Justo Cuitiño scored the winning goal in extra chukka to secure Habtoor a 8-7 win over Green Gates to capture the Polo Masters Cup, second tournament of the Dubai Gold Cup Series, following the final played on Friday at Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club.
Habtoor closed the first chukka with a 1-0 lead, but Green Gates revved up in the second, led by the powerful skills of Spaniard man, Pelayo Berazadi, who managed to produce four goals to outscore Habtoor 4-2. Justo Cuitiño scored Habtoor’s single goal within that second chukka.
The match was more intense in the two next following chukkas. While Berazadi seized the reins for Green Gates, J.J. Díaz Alberdi and Felix Esain were crucial to achieve the comeback for Mohammed Al Habtoor’s foursome. It was Díaz Alberdi who found the flags with less than a minute remaining in the last chukka to send the match into OT, when Cuitiño sealed the deal.
The Subsidiary Trophy went to Hesketh, who beat Mahra 6-4. Following two tight first chukkas, Hesketh managed to dominate Mahra quite easily in the second part. However, the Mahra boys always attempted to close the gap as much as they could, but at the end of the day, the effort didn’t pay off.
The Dubai Gold Cup Series’ next step is the coveted Gold Cup (Dubai Open), the most important competition of the series, that will kick off on February 18.
HABTOOR 8 vs. GREEN GATES 7
Habtoor: Mohammed Al Habtoor 0, Felix Esain 2 (2 goals) Juanjo Díaz Alberdi 3 (4, 2 penalties), Justo Cuitiño 3 (2). Total: 8.
Green Gates: Noor Abukhadra -1, Santos Iriarte 0, Pelayo Berazadi 5 (7, 4 penalties), Tomás Iriarte 4. Total: 8.
Score Habtoor: 1-0, 2-4, 4-6, 7-7, 8-7.
MVP: Felix Esain.
BPP: Open Dorotea, played by Mohammed Al Habtoor.
HESKETH 6 vs. MAHRA 4
HESKETH: Kim Roche -1, Raja Abuljebain 0, Manuel Plaza 6, Tomás Palacios 3. Total: 8.
Mahra: Khalaf Al Habtoor 0, Tariq Al Habtoor 1, Tuki Ruiz Guiñazú 4, Alejandro Gowland 3. Total: 8.
Score Hesketh: 1-1, 3-2, 5-3, 6-4.
THE FINALS OF THE POLO MASTERS CUP WERE STREAMED LIVE ON POLOLINE HERE.
IMAGES
Video Interview with Justo Cuitiño
POLO MASTERS CUP – THE TEAMS:
Habtoor: Mohammed Al Habtoor 0, Felix Esain 2, Juanji Díaz Alberdi 3, Justo Cuitiño 3. Total: 8.
Green Gates: Noor Abukhadra -1, Santos Iriarte 0, Pelayo Berazadi 5, Tomás Iriarte 4. Total: 8.
Mahra: Khalaf Al Habtoor 0, Tariq Al Habtoor 1, Tuki Ruiz Guiñazú 4, Alejandro Gowland 3. Total: 8.
UAE: Sheika Maitha Al Maktoum 0, Martin Bracco 2, Hazel Jackson 2, Benjamín Panelo 4. Total: 8.
HESKETH: Kim Roche -1, Raja Abuljebain 0, Manuel Plaza 6, Tomás Palacios 3. Total: 8.