AM – UAE Polo and UAE Polo enter final of Gold Cup

DUBAI: The Dubai Open 2020 semi-finals had given polo fans an exciting afternoon with two matches, AM - UAE Polo against Ghatoot Polo team and UAE Polo versus Zedan Polo team.

The first match started with a neck shot from Santiago Cernadas of AM - UAE Polo team. Marcos Araya matched with two goals placing Ghantoot Polo ahead which they kept until the end of the second chukker. AM - UAE Polo scored five goals in a row delivered by Jacinto Crotto and Cernadas that created a five-goal advantage.

The tenacity of the teams continued during the last two chukkers - AM - UAE Polo maintaining their lead and Ghantoot Polo trying to score in goals to cut the gap in scores. The last goals from Ali Al Merri and Pablo Llorente during the last chukker were not enough to beat AM - UAE Polo team as they closed the game at 11 goals to 8.

Santiago Laborde opened the next match for Zedan Polo Team and took the lead until the third chukkerhavingtwogoalsfromitspatron-amrzedan.

The teams kept outscoring each other, but Zedan Polo team held on to their two-goal advantage until the end of the fourth chukker. UAE Polo team made an excellent comeback from being behind its opponent during the last two chukkers with three goals from Tommy Beresford which resulted in a tie at the end of the buzzer.

Santi missed the chance to take the win for Zedan Polo with a penalty shot at the start of the sixth chukker. Both teams raced to score the golden goal and it Tomas Panelo who successfully tapped the ball into the goal and sealed the win for UAE Polo team, 9 goals to 8. Four formidable teams are set to compete at the final of the Standard Chartered Gold Cup 2020 on Friday at the grounds of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club.

Abu Dhabi Polo and Habtoor Polo teams will compete at the Bentley Cup trophy at 14:00 and AM – UAE Polo and UAE Polo teams are vying for the Gold Cup trophy at 16:00.

Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series was founded in 2009 by Mohammed Al Habtoor, patron of the Habtoor Polo team. Growing rapidly every year, the Gold Cup (Dubai Open) was recognised by the World Polo Tour (WPT) in January 2014.