at the end of the first chukka, but this was thanks to their ability to successfully convert penalties. However Salkeld had appeared to throw the form book out the window and continually came back at the Foxes – levelling the score to 5-5 at half-time. The second half was a similar scenario – the Foxes pulled slightly ahead to finish 9-7 at the end of the fifth chukka, but this game could still go either way. That was until Facundo and Hugo Lewis turned up the pressure in the final minutes of the match – scoring four goals to only two in reply from Salkeld. This win puts King Power Foxes into the first of Wednesday’s semis where they will face either Talandracas or RH Polo.
There were major team changes for both sides in the Dubai/Zacara game. Lyndon Lea had hurt his hand in last week’s seven-chukka battle against El Remanso and so was replaced by three-goaler Tommy Beresford. This handicap rise was possible as eight-goaler Ignacio Toccalino, previously in action for HB Polo, replaced the injured Juan Martin Nero. Dubai’s Diego Cavanagh was also injured and so this meant that four-goaler Martin Valent and six-goaler Alejo Ortiz de Tarenco Stirling came into the mix, while Tom Brodie had watch from the side lines. However despite all the team changes these teams were also level 5-5 at half time. But Adolfo Cambiaso remains on course to win a record ninth Cartier Queen’s Cup victory as Dubai scored four goals in the fifth to give them the edge. With Zacara failing to score in the fifth and Dubai in the sixth, this post half-time rally was enough to give Dubai victory and a semi-final game against either UAE or King Power.
Tomorrow’s Cartier Queen’s Cup Quarter-Finals
11am: King Power v UAE Polo at Guards Polo Club
3pm: Talandracas v RH Polo at Guards Polo Club. The winner of this game will receive the Gerard Leigh Trophy.