Century 99 Punjab Polo Cup: Newage/Master, Diamond win openers

LAHORE – Newage Cables/Master Paints and Diamond Paints won the opening day matches of the Century 99 Punjab Polo Cup Tournament that got underway on Tuesday here at the historic Lahore Polo Club. 

The first day of the first tournament of the high-goal season saw a large number of spectators, families and children watching the enthralling matches in a beautiful weather. Lahore Polo Club President Umar Sadiq, Executive Committee members Agha Murtaza Ali Khan, Shah Qubilai Alam, Saqib Khakwani, Agha Najeeb Raza and polo players were also present on this occasion. 

Juan Cruz Greguol’s heroics helped Newage Cables/Master Paints outpace Master Paints team by 7-5½ in the first match of the day. Greguol played a great game and scored two goals in the first chukker of the match to give his side a lead that remained intact till the final chukker, thus his side emerging as triumphant. 

Greguol contributed with three tremendous goals while Simon Prado banged in a beautiful brace and Raja Temur Nadeem and Adnan Jalil Azam converted one goal each. On the other hand, Manuel Carranza also played superb polo and fired in all the five goals for Master Paints, which had a half goal handicap advantage, yet his efforts couldn’t yield fruit for his team.  

Newage/Master Paints were off to a flying start as they fired in two imposing goals through Greguol to gain a 2-0 lead in the first chukker. Carranza then thrashed in two back-to-back goals to equalize the score at 2-2 but Raja Temur struck a stunning one to give 3-2 lead Newage/Master Paints just before the end of the second chukker.  

A tremendous team work was witnessed in the third chukker when each player of Newage/Master Paints – Adnan Jalil, Simon Prado and Greguol with the help of Raja Temur – fired in four fantastic goals to earn a healthy 7-2 lead. Just before the end of the chukker, Carranza cracked a classic field goal to reduce the margin to 7-3. The fourth and last chukker saw Carranza pumping in two more back-to-back goals to make it 7-5 yet it was too little too late for Master Paints, which lost the match by 5½-7. John Fisher and Chris Hyde were field umpires while Juan Maria Ruiz Guinazu was match referee.   

Chulo Corti dazzled in Diamond Paints’ emphatic 9-3½ victory over Lone Wolves in the second match of the opening day. Chulo Corti was impressive with mallet and polo pony and fired in five fantabulous goals. He was ably supported by his teammates Nico Roberts and Ahmed Ali Tiwana, who slammed in two and one goal respectively for Diamond Paints. Amirreza Behboudi, Bilal Haye and Raja Jalal Arsalan converted one goal each for Lone Wolves, which had a half goal handicap advantage.  

Diamond Paints started the match with two back-to-back goals to take a 2-0 lead, which was further enhanced in the second chukker, when they added four more goals in their tally to stretch their lead to 6-0. The third chukker saw both the sides scoring one goal each, making it 7-1 while they banged in a brace each in the fourth and last chukker to make it 9-3, thus Diamond Paints emerging as victorious by 9-3½. John Fisher and Chris Hyde were field umpires while Juan Maria Ruiz Guinazu was match referee. 

Three matches will be played on Wednesday (February 8) afternoon. The first match will be between BN Polo and HN Polo at 1:00 pm, the second encounter will be contested between FG Polo and Remounts at 2:00 pm while the third and last match of the day will take place between Newage Cables/Master Paints and DS Polo at 3:00 pm.