The Quarter Finals Set with Wins from HB, RH, Sifani and La Bamba de Areco
The final four teams for the Quarter Finals were decided on Tuesday 31 May and Wednesday 1 June in four knock out matches.
On Tuesday 1 May, the previously winless RH Polo upset Britannia El Remanso by defeating them 10-9 in a very close and fraught match. Trailing throughout the match, but always managing to remain within a goal’s distance of Britannia El Remanso, RH were determined that this match would be their first, and most important win of the tournament. Pushing it right until the final whistle, RH’s Nico Pieres just managed to squeak in that all important last goal to steal the victory 10-9 and seal their place in the Quarter Finals against Zacara.
The Final three spots were decided by three matches on Wednesday 1 June. The first contest of the day was a match of equals with 8th placed HB Polo playing 9th placed Valiente/Dubai. The writing was on the wall by half-time, with Valiente/Dubai failing to score at all in the first three chukkas, giving the Pailloncy brothers’ HB Polo a massive 8-2 lead going into the fourth. Valiente/Dubai finally got into the game, scoring four goals to none in reply from HB Polo, but the damage had been done. Valiente/Dubai failed to score at all again in the sixth and so HB won 12-8, earning them a Quarter Final contest against Dubai on Saturday morning.
Sifani won their second game of this year’s tournament to earn them a Quarter Final match against La Indiana on Sunday 5 June. Hilali Noordeen’s team defeated Apes Hill 9-8 in a close game at Coworth Park. This was a battle between the two Tomlinson boys – Mark for Apes Hill and Luke for Sifani – but there was little air between these two sides for much of the match. The score was 3-3 at half-time and 5-5 after the fourth. Two goals to Sifani in the fifth, to only one from Apes Hill, gave Sifani that all important edge. Then with both teams scoring two goals in the final chukka, that one goal difference was enough to see Sifani through to the next round.
The final knockout match of the day was another surprising result. The highly regarded Talandracas were knocked out by La Bamba De Areco. Talandracas led after the first chukka, but Jean François Decaux’s La Bamba came back into the game and levelled the scores, 3-3 at half-time. They then pulled away in the second half and went on to take victory 9-8. Winning when it matters propels La Bamba into the Quarter Finals and a match against the current title holders, King Power at 3pm on Saturday 4 June.
The Cartier Queen’s Cup Quarter Finals
Saturday 4 June
11am Dubai vs HB Polo
3pm King Power Foxes vs La Bamba De Areco
Sunday 5 June
11am La Indiana vs Sifani
3pm Zacara vs RH Polo (The winner will receive the Gerard Leigh Cup)
To catch up on all the news from the previous first round matches follow the links below:
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four and Five
Day Six
Day Seven
Day Eight and Nine
Photograph: The Tomlinson brothers battle it out on opposing teams for a place in the Quarter Finals. By ©www.imagesofpolo.com
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