A dominating performance from ADCB Polo Team in the HH President of the UAE Polo Cup has set them up as the team to beat after they put eight goals by opponents, Tom Ford.
The season-closing tournament, the most important event in Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club’s calendar, is being played out at the Royal Abu Dhabi venue all this week, with the grand final being held on April 1.
The Argentine professional, Hugo Barabucci, a seven-goal handicapper, banged home an impressive eight goals for ADCB in the four-chukker match, which finished 8-4.
Not to be outdone, his talented Emirati teammate, Nasser al Dhari scored a hattrick, while fellow Argentine, Matias Colombres, added one goal to the final score.
Their opposition, Tom Ford Polo Team, scored a respectable four goals in total and during the first two chukkers the teams were evenly matched. But once ADCB drew ahead at the half-way point Tom Ford found them too hard to live with.
Goals were scored for Tom Ford Polo Team by Ramiro Dagna and Oscar Colombres, the brother of opposition player, Matias.
“It was a great game, we played so well today,” said al Dhari. “Hugo was a class act as always and I was very happy with my performance.”
“Tom Ford played well also but today we were just stronger and a little more aggressive. Like us, Tom Ford won their opening game so we knew that we had to beat them.”
ADCB will clash with defending champions, Ghantoot on Friday who have a point to prove after losing their opening match. A win would seal ADCB’s place in the final.
“If we win on Friday we will be clear for the final so I’m very much looking forward to that,” said Dhari. “We intend to play pretty much as we played today. We need to keep the pressure on and not take anything for granted.”
Tom Ford Polo Team’s patron, Faris al Yahbouni was philosophical in defeat and said that his team may be down but they were not out.
“Even though I hate losing it's a real honor playing in this tournament,” he said. “We now have to put that defeat behind us and focus on our next game. Our team played very well and we will gather momentum for Friday’s match.”
In the second match of the day, Dubai Polo Team beat Al Basti Polo Team by just one goal in a match that finished up 7-6.
A young Dubai team, featuring Emirati rising stars, Rashid bin Drai and Habtoor al Habtoor, put in a true team effort with all four players adding to the scoreboard.
Bin Drai and al Habtoor both got one goal, Nicolas Petrachi scored three, including the winning goal and Gaston Devrient notched twice.
“It was an amazing game today, open and extremely fast with a lot of running,” said the Argentine.
“Our boys Rashid and Habtoor played a great game and really make the difference for us.
“Al Basti played well it was a very close game that could have gone both ways, but thanks to Rashid stopping a 50 yard penalty that would have seen the scores tied, we managed to hang on until the end.”
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