Friday 21st June
The finalists of the second Polo Nations Cup have been announced after ten days of fierce competition, with games often coming down to the wire. France and Pakistan will meet in the final on Sunday at 3.30 p.m. A fine day of sport is in store, and this time the weather looks set to be kind. A day of celebration for polo, where everything has been thought of to welcome the public in the best possible conditions.
Indeed, the eighteen games leading up to Friday’s semi-finals were a real obstacle course with the weather adding some extra challenge. Fortunately, the exceptional quality of the fields at the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly meant that the schedule could be kept to, resulting in two magnificent semi-finals today. It was an ideal line-up, with four different nations battling it out: France versus Belgium and Pakistan versus the United States in the other half of the draw.
The first game was worthy of the classic football match between France and Belgium: a ruthless, all-out battle. Although it was the Argentinian pros who scored the only five goals of the game, Jules Legoubin and Augustin Emsens were very much in evidence for France and Belgium respectively. Legoubin, who played on all fronts, was particularly decisive in recovering balls, defending and leading some dynamic attacks, missing two goals by centimetres from the post. He is currently France’s most improved player this season. In the absence of Simon Zavaleta, who is ill, his Argentine compatriot Nicola Corti Maderna has integrated perfectly into the French team. It was a very defensive game, with the players leaving very little space for their opponents, which explains the low score of 3-2 ½, very rare at this level.
There was no shortage of excitement in the game between Pakistan and the USA, as the scoreline shows, and it took a great performance from Tito Ruiz Guiñazu (5 goals) to overcome a very combative American team who held out until the very end. Pakistan therefore reaches the final in its first appearance in the Polo Nations Cup, facing the team from France. On paper, it’s an undecided game between a team playing at home and a team that boasts the best player in this Nations Cup.
Sunday will be a day of celebration, with this second final of the Polo Nations Cup open to the public (free entry), for which the club has put together a series of festivities, including a parade of the ten teams (3 p.m.) and a hospitality village with shops and a food truck. The final is at 3.30 p.m., but you should arrive at 10.30 a.m. to watch the Mini Polo Nations Cup, which pits teams of children – many of them players’ children – against each other, already brimming with talent and a spectacle in itself. The village opens at 11.30 a.m.
TEAM AND PROGRESS
Occitanie – France (12) : Isabelle LARENAUDIE 0, Jules LEGOUBIN 3, Nicola CORTI MADERNA 5 (1), Ramiro ZAVALETA 4 ( 2 goals, including 1 penalty).
Belgium (11) : Augustin EMSENS 0, Guillermo MACLOUGHLIN 4 (2 goals), Alejo BADANO 3, Francisco MACLOUGHLIN 4
Progression France: 2- ½ / 2- ½ / 2- 1½ / 2- 2½ / 3- 2½
BPP : Nicolas Corti Maderna (France)
MVP : Meta Viciosa (Open Xsport x Borren Ruleta), played by Nicolas Corti Maderna and owned by Simon Zavaleta (France)
Lahore – Pakistan (12): Haider NASEEM 0, Elena VENOT 2, Hilario RUIZ GUINAZU 3 (1 goal), Tito RUIZ GUINAZU 7 ( 5 goals, including penalty).
Illinois – USA (12) : Larry ASCHEBROOK 0, Elouan BADARELLO 1( 1 goal), Pedro HARRISON 5 (4 goals, including 2 penalties), Valentin N. ASTRADA 6.
Progression Pakistan : 1-1 / 3-1 / 4-3 / 5-4 / 6-5.
BPP : Matuza Catanga (Chapaleufu Enfermero x Oportunidad) (USA)
MVP : Tito Ruiz Guinazu (Pakistan)
Match to be followed live on Pololine TV
Programme and results on Chukker App
About Polo de Chantilly
Founded by Patrick Guerrand Hermès and a group of shareholders in 1995, and managed since then by Philippe Perrier, the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly covers an area of 130 hectares. Comprising nine grass fields and one sand field (arena), it is the largest polo club in Europe and since 2001 has organised the renowned Open de France, attended by the world’s best players, one of the 60 prestigious grass tournaments held every year on the grounds of the Ferme d’Apremont. Home to the French Polo Federation, the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly is open to all: all games from April to October are free to the general public. poloclubchantilly.com – @polodechantilly