Las Monjitas edge past Lechuza by 11-10 in USPA Piaget Gold Cup
Agustin Merlos marked the game-winning goal in the final set of play, as Las Monjitas succeeded to edge past Lechuza by 11-10 in the quarter-final match of the USPA Piaget Gold Cup being played at the International Polo Club, Wellington.
It was a nail-biting contest, as the duo competitor teams were unbeaten so far in the tournament. Both Las Monjitas and Lechuza have earned victories with great margin in their respective group matches and established their dominance in the event.
The game unfolded at a very fast tempo, as gun-striking machines from both sides hurled goals in the first seven and half minute action. Agustin Merlos scored a couple of goals at the start of the first chukka and put Las Monjitas ahead on the score-board.
The striker of Lechuza, Sapo Caset, connected on a couple of penalty-shots and tied the knots at two-all. Another Las Monjitas goal went up on the score-board from Eduardo Astrada to end the first round, with Las Monjitas leading the game by one point,
3-2.
The attackers of Las Monjitas continued their offence in the second chukka and received two goals while limiting Lechuza only for a single point. Astrada and Merlos notched one goal each, getting a goal from the field and converting another through
a penalty-shot. Caset scored the solitary goal for Lechuza and trailed two points, 5-3 after the second set of play.
The fascinating phase of the game started in the third set of play, when the results were tied at seven-all. Santiago Toccalino and his team-mate, Merlos, scored off a spot-shot and a goal from the field respectively, and put Las Monjitas ahead on
the score-board with a four-goal lead. But from the other side, Caset rendered an outstanding performance and levelled the score. He led all the action and ran four goals in the seven and half minute period. Both teams left the field after the first half action
with a seven-all dead-lock.
The game moved ahead with less momentum and both the teams exchanged a couple of goals in the fourth and fifth frames. Caset notched the points for Lechuza, while Merlos did it for Las Monjitas and had it all even at 9-all, with one chukka left to
play.
The final frame was most critical part of the game where both the sides put their most offensive efforts to score the go-ahead goal. Merlos succeeded to convert a penalty-shot for Las Monjitas, but it was countered with a goal from Caset. Both teams
in a fear of sudden-death overtime started most aggressive game in the concluding minutes. Las Monjitas carried out numerous attacks and created severe pressure on Lechuza. Lechuza in the last minutes committed a foul and awarded Las Monjitas a penalty shot,
which they did not miss. Merlos connected on the spot-shot perfectly and sealed the Las Monjitas triumph at 11-10.
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