Audi beat Orchard Hill by 15-9 in US Open Polo Championship
Audi emerged victorious in the round match of the Unites States Open Polo Championship against Orchard Hill by 15-9, improving its position in the mega 26-goal handicaps’ tournament. The one-sided game was contested at the International Polo Club in
Wellington, where Audi scored fifteen goals against the nine of its rival.
Nico Pieres, after missing a couple of opportunities, marked the first goal of the day in the opening minutes of the match and established their first dominance in the game. World’s Number One polo pro, Pablo MacDonough, in a counter-offence scored
a goal and brought Orchard Hill into the score-net. Gonzalito Pieres connected on a spot shot to close out the chukka with Audi leading the game by a single point, 2-1.
The two sides exchanged one goal in the second period and Audi retained its narrow one-goal lead. MacDonough marked a goal from Orchard Hill, while Nico Pieres managed it for Audi. The single-point lead, 3-2 remained in the hands of Audi after the
two chukkas of play.
In the third set of play, a couple of goals from Gonzalito Pieres and a solitary effort from Nico Pieres further expanded the Audi lead up to four goals. MacDonough scored off a penalty-shot, while Hector Galindo made it through a field effort to keep
Orchard Hill in the game. Audi was hanging on to a two-goal advantage, 6-4 at the half time.
MacDonough connected on another spot shot and cut the Audi lead down to a single score. However the strikers of Audi were not less striking onto the field. Gonzalito Pieres converted a mid-field penalty-shot and regained a two-point lead. The World’s
Number One player marked another goal from the field to trim down the lead. But Rodrigo Andrade through well placed two goals expanded the lead up to three points, 9-6.
In the second last chukka, Lucas Criado linked the ball through Audi goal-posts, which was countered by a pair of strikes in the hands of Marc Ganzi and Gonzalito Pieres. It was a classic effort from Ganzi, who lit the lamp through a state-of-the-art
shot. Audi was leading the game by four goals, 11-7 with seven minutes left on the clock.
MacDonough connected on another spot shot at the start of the sixth set of play while managed another score from the field effort. However, it was the last offence from Orchard Hill. Gonzalito notched a couple of goals while his team-mates Nico Pieres
and Andrade managed one goal apiece and sealed the Audi victory in the significant game. Audi won the game by six goals, 15-9.
The triumph improved the lead of Audi 2-0 in the series and almost booked its place in the quarter-final round of the US Open Polo Championship. On the other side, the foursome of Orchard Hill received second defeat in the mega event and would have
to face tough time to remain in the contest.
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