Novillo Astradas give Zacara a last-chukka Queen’s Cup victory over Sumaya
By Herbert Spencer
The Argentine brothers Javier and Eduardo Novillo Astrada combined to give Lyndon Lea’s Zacara a nail-biting 8-7 victory in the dying seconds over Oussama Aboughazale’s Sumaya on the second day of the 22-goal Queen’s Cup tournament at Guards Polo Club (May 19).
The closely fought, six-chukka contest was between two teams equally matched both in pony power and player talent and in the end it could have been anyone’s game but for a last chukka one-two punch of the 9-goal Novillo Astradas.
Sumaya was spearheaded by former Mexican-America 10-goaler Carlos Gracida, now playing off 8. They got off to a slow start and Zacara took an early lead and stayed ahead one or two goals for the first four periods. Sumaya finally tied it up 6-6 in the fifth chukka, then pulled ahead 7-6 in the sixth.
It was the younger of the Novilla Astrada brothers, Javier, who converted a 40-yard penalty in the final period to equalise again. As the clock ran down, the match looked like going into extra time.
Then, just seconds before the final bell, Eduardo Novillo Astrada took the ball from the throw-in, outpaced all the opposition and dribbled it between the goal posts to give victory to Zacara.