Valiente and Park Place are set to play the championship match of the US Open Polo Championship, the most important tournament of the United States and the highlight of the prestigious Gauntlet of Polo, after their respective wins in the semifinals, played on Thursday April 20, at the USPA-owned National Polo Center Wellington, in Wellington, Florida.
Valiente and Pilot opened fire. The match was stopped in the first chukka, after Valiente’s top scorer Lucas Criado Jr., suffered a fall, that fortunately had no consequences for the player at all. Agustín Nero subbed in for Lucas, while Rufino Merlos filled in for Bob Jornayvaz, to make it at 22-goals. The contest was very tight, with both teams presenting a hard battle, and was not said and done until the last chukka, when Valiente outscored Pilot 2-1 to earn a 11-9 win and the first ticket to the final. Valiente’s contenders in the final are Park Place, who had no trouble to defeat MAG 11-8.
US OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP – SEMIFINALS – THURSDAY APRIL 20
VALIENTE 11-9 PILOT
Pilot: Curtis Pilot 0, Matias Gonzalez 4 (1 goal), Facundo Pieres 10 (6), Matias Torres Zavaleta 8 (2). Total: 22
Valiente: Bob Jornayvaz 0**, Peke Gonzalez 6 (4 goals), Lucas Criado Jr. 6* (1), Adolfo Cambiaso 10 (4) . Total: 22.
*Subbed in by Agustin Nero 5 (1 goal) in the second chukka.
**Subbed in by Rufino Merlos 1 (1 goal), in the second chukka.
Umpires: Kimo Huddleston & Gastón Lucero. Third man: Martín Pascual.
ScoreValiente: 1-1, 3-3, 5-6, 8-8, 9-8, 11-9.
PARK PLACE vs. MAG
Park Place: Andrey Borodin 0, Juan Britos 9 (2 goals), Hilario Ulloa 10 (9), Jason Wates, 3. Total: 22.
MAG: Santino Magrini 4 (2 goals), Keko Magrini 5 (1), Santi Toccalino 8 (4), Nachi Viana 5 (1). Total: 22.
Score Park Place: 2-1, 4-3, 6-4, 7-4, 10-6, 11-8.
Umpires: Julian Appleby & Martín Pascual. Third man: Steve Dalton.
IMAGES
US Open Polo Championship, Semifinals
Valiente and Park Place are due to decide the US Open Polo Championship on Sunday April 23.