La California rallies for 8-7 come-from-behind win in Jockey Club Open semifinal.

La California (Diego Cavanagh, Guillermo Terrera, Ignatius Du Plessis and Tomas Garcia Del Rio) rallied from a three goal deficit to score four consecutive goals to beat the 36-goal Casablanca team (Facundo Sola, Pablo MacDonough, Milo Araujo and Juan Martin Nero) 8-7 and earn a berth in the 2013 Jockey Club Open finals against Chapaleufú (Alberto Heguy, Francisco Elizalde, Bautista Heguy and Eduardo Heguy) Saturday afternoon at 3PM.

Rain caused the postponement of the original match and moved it to the Argentine Polo Association’s Alfredo Lalor Field grounds at Pilar.

Despite an intimidating Casablanca lineup that included 10-goalers Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero, a balanced opening chukker had each team scoring a couple goals for a 2-2 tie.

La California defense shut down the Casablanca attack in the second while the offense scored two more goals.  La California led 4-2 entering the third chukker.

Casablanca took control of the game in the third, scoring three unanswered goals.  La California was unable to penetrate the Casablanca defense and trailed 5-4 at the end of the first half of play.

La California’s defense stepped it up in the fourth period, holding Casablanca to a single goal, but the team’s offense was shutout once again.  Casablanca extended their lead to two goals, 6-4.

Casablanca scored the opening goal of the fifth chukker for a 7-4 lead.  Penalty goals from Diego Cavanagh and Tomas Garcia Del Rio got La California back into the game, but Casablanca continued to lead, 7-6.

La California displayed grit and determination in the final chukker.  A miserly defense held Casablanca scoreless while Del Rio tied it up at 7-7 on a 60-yard penalty shot.  With time running out, Du Plessis connected with Guillermo Terrera with a well-placed pass, for the winning goal and a date with Chapaleufú in the 2013 Jockey Club Open finals.

Cavanagh and Del Rio scored three goals apiece in the victory.  Terrera added two goals, including the game winner.   Nero led the Casablanca attack with four goals (three on penalty shots).  MacDonough, Araujo and Sola each scored once in a losing effort.

(Photo courtesy of Matías Callejo)