Playing with Tommy Beresford in place of patron Jerome Wirth, and Brad Mallett in place of the injured Charlie Hanbury, Enigma (Tommy Beresford, Brad Mallett, Guillermo Willington and Sapo Caset) took the lead early and held it through the first half, leading 6-5 at the end of the first three chukkers at England’s Cowdray Park Polo Club.
Understanding that Dubai has already qualified for the tournament quarterfinals, one might wonder if Cambiaso and company weren’t just saving horses.
In a slow start, Enigma scored the only goal of the first chukker for the 1-1 lead. Dubai played tentatively and with a lack of passion in the early goings.
The rhythm picked up for both teams in the second. Dubai started to look like they arrived to play, scoring three times. Enigma managed two goals, however, as the teams were all even at 3-3 at the end of the second chukker.
Enigma outscored Dubai 3-2 in the third period, marking the second time in three chukkers the 1-2 team outscored undefeated Dubai (3-0). Enigma led at the end of the first half, 6-5.
Enigma continued to outplay the Dubai foursome, scoring the only goal of the fourth chukker. With two periods left in regulation time, Enigma extended its lead to two goals, 7-5 over Dubai.
As if to confirm their superiority, Adolfo Cambiaso and Nico Pieres led the Dubai rally in the fifth. Consecutive goals tied the game at 7-7, but Enigma wasn’t ready to concede the fact. Consecutive goals had them back in the lead, 9-7. Dubai scored the final goal of the fifth period but trailed by a gal, 9-8, going into the final chukker.
The two teams exchanged goals in the early goings of the sixth chukker with Enigma holding on to their one goal lead, 10-9, to record their second win of the tournament (2-2). The loss was Dubai’s first as they take their 3-1 record into the quarterfinals (quarterfinal matchups to be announced after July 11).
BLACK BEARS 15, LA BAMBA DE ARECO 10
In a contest to decide the eighth quarterfinalist in the 2013 Veuve Clicquot British Open for the gold Cup, Guy Schwarzenbach’s Black Bears (Guy Schwarzenbach, Nachi du Plessis, John Paul Clarkin and Patrick O’Dwyer) would meet La Bamba de Areco (Jean Francois Decaux, Polito Pieres, Gonzalito Pieres and Ollie Cudmore) at Manor Farm.
La Bamba de Areco would score the first goal of the game, but Black Bears responded with a goal of their own to tie it up at 1-1. S second Black Bears goal would end the chukker with La Bamba de Areco trailing, 2-1.
La Bamba de Areco charged back with a pair of goals in the second chukker to move ahead, 3-2. Black Bears responded with a tying goal, 3-3 to end the period.
Back Bears scored the opening goal of the third chukker for 4-3 advantage. La Bamba de Areco answered back to lock it up at 4-4. The Black Bears scored the final goal of the first half to take a 5-4 halftime lead.
The two teams exchanged goals in the opening minutes of the fourth chukker, 6-5. Three consecutive goals extended the Black Bears lead to four goals, 9-5, with neither Gonzalito Pieres nor Polito Pieres being able to stop the onslaught. La Bamba de Areco scored the final gal of the chukker but trailed the Black Bears by three goals, 9-6, with two periods left to play.
La Bamba de Areco got on the scoreboard first in the fifth chukker, cutting the black Bears lead back to two goals, 9-7. Two more goals quickly tied it at 9-9, with La Bamba de Areco making a move. The Black Bears stopped the bleeding, and then some. John Paul Clarkin and Nachi du Plessis fueled a comeback that netted them four goals, ending the chukker on top of a 13-9 score.
La Bamba de Areco scored first in the final chukker, but the Black Bears responded with the last two goals of the game in their 15-10 win. A shoot-out elimination in the bracket has been indicated to decide the eighth quarterfinalist of the tournament.
British Open play continues on Tuesday, July 9 with El Remanso (3-0) facing Lucchese (1-2) at noon followed by a 3PM contest between Emlor (0-3) and UAE (2-1).