Valiente still undefeated; Lechuza evens record
By Alex Webbe
It was probably no different twenty years ago when the Astrada brothers were playing soccer in the park, brother pushing brother, the competitive streaks leading to shouting and appealing for fouls or accusing one another of fouling, but this was today. It was the United States Open Championship at the International Polo Club in Wellington, and brother was pitted against brother.
It just so happened that on Thursday afternoon the two Astrada brothers wearing the white jerseys of the Bob Jornayvaz’s Valiente team (Miguel and Nacho) scored more goals than Eduardo, Javier and Alejandro scored for Camilo Bautista’s Las Monjitas foursome, winning their second consecutive game without a loss. Las Monjitas evened its record at 1-1.
Valiente took an early 2-1 lead after a pair of penalty conversions by nacho Astrada while Las Monjitas got on the board in the first chukker on a goal from the field from Alejandro Astrada.
Nacho Astrada added two more goals in the second chukker while Valiente got another goal from Miguel Astrada. Alejandro Astrada converted a penalty shot for another goal, but Las Monjitas trailed by a three goal margin that they would never overcome.
Valiente was up 8-5 at the end of the first half and led 10-6 after the fourth as Las Monjitas (1-1) struggled to get its offense on track.
Magoo Laprida added his second goal of the game in the fifth followed by goals from Nacho Astrada and Miguel Astrada as Valiente stretched its lead to seven goals, 13-6.
Coasting through the last seven minutes of play, Valiente (2-0) gave up two goals, and left the field with a well-earned 13-8 win.
Nacho Astrada led all scoring with eight goals on the day. Miguel Astrada scored three times and Laprida added two goals in the win.
Alejandro Astrada scored five times for Las Monjitas. Javier Astrada added two goals and 10-goaler Eduardo Astrada scored once.
LECHUZA CARACAS 11, BENDABOUT/WANDERERS 6
In afternoon US Open play Lechuza Caracas rebounded from an opening round loss to score a resounding 11-6 win over a confused Bendabout/Wanderers lineup.
Bendabout held in the game early, trailing 3-2 after the first chukker and 5-4 after the second, but Lechuza put up three unanswered goals in the third period and stretched its lead to four goals, 8-4, to end the first half.
Goals from team captain Victor Vargas and 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero in the fourth were complimented by shut-out defense and Lechuza took a six goal lead, 10-4.
Bendabout continued to try and organize some sort of attack in the fifth, getting a penalty goal from Mike Azzaro and a goal from the field from Jeff Hall, but that was where it ended for them.
Santiago Toccalino scored the only goal of the sixth and final chukker as Lechuza took the game, 11-6.
Sapo Caset led the scoring for a balanced Lechuza attack with five goals. Nero added three goals and Vargas scored twice. Toccalino accounted for a single goal in the win.
Azzaro and Hall scored a pair of goals apiece for Bendabout/Wanderers. Sugar Erskine and team captain Gillian Johnston accounted for single goals.
Us Open play continues on Saturday when Piaget(0-3) and Pony Express (0-3) square off at 1 pm followed by a pivotal match between Crab Orchard (2-1) and Orchard Hill (2-1), with the winner advancing to the semifinals.