LAHORE: Helped by a hat-trick of Ernesto Trotz, Barry’s outscored Tetra Pak by 5-3 in the final to lift the HBL Pakistan Polo Cup at the Lahore Polo Club ground.
Ernesto Trotz displayed high-quality polo skills and techniques throughout the final and emerged as top scorer with three goals while the remaining two goals came from Shah Shamyl Alam. From the losing side, all the three goals were scored by Edward Banner Eve.
Barry’s had a good start as they thrashed two back-to-back goals to have 2-0 edge in the first chukker. Tetra Pak showed their presence in the second chukker by opening their account through a field goal to reduce the margin to 2-1. Barry’s once again launched a series of attacks on Tetra Pak’s goal and succeeded in converting another goal on a 60-yard penalty to enhance their lead to 3-1.
Barry’s continued their good show in the third chukker as they fired in another field goal to further stretch their lead to 4-1. Tetra Pak once again fought back well and converted one goal in the dying moments of the third chukker to reduce the deficit to 4-2 and then converted a 40-yard penalty successfully in the beginning of the fourth and last chukker to further reduce the margin to 4-3. Tetra Pak then tried their best to level the score but their efforts proved futile as they couldn’t convert a single one while on the other hand, Barry’s not only defended well but also pumped in another fired goal to win the final by 5-3.
Mariano Regal and Manuel Carranza supervised the final as field umpires while Kian Hall was match referee.
Earlier in the subsidiary final, Diamond Paints Blue overpowered Diamond Paints White by 6-3. From Diamond Paints Blue, Bilal Haye hammered a hat-trick while Mumtaz Abbas Niazi contributed with a brace and Mariano Regal one goal. From Diamond Paints White, Mir Huzaifa Ahmed banged in a brace and Hissam Ali Hyder struck one.
Interior Minister Mr. Ijaz Shah was the chief guest, who along with HBL’s Mr. Mehmood Sharif Janjua, and Lahore Polo Club President Malik Atif Yaar Tiwana, distributed prizes and shields among the winners.
