LAHORE: HN Polo Team and Diamond Paints recorded victories on the opening day of the Tower 21 Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup Open here at the Lahore Polo Club ground on Tuesday.

The first match, HN Polo defeated DS Polo/Rizvi’s 9-7 with Tito Ruiz contributing seven goals for the victors. Tito was ably assisted by Saqib Khan Khakwani who scored a beautiful brace. Saqib was included in the side in place of injured Raja Samiullah.

From DS Polo/Rizvi’s, Marcos Panelo smashed four goals while Max Charlton made a hat-trick.

In a nail-biting encounter Diamond Paints edged out Rough Riders Polo Team 5-4.

The winners’ Juan Ambroggio scored a brace while while Ahmed Ali Tiwana, Mir Shoaib Ahmed and Guy Gibrat converted one goal apiece. From Rough Riders, Julio Novillo Astrada claimed in three goals and Saqib Khan Khakwani struck one.

After Rough Riders took a 1-0 lead Diamond Paints made a strong comeback scoring two back-to-back goals to move ahead 2-1. Diamond Paints carried on their good show in the second chukker banging another brace to make it 4-1 while Rough Riders converted one to reduce the margin to 4-2. The only goal of the third chukker came from Rough Riders. In the fourth and decisive chukker, Diamond Paints fired a field goal to have a 5-3 lead while Rough Riders managed to add one more goal.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2022