Audi thrash Hawks to qualify for USPA Piaget Gold Cup semi-finals – US Polo Recap
Gonzalito Pieres and his brother Nico Pieres performed brilliantly and each had an assist, as Audi rode to a 13-8 victory over the Hawks in the quarter-final match of the United States Polo Association Piaget Gold Cup. The crucial competition was held at
the International Polo Club in Wellington, as Audi succeeded to get a spot in the semi-finals of the tournament.
Audi had some key punches in the opening, rolling up some points from Gonzalito Pieres and Rodrigo Andrade in the second and third rounds, and kept back the lead in the final period to end a long trip with an important victory.
The two teams started the game aggressively, but could not make a huge margin in the first seven and half minute of action. The teams exchanged one score in the period and left the field with a tie-up. Freddie Mannix scored a goal for the Hawks, as Pieres
managed it for Audi.
The pace of the game continued to accelerate and both teams adopted more offensive strategies. However, the strikers of Audi succeeded to dominate the game and received three goals while holding the Hawks to a single point. The trio of Audi including Marc
Ganzi, Rodrigo Andrade and Gonzalito Pieres scored one goal each and expanded the lead to three scores. Mariano Gonzales scored the only goal of the game for the Hawks. The period ended with Audi sitting on top with a commanding two-goal 4-2 advantage.
Both teams swapped two goals in the period and went into the second half with Audi leading by two goals. Mannix and his team-mate Gonzalez notched one goal each for the Hawks, which were countered by a couple of goals from Pieres and Andrade. The Hawks were
trailing by three goals, 6-3 at the half-time.
The teams showed stiff defence and exchanged only one goal in the fourth set of play. Gonzalito scored a goal for Audi, as Mannix responded with a penalty conversion. The chukka ended with the Hawks trailing three goals, 7-4.
The second last frame also belonged to Audi, which obtained another three goals while reducing the Hawks to a single score. Pieres and Andrade nailed two and one goal respectively and further stretched the lead to six points. Mannix, the same goal-scorer
pumped in another goal for the Hawks and cut the lead down to five scores, 10-5 with one chukka left to contest.
The Hawks attack came alive in the final set of play and they earned three goals, but were countered with three goals from Audi. The trio of Hawks including Gonzales, Julian Mannix and his brother Freddie Mannix added one score each and improved their position
in the game. However, Ganzi, Nico and Gonzalito Pieres nailed one goal each in the final set of play and sealed the Audi triumph at 13-8. With the win, Audi set a place in the semi-finals round.
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