Audi to face Valiente in US Open Polo Championship semi-finals
Audi will take on Valiente in the semi-final match of the United States Open Polo Championship scheduled to be held on Saturday, April 13 at the International Polo Club in Wellington, Florida.
A miracle would be needed by Valiente to overcome the undefeated Audi team to set a spot in the finals of the third leg tournament of the Triple Crown.
Audi after winning all the contests in the event must be feeling confident about the chances to qualify for the finals of the tournament.
Audi
The foursome of Audi, comprising of some Argentinean polo pros, has high anticipations to win the title of the US Open.
It is currently holding one of the top positions in the event with four victories. It defeated Pony Express in the first game by five points while managed a victory over Las Monjitas by two goals. In the third contest, it overwhelmed Orchard Hill by six
goals. It continued winning spirit and thrashed Zacara in the quarter-final game by four points.
Audi marked 56 goals, while received only 39 in the four appearances. They have an inclination to get things for granted, thus the semi-final against Valiente will be an excellent litmus test of their game level.
Valiente
The Valiente outfit has not much impressive track record in the tournament, but still they managed a spot in the top four teams. It performed brilliantly in the quarter-final match to defeat talented Hawks by a single point.
The start was very disappointing, as Valiente received a defeat in the hands of Las Monjitas by a solitary goal. However, they managed to upgrade their level and won all the next games in the event. It outclassed Pony Express with seven points while edged
past Orchard Hill by one score.
In the quarter-final match, they overcome Hawks by a single goal and earned a place in the semi-final round. It is vital to mention here that they lost to Crab Orchard in the semi-finals of the 2010 US Open. It scored some 47 points while conceded only 39
goals in the four appearances.
Players to watch
Nico and Gonzalito Pieres (Audi)
The Gonzalito brothers are on a high momentum in the underway tournament. Their physical presence on the field will be crucial to Audi’s chances against Valiente. Gonzalito Pieres particularly will be player to watch out for as far as the Audi team is concerned.
The combination of Pieres brothers has been in superlative point-scoring form and this pair made the victories possible in the event so far.
Nacho Astrada (Valiente)
Nacho Astrada has been firing on all cylinders in the US Open Polo Championship for Valiente. The goal-scoring machine was Valiente’s standout performer, who made numerous victories possible in the current season. If Nacho gets scoring in the semi-final
then the Valiente team can very well end up the game.
Predictions
Considering the previous performances of the two teams, Audi can easily be declared as the favourite for the victory. They are expected to win the game by three goals.
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