Bin Drai and Abu Dhabi are the finalists of the Julius Baer Gold Cup 2018
Bin Drai and Abu Dhabi will play the Julius Baer Gold Cup Final after winning their respective semifinal matches today against Zedan and Mahra.
In a double action day at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club, Abu Dhabi defeated Mahra by 9 goals to 7 and Bin Drai won his match against Zedan by 6 goals to 5.
They where two very tough semifinal matches with five chukkers of pure energy and enthusiasm. Teams fought hard to achieve the desired ticket to the final of the Julius Baer Gold Cup, the most important match of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series 2018.
Abu Dhabi and Bin Drai had to fight really hard to defeat Mahra and Zedan. Patron Faris Al Yabhouni´s team after a great start (with a 5-1 lead in the second chukker) saw how Mahra closed the gap and put pressure on them till the very end.
Finally in the last chukker they achieved to handle the advantage to close a 9-7 victory.
Bin Drai had a similar situation to handle after a comeback in half time and then playing two even chukkers. A penalty from the spot, scored by Raúl Laplacette, decided the game in favor of Bin Drai by a close 6 goals to 5.
Matches Progression:
Abu Dhabi: 1-1/ 5-1/ 5-3/ 6-5/ 9-7
Top Scorers of the match: Isidro Strada (Mahra) & Alfredo Capella (Abu Dhabi) 4 goals.
Bin Drai: 1-2/ 1-2/ 3-3/ 5-5/ 6-5
Top Scorer of the match: Rául Laplacette (Bin Drai) 4 goals