GlobalPort bounced again into rivalry within the US Open Polo Championship in Florida on Sunday with a hard-fought 10-7 victory over BTA on the Nationwide Polo Heart.
Led by group proprietor and sports activities patron Mikee Romero, GlobalPort delivered a balanced offensive effort, spearheaded by 10-goaler Bartolome Castagnola, who scored six objectives, together with all three within the decisive sixth and closing chukker. This important win retains GlobalPort in rivalry for one of many event’s eight quarterfinal spots.
READ: Romero, GlobalPort prepared for powerful problem at US Open Polo Championship
The 22-goal event, thought of the crown jewel of polo in america, is the third and closing leg of the distinguished Gauntlet of Polo sequence, which additionally contains the C.V. Whitney Cup and the not too long ago concluded USPA Gold Cup.
The victory put GlobalPort again on observe within the preliminary matches following a slender 7-9 loss to favourite La Dolfina/Tamera, the Whitney Cup champion, in final Wednesday’s opening match. GlobalPort subsequent performs USPA Gold Cup winner Park Place on Saturday in a bid to clinch one of many eight quarterfinal slots within the 12-team event.
The luck of the draw put GlobalPort within the event’s hardest group, the so-called “bracket of demise,” the place the groups should play in opposition to three of the hardest groups within the event, together with the winners of the primary two legs of the Gauntlet, in cross-bracket matchups.
Castagnola, the Argentine star who is without doubt one of the prime objective scorers of polo’s winter season in Florida, as soon as once more led GlobalPort’s scoring. Nico Escobar, substituting for Lucas Diaz Alberdi, contributed three objectives, whereas 18-year-old Argentine phenom Beltran Laulhe added one. Romero anchored a strong GlobalPort protection that thwarted shot after shot by BTA.
GlobalPort took an early 2-0 lead within the first chukker and maintained their benefit, main 3-2 within the second and 5-3 at halftime. Nonetheless, BTA fought again fiercely, with the mixed offensive efforts of 10-goaler Tomas Panelo and 5-goaler Steve Krueger preserving the sport shut.
BTA held Castagnola scoreless within the fifth chukker, permitting Krueger to tie the match at 6-6. However Escobar responded, pushing GlobalPort forward 7-6 heading into the ultimate interval.
Within the decisive sixth chukker, Castagnola stepped up with a masterful efficiency. He opened the interval with a profitable 30-yard penalty shot, however BTA’s 7-goaler Nachi Viana responded with a penalty objective of his personal, narrowing the rating to 7-8.
A vital turning level got here when Panelo missed a seemingly simple objective, as his shot hit the left goalpost and bounced out. Seizing the chance, Castagnola placed on a stunning show of horsemanship, dancing round defenders to attain and put GlobalPort past attain at 9-7. A closing penalty conversion by the Argentine star within the closing minute sealed the 10-7 victory.
The win marked GlobalPort’s second overcome BTA within the present Gauntlet sequence, having beforehand defeated them 14-8 within the USPA Gold Cup. Nonetheless, that victory was not sufficient for Romero’s squad to advance to the quarterfinals of that occasion.
Regardless of being a first-timer within the Gauntlet of Polo, GlobalPort has posted spectacular ends in Florida’s winter polo season. The group reached the semifinals of the Whitney Cup, completed second within the 12-goal Bronze Cup, and captured the championship title within the Sterling Cup.
As GlobalPort prepares for its essential match in opposition to Park Place, Romero mentioned the group stays decided and optimistic to proceed its robust run and cement its place among the many world’s prime polo contenders.
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“It’s a tricky match, however we’ll see,” Romero mentioned.
GlobalPort and Park Place cut up their first two conferences within the Gauntlet. GlobalPort gained their first match in the course of the Whitney Cup, whereas Park Place rebounded to win their second assembly within the USPA Gold Cup on their strategy to the championship.
