Day 2 of the 128th Argentine Open, the most important polo tournament in the world, took place on Saturday, November 13, at Palermo. It was a spectacular day, with two unforgettable games thrilling fans of all ages.
The opening match, played on ground two, saw La Dolfina Brava and Alegria go head to head. The former saw Tomás Panelo make his Open debut as he subbed in for the injured Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade. Brazil’s Pedrinho Zacharias was also making his Argentine Open debut, representing Alegria. The match was also important because it saw 15-year-old Poroto Cambiaso break the record set by Gonzalito Pieres’ in 1999, when he became the youngest player to competed in the Argentine Open.
The match saw Alegria give their best performance to date – they have been steadily improving since their last games in the Hurlingham Open. Both La Dolfina Brava and Alegria played a fantastic game, fighting hard throughout the eight chukkas. After a very close first half, Alegria managed to gain the upper hand in the first half, but La Dolfina Brava managed to level the score in the second half. Poroto Cambiaso gave a formidable performance, scoring a total of ten goals. By the start of the eighth chukka, La Dolfina Brava and Alegria were tied 12-all, but with 30 seconds left in regulation time Panelo came through to scored the winning goal, giving La Dolfina Brava the 14-13 win.
The first game narrowly avoided going into extra time. But the second game, played on ground one, went into a ninth chukka. The recent winners of the Hurlingham Open, La Natividad, took on Chapaleufu. The latter team is composed of the experienced Julián de Lusarreta and Juan Martín Zavaleta, and up-and-coming stars Rufino Bensadon and Felipe Dabas, who are both playing their first Argentine Open.
The match was preceded by a moving tribute to three remarkable polo personalities and former Presidents of the AAP – Francisco Dorignac, Luis A. Lalor, and Marcos Uranga – all who passed away last April.
And then came the match – a real spectacle! Bautista Heguy, one of the greatest players of the game, watched from the ponylines as Chapaleufu took La Natividad by surprise, outscoring them 4-1 in the first chukka. La Natividad reacted quickly, taking the lead in the following two chukkas, securing a 9-7 advantage by half time, thanks to the formidable Jeta Castagnola, who scored eleven goals. An intense second half followed. The 29-goal Chapaleufu fought hard, led by a brilliant Rufino Bensadon, who at 18-years-old is rated at 7 goals. In this match, Bensadon scored a whopping 15 goals! This achievement places him just under Adolfo Cambiaso who, in his 1992 debut at Palermo scored 16 goals.
La Natividad took a narrow 13-12 advantage in the sixth, but the seventh saw Chapaleufu take a 15-14 lead. La Natividad replied quickly, tying the game 15-all. In the eighth, with two minutes left to play, Rufino converted a 30-yard penalty to retake the lead for Chapaleufu. Polito Pieres puched back, scoring to tie the game with less than a minute left to play. The final bell rang at 16-all, meaning that the game was forced into OT. A 60-yard penalty was awarded to Chapaleufu. Rufino Bensadon stepped up to the plate and sent the ball through the posts! Chapaleufu took the 17-16 victory and left their mark at Palermo! The win was important because it was much more than a victory – the win gave Chapaleufu important points that go towards securing a place in the 2022 Triple Crown.
ARGENTINE OPEN – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13
- LA DOLFINA BRAVA 14-13 ALEGRIA
La Dolfina Brava: Guillermo Terrera 9 (1 goal), Poroto Cambiaso 8 (10, 8 penalties), Tomás Panelo 6 (3), Alejo Taranco 8. Total: 31.
Alegría; Agustín Merlos 7 (5, 1 penalty), Pedro Zacharías 7 (5), Tomás García del Río 7 (2), Fred Mannix 7 (1). Total: 28.
Score La Dolfina Brava: 1-1, 1-4, 4-4, 5-7, 8-10, 12-10, 12-12, 14-13.
Umpires: Matías Baibiene & Gonzalo López Vargas.
Third Man: Rafael Silva.
- CHAPALEUFU 17-16 LA NATIVIDAD (EXTRA CHUKKA)
Chapaleufú: Rufino Bensadón 7 (15 goals, 7 penalties), Juan M. Zavaleta 8 (1), Julián de Lusarreta 7 (1), Felipe Dabas 7. Total: 29.
La Natividad: Camilo Castagnola 9 (11, 6 penalties), Pablo Pieres 9 (2), Bartolomé Castagnola Jr (3) 9, Ignatius du Plessis 9. Total: 36.
Score Chapaleufú: 1-4, 3-5, 5-7, 7-9, 11-11, 12-13, 15-15, 16-16, 17-16.
Umpires: Guillermo Villanueva & José I. Araya.
Third Man: Martín Aguerre.
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128° ARGENTINE OPEN – Fixture & Teams