Fortune Heights Snow Polo World Cup 2015 – Day 6
Curtains For Spain And Mexico And Clean Sweeps For France
Spain ended their tournament on a high at the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club today, but their 5 – 2 victory against Mexico was never going to be enough to see them through to the knockout stages of the Fortune Heights Snow Polo World Cup 2015. It did doom their Latin American opponents to a bottom place finish, however; Mexico joins Spain, Peru and trophy holders England as the four teams eliminated from the group stages.
At the top end, the irresistible French trio of Paillol, Delfosse and Rigaux made it three wins out of three with an exciting 5 – 4 victory over the USA in the day’s opening match. But it was the Americans who started the brightest, Tommy Biddle Jr. getting the USA off the mark with a penalty. France soon found their rhythm, Brieuc Rigaux putting the finishing touch on a wonderful team move to make it one goal a piece.
France’s Clement Delfosse put his side ahead in the second chukka, the game opening up with plenty of running from both sides. Patrick Paillol showed excellent stick work to guide France’s third between the posts just after the halfway stage, and it was the French side whose looked the most dangerous in front of goal.
If the USA boys had risen early to see the New England Patriots win the Super Bowl, it certainly didn’t show in the third and final chukka – they flew out of the blocks, veteran Mike Azzaro showing his class to put Tommy Biddle Jr. through at the hotel end. Biddle then scored again – and again – to put USA in the lead for the first time since the start of the match. But with top seeding in their sights, France didn’t let up, Patrick Paillol scoring with a fine charge on goal. Agonisingly for the USA, they conceded a penalty with seconds left on the clock, and Delfosse made no mistake from twenty yards, 5 – 4 the final score.
USA watched from the sidelines as Mexico and Spain took to the field for the second game of the day. A Spanish victory would put USA through, so it was all smiles for the opening goal as Pelayo Berazardi steered it in expertly from the boards for Spain. Mexico failed to equalise with their first chance of the game as Valerio Aguilar Sotelo scooped his penalty wide. Berazardi then made it 2 – 0 to Spain, his penalty two having just enough length to creep over the line.
Spain kept up the pressure in the second chukka, substitute Antonio Ayesa coming within inches of making it three. Mexico then put themselves right back in it, Valerio Aguilar Sotelo breaking away to score, but Santiago Marambio restored the Spanish lead with a penalty, the score 3 – 1.
The third chukka kicked off with a yo-yoing goalmouth scramble, somehow the ball refusing to go into the Spanish goal. But a mistake by Spain a moment later let in Carlos Hernandez to score for Mexico and close the gap to a single goal. Spain’s Antonio Ayesa stamped out the fight back, however, finding himself in acres of space to roll it in unmolested. Santiago Marambio added the icing on the cake with a penalty strike at the death to close out the match with a 5 – 2 victory for Spain.
The third game of the day was an absolute humdinger. Hong Kong China had the edge over Chile in an end-to-end first chukka, Pablo Juaretche and John Fisher both scoring to make it 2 – 0. Juan Britos galloped the length of the field for Hong Kong China’s third goal a minute into the second chukka, before Chile got themselves on the score sheet, Ignacio Vial Mazieres patiently lining up a powerful shot from range. John Fisher restored Hong Kong China’s three goal lead with a penalty two soon after, and the home side were then on the charge again, Juan Britos breaking through the Chilean lines to score. Alejandro Vial managed to pull one back for Chile, the score 5 – 2 going into the final chukka.
Chile went up a couple of gears in the final period, two quality field goals by Martin Zegers Greene and Alejandro Vial closing the gap to a single score. The South Americans then made it all-square with a penalty two, but a cool-headed John Fisher reclaimed the lead with less than two minutes on the clock. Chile were far from beaten, however, Alejandro Vial getting his third of the match on the counterattack to make it 6 – 6. And then a moment of incredible drama, the ball breaking free for Chile’s Martin Zegers Greene to gallop full tilt towards the hotel end and score with a second left on the clock. Victory once again for this excellent Chile side, and a memorable game of polo to close out the group stages of the Fortune Heights Snow Polo World Cup 2015. The action continues on Wednesday with the first round of quarterfinals, with the fixtures being announced tomorrow.
Replay of all games is available on www.hurlinghampolo.com