Lechuza edge past Las Monjitas in US Open Polo Championship semi-final
Juan Martin Nero lit the lamp eight times, including the game-winner, in the sudden-death period, as Lechuza powered an 11-10 win over Las Monjitas in the semi-final match of the United States Open Polo Championship.
The hardly contested game was played at the International Polo Club in Wellington, city of Florida. With the impressive victory, Lechuza set a spot in the finals of the historic tournament.
The team of Las Monjitas had strong punches in the opening game, wrapped up some points from Nero in the first and second chukkas and kept back the lead in the last set of play to conclude the long trip with a crucial success.
The squad of Lechuza started the game quite vigorously, obtained three goals in the hands of Nero and established early lead in the game. However, the attackers from Las Monjitas were not sitting motionless, as Eduardo Astrada and Agustin Merlos scored one
goal each to bring their team into the score-net.
The action in the second period paced up and both the teams scored three and two goals in the seven and half minute of play. Sapo Caset and Nero scored off two and one penalty-shot respectively, and expanded the lead up to four points. Merlos converted a
spot-shot, while Santiago Toccalino marked a goal from the field to remain in the game. Las Monjitas trailed by two goals, 6-4 at the end of the second frame.
Both the teams calmed down, as only two goals were scored in the third chukka. Nero scored a goal for Lechuza, while Toccalino managed it for Las Monjitas. At the end of the first half of play, Lechuza was hanging on to a two-point lead, 7-5.
In the second half action, the strikers from Las Monjitas cranked up their offence and reduced the Lechuza lead down to a single point. Merlos marked a couple of goals while his team-mate, Toccalino, converted another penalty-shot. From the opposing side,
Nero scored two times to retain their lead, 9-8 in the game.
Nero scored a goal in the second last chukka to further stretch the lead, but it was countered by a goal from Merlos. Las Monjitas was one goal away from the lead with one chukka left to play, 10-9.
The aggression in the game further increased in the final period and both the teams started playing the game at a fast pace. No goal was scored from the two sides until the last minute of the game, when Merlos converted a spot-shot to level the score. The
two teams moved into the sudden-death overtime with holding a 10-10 dead-lock with them on the sidelines.
Three minutes into the extra-time, Nero managed to take the ball, rode away 150 yards downfield to play game-winning hit. Lechuza rode away the field with an 11-10 win and earned a spot in the grand finale against Audi.
Tags: