La Bamba win narrowly in Queen’s Cup league

La Bamba win narrowly in Queen’s Cup league 

By Herbert Spencer

Jean-François Decaux’s La Bamba de Areco had another narrow escape Tuesday when they beat Karan Thapar’s Aravali by 7 goals to 6 in their second league match for the Queen’s Cup at Guards Polo Club.


La Bamba de Areco are the only team in the tournament with two 10-goalers, brothers Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres, supported by French patron Decaux and England’s own 19-year-old Matt Perry. They have been a powerhouse, winning the British Open in 2009.


Aravali are newcomers to high goal and, according to their coach Howard Hipwood, have only played together once before, losing to Adrian Kirby’s 1870 in their only other Queen’s Cup match.


The Pieres brothers managed to keep La Bamba ahead throughout the low-scoring, six-chukka match, but only just. The match would have gone into extra time had Aravali’s 7-goaler Marcos Di Paola not missed a try just seconds before the final hooter.


Decaux’s team just eked out a win in their first league match and will need to improve if they are to be serious contenders in later stages of the Queen’s Cup.


In the day’s other Queen’s Cup match at Brooksfield, Cowdray Park Polo Club, Eduoard Carmignac’s Talandracas defeated Oussama Aboughazale’s Sumaya 10-9. Thus far half the league matches have been won by a single goal.