LAHORE, Oct 31: Five brilliant goals by Faaiz Rahim Khan, including a hat trick, helped Gladiators defeat Master Paints 7 1/2-4 in the inaugural Cup polo tournament at the Lahore Polo Club (LPC) Wednesday.

In another match, Deutsche Bank beat Travel Quest 6 1/2-5) with Sufi Mohammad Amir strucking thrice for the winning side and Aurangzeb Monnoo scoring two goals.

The final of the tournament will be played on Nov 4 at 3:30 pm.

Gladiators enjoyed a one-and-a-half goals advantage on the handicap and pumped in six goals during the course of play.

Faaiz Rahim Khan not only scored the only goal of the first chukker through a field effort but also struck at the start of the second chukker. Master Paints retaliated through Ahmad Nawaz Khan and Taimur Malik who scored their only goals during the same chukker to reduce the margin to 3 1/2-2.

At start of the third chukker, Sufi Mohammad Haris scored to help Master Paints edge closer. But Faaiz Rahim Khan struck again to complete his hat-trick and increase Gladiators lead to 4 1/2-3.

Gladiators dominated the fourth chukker in which Faaiz Rahim Khan starred. He scored his fourth goal on a 30-yard penalty-hit and thereafter, scored a field goal. Kamran Nooruddin added one goal for the Gladiators.

Shortly before the conclusion of fourth chukker, Shafa Noon reduced margin to make the score 7 1/2-4.

Teams:

Gladiators: Kamran Nooruddin (0), Feroze Gulzar (-1), Faaiz Rahim Khan (1), Faisal Ejaz (-2).

Master Paints: Taimur Malik (-2), Ahmad Nawaz Tiwana (0), Sufi Mohammad Haris (1), Shafa Noon (0).

Deutsche Bank also enjoyed a one-and-a-half goals advantage on the handicap and put in five goals during play.

For the winning Quartet, Sufi Mohammad Amir scored the first two goals of the first chukker and put in his third goal in the fourth chukker. Aurangzeb Monnoo struck in the first and second chukkers.

Ashfaq played well for the losing Travel Quest side scoring three goals. He scored two goals in the second chukker on field efforts and scored his third goal on a 30-yard penalty-hit in the fourth chukker.

Shehzad Aziz scored the other two goals for Travel Quest team. He struck in the third chukker and thereafter, converted a 30-yard penalty-hit in the fourth chukker.

Teams:

Deutsche Bank: Mir Shoaib Ahmad (0), Aurangzeb Monnoo (0), Tanvir Tariq (-2), Sufi Mohammad Amir (0).

Travel Quest: Shehzad Aziz (0), Zubair Shaheen Kumman (0), Ashfaq (2), Ali Riaz (-2).