LAHORE, 8th Mar 2023: Master Paints/Newage Cables and Diamond Paints won the opening day matches of the Century Ventures National Open Polo Championship for Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup 2023 that commenced here at Lahore Polo Club on Tuesday. Simon Prado’s eight excellent goals guided Master Paints/Newage Cables to a 10-8 win over Master Paints in the first match of the day. Besides Prado’s excellence, Juan Cruz Greguol contributed with a brace. For Master Paints, Manuel Crespo cracked a quartet while Agha Musa Ali Khan hit 2 goals and Pelagio Balazaldi and Sufi M Haroon struck one goal each.
The first chukker saw both the teams starting well against each other to end it at 2-2. Master Paints dominated the second chukker to take a 5-2 lead. Master Paints/Newage bounced back in the third chukker by scoring a brace, to reduce the margin to 4-5.
They maintained their dominance in the fourth chukker as well to gain a 7-6 lead. The fifth and last chukker saw both the sides playing well, but Master Paints/Newage hammered a hat-trick of goals against two by Master Paints to win the match by 10-8. Mir Huzaifa Ahmad and Chulo Corti excelled in the second match, where Diamond Paints routed Remounts by 9-6. Both Mir Huzaifa Ahmed and Chulo Corti played brilliantly for Diamond Paints and hammered a hat-trick each, while Ahmed Ali Tiwana struck a brace and Nico Roberts hit one goal. For Remounts, Manuel Sundblad smashed five goals and Ahmed Zubair Butt hit one.
Diamond Paints started the match well and put Remounts under pressure to take the lead in the first chukker. Remounts bounced back in the second chukker to level the score but Diamond Paints once again started playing aggressive polo to take a healthy lead, which remained intact in the fourth and fifth chukker, thus Diamond Paints emerging as winner of the matc by 9-6. Lahore Polo Club President Umar Sadiq, executive committee members, polo players and many spectators and families were present to watch the exciting polo matches at Lahore Polo Club.
Reference Link: https://www.nation.com.pk/08-Mar-2023/mp-newage-dp-win-century-ventures-national-open-polo-openers
