LAHORE: ASC Polo Team defeated PBG Risala by seven and a half goal to five in the opening match of historical The Lotus Aibak Polo Cup 2020 played at the Lahore Polo Club ground.
The major contribution from the winning side, which had one a half goal handicap advantage, came from Raja Samiullah, Raja Mikael Sami and Eulogio Celestino, as they all contributed with a brace each. PBG Risala also fought well against the winners and matched fire-with-fire till the end, but their efforts were futile in the end.
Dfr Saqib Raheem was key contributor from the losing side with two goals while Nicholas A Recaite, Hamza Mawaz Khan and Lt. Col. Rabnawaz Tiwana scored one goal each. In the highly-charged first chukker, PBG Risala were off to flying start as they thrashed in two back-to-back goals – one each by Nicholas A Recaite and Hamza Mawaz Khan – to have 2-0 edge. ASC then bounced back in great style and slammed in two back-to-back goals – one each by Raja Samiullah and Raja Mikael – to draw the score at 2-all.
In the dying moments of the first chukker, PBG fired in a field goal through Dfr Saqib Raheem to gain a slight 3-2 lead. ASC started the second chukker by converting a field goal through Eulogio Celestino to equalise the score at 3-3. PBG then launched a series of attacks on ASC goal and succeeded in scoring a field goal through Dfr Saqib Raheem to enjoy 4-3 lead again, which could not last long as ASC fired in a fantastic field goal through Raja Mikael to square the things at 4-all. The third chukker proved to be a game-changer as it was fully dominated by ASC team, which banged in a beautiful brace – one each by Raja Samiullah and Eulogio Celestino – to have 6-4 lead. PBG though fired in a field goal in the fourth and last chukker to reduce the deficit to 6-5, yet it was all they could get from the match. When the final whistle was blown, ASC were enjoying a slight 6-5 edge while with one and a half goal handicap advantage, ASC won the opener by 7.5-6.
Nicholas Scortichini and Martin Fewster supervised the match as field umpires while George Meyrick was match referee.
