Audi defeat Zacara 14-10 in quarter-final of US Open Polo Championship
Audi handed Zacara their third loss of the ongoing United States Open Polo Championship in the quarter-final match played at the International Polo Club in Wellington. The players of unbeaten Audi displayed an outstanding performance on the field and won
the game by four goals, 14-10.
It was quite an interesting game, as three brothers fought against each other. Nico and Gonzalito Pieres represented Audi while World Number two Facundo Pieres played for Zacara.
The game opened in the hands of Gonzalito Pieres who converted a long 60-yard spot shot, as his brother Nico Pieres doubled the tally. However, the strikers of Zacara were not sitting motionless. Sebastian Merlos and Facundo Pieres scored one goal each and
had it all even at two-all. Facundo and Nico Pieres exchanged one goal and again to level the score at three-all at the end of the first seven and half minutes of play.
The players from both the sides started a more aggressive game in the second round action and scored six goals in the period. Facundo Pieres scored a couple of go-ahead goals creating pressure for Audi in the game. Rodrigo Andrade notched first goal of the
day and showed his presence on the field. Facundo, who was at his best, converted another two penalty shots to regain the lead for Zacara.
Nico Pieres was awakened in the last minutes of the chukka and marked a couple of goals but failed to reduce the large lead. Zacara was hanging on to a two-point, 7-5 lead at the end of the second period.
The players of Audi cranked up their offence in the third set of play and ruined the defensive line of Zacara in the game. They obtained four points while holding Zacara scoreless in the period. Gonzalito connected on a spot shot while his team-mate Andrade
added a goal from the field to tie the score at seven-all.
In the later time, Nico Pieres and Andrade scored one goal apiece and established their first dominance in the period. It was the start of Zacara’s downfall, as they could not score even a single goal in the next two chukkas.
In the fourth set of play, Gonzalito and Nico Pieres scored two and one goal respectively and expanded the lead up to five points.
Nico Pieres and Marc Ganzi scored one point apiece in the second last period to fix an insurmountable Audi lead in the game. Zacara was trailing by seven goals, 14-7 with one round left to play.
Zacara made a come-back into the game in the final period and scored three goals but to no avail. Sebastian, Facundo Piers and Carlos Gracida scored once each in the period and reduced the lead down to four points. Though the Audi team remained scoreless,
they rode off the field with a 14-10 victory and set a spot in the semi-finals of the US Open Polo Championship.
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