Fri 16th Apr 2021Scone & Park Place Reach FinalUS Open Polo Championship
Yesterday, Thursday 15 April, saw The US Open Polo Championship Semi Finals played at International Polo Club Palm Beach. The first Semi Final saw Scone pitted against Pilot, with Pilot defending their title but Adolfo Cambiaso looking for a win to celebrate his 46th birthday, spectators watching via livestream were set for a thrilling display of high goal polo. open play saw Scone dominate in offence and defence, limiting the Pieres brothers to no field goals over the first four chukkas, while Scone notched up an impressive 27 shots at goal. Scone’s organisation meant that despite Pilot’s efforts to counter-attack and their faultless scoring from the penalty line (5 for 5), Pilot were outscored with the final chukka opening 12-5 in favour of Scone. Despite producing five goals in the last chukka, Pilot failed to overcome Scone’s earlier advantage and Cambiaso rounded off his birthday with a ticket to the Final for Scone. The second match of the day was between 2021 C.V. Whitney Cup winners, Park Place and La Indiana and was certainly a Semi Final to remember with Park Place making a magnificent comeback. The Semi Final opened with Park Place leading for the first two chukkas, but from the third chukka la Indiana dominated and by the end of the fifth chukka were leading 13-9. Park Place entered the sixth and final chukka, four goals down, but managed to score five consecutive goals, including Matt Coppola’s match-winning goal in the final minute to secure Park Place a 14-13 win. These results mean that Park Place will face Scone in Sunday’s Final, with both teams both having a 2021 Gauntlet of Polo win apiece, it will certainly be an interesting match! Tune in here to watch the action this Sunday. US Open Polo Championship Semi Final Teams: Scone (22): David Paradice (0), Poroto Cambiaso (6), Peke Gonzalez (6) & Adolfo Cambiaso (10) Park Place (22): Andrey Borodin (0), Juan Britos (8), Hilario Ulloa (10) & Matt Coppola (4) La Indiana (22): Nico Escobar (4), Jeff Hall (6), Polito Pieres (10) & Michael Bickford (2) Pilot (22): Curtis Pilot 0, Keko Magrini 2 (1 goal), Gonzalito Pieres 10 (1) & Facundo Pieres (10) Photograph: Peke Gonzalez and Adolfo Cambiaso celebrate Scone's win. By Alex Pacheo |