LAHORE, Nov 1: A timely three-goal burst by Taimur Mawaz helped En vogue to enter the final of the Guard Rice polo tournament, beating Guard Filter 6-5 1/2 after a thrilling encounter at the LPC Ground on Saturday.
Taimur, who scored four goals in the match, drew first blood in the first chukker converting a 30 yards penalty-hit to eliminate the half goal lead of Filter on handicap. Ali Hassan increased it to 2- 1/2 by scoring a field goal before the chukker ended.
Filter retaliated with three quick goals and conceded one to again take the lead 3 1/2 - 3 by virtue of their half goal handicap. Feroze Gulzar and Faaiz Rahim who scored two goals in this match struck their first while Usman Hayee chipped in a goal for Filter. En vogue’s solitary goal of this chukker was scored by Taimur Malik.
Filter took a lead 5 1/2-4 by scoring two more goals in the third chukker against one they conceded. Feroze and Faaiz scored a goal each for Filter before Taimur started his goal spree in the dying minutes of this chukker and completed in the fourth chukker to turn the table over Filter.
Taimur scored his second goal converting a 30 yards penalty hit in the third chukker and back to back goals in the fourth to make the tally.
In the subsidiary matches of two chukkers, each, Agri Mall defeated Guard Rice 4-0. Ahmad Ali Tiwana (2) and Jawad Malik and Raja Amir scored a goal, each.
Rice faced second defeat when Diamond Paints beat them 4-2 1/2. Maula Baksh (2), Ali Husnain and Abid Nawaz added a goal each for Paints.
Rice were playing with a half goal handicap and their scorers were Taimur Malik and Malik Asif Tiwana.
Agri Mall struggled to beat Diamond Paints 5 1/2-4.
For Agri Mall, Ahmad Ali scored three goals while Asma Hayee and Raja Amir added a goal each. Half goal was the handicap.
For Paints, Abid Nawaz scored three goals while Ali Husnain a goal.
En vogue play the final against Ravi Autos on Sunday.