Dubai and Les Lions II are the finalists for Queen’sCup
By Herbert Spencer
The Albwardys’ Dubai dominated Jean-François Decaux’s La Bamba de Areco 14-10 and Les Lions II downed Lechuza Caracas 11-9 Wednesday (9 June) to earn places in the final of the Queen’s Cup at Guards Polo Club on 13 July.
The best of the two semi-finals was a classic encounter between the world’s four top-ranked players, Adolfo Cambiaso and Pablo MacDonough for Dubai and the Pieres brothers Gonzalito and Facundo for La Bamba. All four put in the kind of performances that put them at the top of the heap.
Dubai took an early lead in the first chukka when Cambiaso passed up to his No, 1,17-year old Rashid Albwardy, who scored. They kept the advantage throughout the match, for much of the time being three or four points ahead.
The third chukka brought three spectacular, long-range field goals, all from 80 yards or more out, by Facundo, Cambiaso and Gonzalito. In the fifth period pony power showed as the team traded points with four straight field goals on blazing runs down more than half the length of the ground: first MacDonough, then Gonzalito, Cambiaso, and Facundo.
Frustration showed in the last chukkas as La Bamba were unable to catch up, with technical fouls called against the team and a yellow card for Gonzalito Pieres.