Sotogrande Gold Cup

Lechuza Caracas Defeats Bardon in Final Day of Copa de Oro Group Play

 

On the final day of group play in the 2018 Copa de Oro, Lechuza Caracas defeated Bardon 6-4 in a low-scoring affair at Santa Maria Polo Club.

 

Displaying a new line-up with Milo Fernandez Araujo and Santiago Stirling playing in place of Victor Vargas and Marek Kanigowski, Lechuza Caracas won an open style of game that saw just three combined fouls. With both teams having already secured their place in Tuesday’s semi-finals, the pace of play slowed with each team producing a controlled attack. Bardon found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard due to 4 for 12 shooting from the field, while Lechuza Caracas converted at a slightly higher rate, converting 6 of their 14 attempts, led by three goals from Juan Martin Nero who led his team to victory.

 

Lechuza Caracas claimed the early lead with two goals in the opening chukka, with Santiago Stirling making his presence felt, finishing in front of goal to give Lechuza Caracas a 2-0 advantage. Bardon’s Alejo Taranco quickly responded in the second chukka, scoring two field goals to even the score, but before the end of the half, it was Lechuza Caracas that regained hold of the lead behind a dominant third chukka. Outshooting Bardon 5-1, Lechuza Caracas converted two of their five attempts, with Juan Martin Nero and Stirling scoring a goal each, while Bardon was left on the defensive throughout the chukka.

 

With very few fouls in the game, the outcome was left to open play and it was Lechuza Caracas that managed their lead, sitting back defensively to protect their goal. Trading goals with Bardon in the fourth chukka, it was Nero who extended Lechuza Caracas’ lead to three in the fifth chukka, placing Bardon in a large deficit with just one chukka remaining. Bardon was able to keep Lechuza Caracas off the scoresheet in the final chukka but converted just one of their two shot attempts to fall to a Lechuza Caracas team that improved to 3-1 in the tournament. In Tuesday’s semi-finals, Bardon faces La Indiana, while Lechuza Caracas will play Dubai to determine the two finalists in the Copa de Oro.