MB Polo Secures Place in Copa de Oro Semi-Final
The fourth day of the 2019 Copa de Oro resulted in the first semi-finalist being determined as MB Polo defeated Bardon 12-5 to remain undefeated at Santa Maria Polo Club.
In an overwhelming offensive performance, MB Polo dominated possession against Bardon from the opening throw-in, generating 22 shots compared to just 10 for Bardon. Limiting Bardon to just one field goal over the first four chukkas, an MB Polo attack led by Tomas Panelo and Polito Pieres kept Bardon in their own half, with accurate passing guiding MB Polo to the convincing victory.
In the opening chukka, MB Polo raced out to a 3-0 lead behind two goals from Tommy Beresford, one each from the field and penalty line. In what proved to be a strategy throughout the game, Pieres played the role of distributor, finding all three of his teammates on the run at various points to finish with an impressive seven assists, including two in the first chukka. Extending their lead to four after perfect 3 for 3 shooting in the following chukka, MB Polo took a stronghold of the game by the end of the half behind a strong defensive effort that held Bardon to just two goals in the half. A goal each from Panelo and Beresford finished the half for MB Polo as they held an 8-2 lead at halftime.
For the second consecutive chukka, MB Polo held Bardon to zero shots and zero penalty attempts, continuing their exceptional play into the fourth chukka where they outscored Bardon 3-0, using their dominance in the throw-in line to further keep possession in their favour. All three goals in the chukka came from Panelo, who led all players with six goals in the game as Bardon was unable to find their stride offensively, remaining on just two goals and facing a nine-goal deficit. Finally breaking through from the field, patron Andras Tombor and Rodrido Andrade scored a goal each from the field, but it wasn’t enough to challenge MB Polo as they cruised to the 12-5 victory, securing the first spot in the semi-finals.