Noon beat defending champions, Bin Drai, by a 9-5.5 score and claimed the EMAAR Cup, in the final that took place at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, in Dubai. It’s worth noticing that Noon won this competition for the first time.
The day opened with a youth contest between a EMAAR Polo Team and Polo Academy Team, who played a remarkable match. The final result was decided in the last chukka when EMAAR produced a remarkable goal in the last minutes of play.
The main field of the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club awaited the final of the EMAAR Cup; Bin Drai received a goal and a half on handicap, and Bin Drai took advantage of it in the two firstc hukkas. By half time, the Bin Drai family’s foursome were leading for half a goal. But Noon bounced back in the second half and under the command of Teo Lacau and Bautista Alberdi, they managed to overturn the result, to secure Rashid Alabbar’s team the 9-5.5 win and their first title ever.
Prior to the main final, Equiti and Abu Dhabi played for the Subsidiary Cup. Although Faris Al Yabhouni’s team earned an advantage due to successful penalty conversions by Cacu Araya, luck was on Equiti’s side, who won by a narrow 6.5-6.
EMAAR CUP – FINAL – SUNDAY FEBRUARY 23
NOON POLO 9-6.6 BIN DRAI
Noon: Rashid Alabbar 0, Bautista Alberdi 3 (2 goals), Teo Lacau 7 (7), Sebastián Dawnay 2 (2). Total: 12.
Bin Drai: Mohammed Bin Drai 3 (1 goal), Santos Solari 2 (1), Khalid Bin Drai 1 (1), Kian Hall 4 (1). Total: 10.
Score Noon: 2-2.5, 3-3.5, 6-4.5, 9-5.5
Umpires: Matías Baibiene & Peter Wright.
Third man: Santiago Torreguitar
MVP: Teo Lacau.
BPP: Coqueta, ridden by Mohammed Bin Drai.
RELIVE THE EMAAR CUP ON POLOLINE TV HERE.