LAHORE - DS Polo and Master Paints won the opening day matches of the Jinnah Gold Polo Cup 2023 sponsored by Al Rehman Developers and Town Planners here at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Tuesday. Bautista Garcia guided DS Polo to a thrilling 8-7½ win over Diamond Paints in the first match of the day. DS Polo were 5-7½ down when they made a tremendous comeback in the last one and a half minute by thrashing in three back-to-back goals to snatch victory from the jaws of Diamond Pants. Bautista was hero of the match with a convincing contribution of five fabulous goals. He was ably assisted by Javier Guerrero, who hammered three tremendous goals including two dying moments’ matchwinning goals. From Diamond Paints, which had a half goal handicap advantage, Chulo Corti fired in four goals while Nico Roberts hammered a hat-trick. Both the sides started the match well and converted two goals each to finish the first chukker at 2-2. DS Polo played better polo in the second one by slamming in two goals against one by Diamond Paints to take a slight 4-3 lead. Diamond Paints fully dominated the third chukker by hammering a hat-trick to gain a 6-4 lead. DS Polo started the fourth and decisive chukker with an impressive goal to reduce the margin to 6-5 but Diamond Paints struck one more to stretch their lead to 7-5.
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In the last one and a half minute, DS Polo played outstanding polo and hammered three back-to-back goals to win the match by 8-7½, as Diamond Paints also had a half goal handicap advantage. Manuel Crespo’s heroics helped Master Paints register a close 8½-7 victory over Remounts in the second match. Manuel Crespo pumped in splendid five goals for Master Paints while Pelagio Balazaldi, Agha Musa Ali Khan and Sufi Muhammad Haroon hit one goal apiece. For Remounts, Manuel Sundblad contributed with four goals while Jota Chavanne banged in a brace and Imran Shahid hit one. The first chukker saw both the sides scoring two goals each to make it 2-2. Master Paints played well in the second chukker by converting two goals against one by Remounts to have a 4-3 lead. Remounts started the highly-charged third chukker with two back-to-back goals to earn a 5-4 lead but Master Paints then fired in four back-to-back goals to gain a healthy 8-5 lead. Remounts though dominated the fourth and last chukker by scoring two goals yet they lost the match by 7½-8.
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