Zedan Polo qualify for Gold Cup semi-finals

Dubai: Zedan Polo are the third team to qualify for the semi-finals of the Julius Baer Gold Cup 2015.

Zedan recorded their third straight win with an 11-10 result against UAE Polo to top Group B and secure their place alongside Julius Baer by Habtoor Polo and Bin Drai Polo in the semi-finals of the annual competition.

There is now just one spot available and it will be a three-way battle between Abu Dhabi Polo, UAE Polo and Desert Palm 2.

In Wednesday’s other match, Faris Al Yabhouni’s Abu Dhabi Polo kept their hopes alive with a 13-8 win over Desert Palm 1.

After a 1-1 stalemate at the end of the opening chukka, Abu Dhabi went on a scoring spree in the second with five unanswered goals to make it 6-1.

In the third chukka, Desert Palm 1 managed to score three goals but still their opponents enjoyed an 8-4 lead. It was 9-6 at the end of the fourth and, in the final chukka, Abu Dhabi scored another four goals and restricted Desert Palm 1 to just two to finish with a comfortable win.

Zedan Polo’s 11-10 win against UAE Polo was an exciting one, with Pablo MacDonough and Lucas Monteverde dominating the game with a fine display of polo skills.

UAE were the first to lead with a 5-3 cushion at the end of the second chukka, only to see Zedan come back strongly in the third for an 8-6 lead.

The final three minutes were the most exciting, with UAE Polo tying the score 9-9 and then going ahead 10-9 with just 60 seconds remaining. But MacDonough came up with a solo effort in the final seconds to clinch the encounter 11-10 and put Zedan into the semi-finals.

The Julius Baer Gold Cup will continue at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club with the last qualifying games of Group A on Friday. Julius Baer by Habtoor Polo will face Bin Drai at 2pm, before Ghantoot will take on Mahra Polo.