Bendabout edge past Pony Express by 11-9 in USPA US Open Polo Championship
In the round match of the United States Open Polo Championship, Pony Express failed to change its fate and lost the third consecutive game in the hands of Bendabout by 11-9 at the International Polo Club in Wellington, Florida.
Bendabout succeeded to manage its third victory in the 26-goal handicap tournament, as it charged past Pony Express by two goals, 11-9. Bob Daniels, the striker of Pony Express, made a classic comeback after a three-week long rest due to ribs injury and
scored five goals. However, the luck was not with them and they lost the game.
Daniels was the man who opened the chukka and as well closed out the period. His team-mate, Juan Garcia Grossi, connected on a penalty-shot and increased the scoring. Gillian Johnston, the legendary player of Bendabout, scored his first goal of the day and
brought his team into the game. Pony Express was leading the game by two goals, 3-1 after the first seven and half minute action.
Two goals were scored from both sides in the second round, as Pony Express retained its lead. Magoo Laprida and Johnston marked one goal each in the period for Bendabout. Daniels notched another two goals to keep his team inaction and trailed by two goals,
5-3.
The speed of the game continued to gear up with the passage of every other chukka. Julio Arellano connected on a spot-shot in the third set of play, while Johnston added a field point. Bautista Heguy scored a goal from the field to get the lead, but it could
last only for a while. Johnston and Laprida added one goal apiece and took the game under their control. Maureen Brennan (substitute of Daniels) scored his first goal of the contest to tie the knots at seven-all.
The defensemen from the two teams demonstrated most stiff part of the game, as only one goal was scored in the period. The strikers of Pony Express became cooled down in the second half. Sugar Erskine of Bendabout notched the only goal of the day to take
a single goal, 8-7 advantage.
The second last set of play opened with a penalty-conversion from Arellano, which was countered by a field effort in the hands of Daniels. It reduced the difference to a single point and made the game more interesting. Laprida scored another goal which was
responded by a penalty conversion from Santiago Chavanne, as Bendabout kept back its one goal lead, 10-9, with one chukka left to fight.
The two teams adopted the most offensive strategies of the game, but could not make huge margin in the final period. Only one goal was scored which also belonged to the leading side.
The stiff defence-line of Bendabout kept Pony Express off the scoreboard and won the game by a convincing two-goal lead, 11-9. The triumph increased the chances for Bendabout to set a place in the quarter-final round of the 2011 US Open Polo Championship.
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