Piaget are only unbeaten team in British Open
By Herbert Spencer
Stefano Marsaglia’s Piaget retained their undefeated record Thursday by downing Paul Oberschneider’s La Golondrina in their last league match in the British Open Championship for the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup at Cowdray Park Polo Club.
Piaget are the only one of the 18 teams in the tournament to have won all four of their league matches, thus assuring them of a place in the quarterfinals from Group B.
Piaget, with Harry Muddle substituting for patron Marsaglia, and La Golondrina were even, 2-2, at the end of the first chukka. Piaget held their opponents scoreless in the second period to lead 4-2. They increased their lead in the third and fourth chukkas and were 5 goals up, 10-5, at the end of the fifth.
La Golondrina outscored Piaget in the sixth period, but it was too late to catch up and Piaget triumphed 12-8.
In the day’s other two matches concluding the leagues, Joaquim Gottschalk’s Les Lions beat Adrian Kirby’s 1970 by 12 goals to 10 and the Australian-patroned Stella Artois edged Spencer McCarthy’s Emlor 10-9.
Quarterfinals will be played Saturday and Sunday. Group C has three teams with a 3-1 win/loss record: Dubai, Sumaya and Zacara. La Bamba de Areco and Les Lions are 3-1 in Group A. Loro Piana, 3-1, are second to Piaget, 4-0, in Group B.