Poroto Cambiaso Youngest to Ever Compete in Triple Crown
At just 14 years old, Poroto Cambiaso became the youngest player to ever compete in the Triple Crown, debuting with La Dolfina Saudi Polo Team in their 13-4 victory over La Ensenada/La Aguada to reach the semi-finals of the Tortugas Open. The last quarterfinal saw their counterpart La Dolfina Polo Ranch overwhelm Los Machitos 12-6 to set the matchups in the semi-finals.
An injury riddled La Dolfina Saudi Polo Team competed without 10-goalers Juan Martin Nero and Pablo MacDonough, only to have David Stirling also fall with an injury that will keep him out of the remainder of the tournament. Relying on the father-son duo of Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso, who combined for seven goals, La Dolfina dominated possession by forcing La Ensenada/La Aguada into turnovers and keeping the ball in the attacking half to claim the nine-goal victory.
Facing a five-goal discrepancy on handicap, La Ensenada/La Aguada excelled in the first chukka, containing the potent La Dolfina Saudi Polo Team offense and holding a one-goal lead after Segundo Bocchino opened the scoring. Wasting little time in his debut, Poroto Cambiaso scored his first goal in the Triple Crown to tie the score at 1-1. Seconds later, he used the pass to find his father Adolfo, who broke free to give La Dolfina Saudi Polo Team the lead. Building momentum and starting a run of seven unanswered goals, La Dolfina Saudi Polo Team utilized a balance attack that saw both David Stirling and Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade come forward to score. Unwilling to concede defeat, La Ensenada/La Aguada’s Jeronimo del Carril brought his team back into the game, adding one goal and an assist to end the half trailing 7-3.
Just seconds into the second half, Bocchino reduced the deficit to just three as La Dolfina Saudi Polo Team was held off the scoreboard for a second consecutive chukka, leaving just two chukkas to determine the outcome. Taking control in the crucial moment, Adolfo Cambiaso converted a penalty 2 and then scored from distance as part of a decisive three-goal sixth chukka in favour of La Dolfina Saudi Polo Team, ultimately securing the victory. Tomas Fernandez Llorente, substituting for Stirling over the final three chukkas, scored alongside Poroto Cambiaso, who finished with three goals in an impressive debut.
With one spot remaining, La Dolfina Polo Ranch used a strong four-man performance, receiving significant contributions throughout their line-up to defeat Los Machitos. Six goals for Diego Cavanagh, four coming from the penalty line, led all players in the game, but La Dolfina Polo Ranch’s accurate passing was ultimately a factor that left Los Machitos chasing the ball defensively. Unable to string together a consistent attack, Los Machitos managed just six goals in the 12-6 loss.
Guillermo Terrera and Mariano Aguerre traded field goals to begin the opening chukka in back and forth play. With time running out in the first chukka, Juan Britos hit an impeccable neckshot, setting up Alejo Taranco for his first goal of the match. La Dolfina Polo Ranch extended their lead further in the second chukka, on consecutive goals from Britos and Terrera, but Santiago Toccalino kept the game within reach, scoring late in the chukka to leave the score at 4-2. The game shifted on the penalty trouble of Los Machitos, sending Cavanagh to the penalty line for three straight penalty goals that quickly turned a two-goal deficit to five. A fourth penalty conversion for Cavanagh completed a six-goal fourth chukka that changed the dynamic of the match, placing La Dolfina Polo Ranch firmly in control.
The frustration mounted for Los Machitos, when two yellow cards were awarded to Agustin Merlos, leaving their team a man down for two minutes. Held scoreless for nearly four entire chukkas, Los Machitos were unable to produce the offense needed to overcome their foul trouble throughout the game. Cavanagh’s sixth goal pushed La Dolfina Polo Ranch’s lead to nine as their focus turned to defence. A scoreless sixth chukka secured the victory, with three late Los Machitos goals not threatening their win as they captured the fourth and final spot in the Tortugas Open semi-finals.
Photo;MATÍAS CALLEJO / AAP.
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