LAHORE, April 15: A three-goal rally in the last chukker failed to save Master Paints from defeat against Green Earth Recycling (GER) who won 5-4 in the opening match of the Guard Rice cup polo tournament on Tuesday.

The winners were playing with two goals on handicap.

Ashfaq drew the first blood scoring a goal for Master  to reduce the lead 2-1 in the first chukker.

GER dominated the second chukker to make it 4-1 by adding two  goals. Shah Shamyl Alam and Kamran Zaidi shared the  scoring honours.

Master started the rally after GER had scored their fifth goal  through Sheikh Ayaz which made it 5-1 in the  beginning  of the  third chukker. Kamran Noor-ud-Din and Sufi Amir scored  back to back goals for Master to reduce the margin to 5-3.

Amir further narrowed the margin to 5-4 by scoring a the only goal of  the fourth chukker.