February 25, 2008	Monday	Safar 17, 1429

LAHORE, Feb 24: Fine horsemanship and marksmanship by Jose Rivas and Hissam Ali Hyder helped ABN Amro Bank lift the national polo championship title, dethroning defending champions Bank Alfalah from monarchy by winning the final 10-7 here on Sunday.

Rivas, who excelled in almost every match of the season, fired six goals while Hissam ably supporting him, added four more for Amro Bank to earn an easy win in this all-important match.

Coming out with a 2-0 lead, the winners were on to a brisk start in the first chukker. First Rivas converted a 30-yard penalty hit with a lofted shot before Hissam banged home with a field goal on his solo effort.

At the start of the second chukker, the losing side called back Raja Samiullah to send in Shah Shamyl Alam. But the move did not pay any dividends as the winners were on song, ending the chukker with a healthier lead of 5-1. Rivas fired all three goals, converting two 40-yard penalties and one of 30 yards. Juan Garcia Grossi, who scored all seven for the losing outfit, opened his account with a field goal.

At the third chukker, the match was titled totally towards the winners with them increasing the lead to 9-2. After Rivas scored his fourth off a 60-yard penalty hit, Hissam struck twice, scoring a field goal on solo effort. But Grossi reduced the lead with his second in the dying moments of the game.

In the fourth chukker, Grossi launched the recovery operations on his own as he earned three goals in a row, capitalising two 30-yard penalties and one field goal to make it 9-5. Hissam pumped in his last goal to make it 10-5 at the end of the fourth chukker.

Though Grossi struggled hard till the final whistle, he could just enter two more in the fifth chukker to make the tally and Bank Alfalah lost the final. Earlier, in the third place match, LG/Rangers defeated Lindt Chocolate after a thrilling 10-9 fight.

Julio Nevillo Astrda scored eight for the winners while Kashif Jamal and Atif Tiwana added one each. For the losing side, Ignacio Toccalino scored seven while Hussain Iftikhar contributed two.