Abu Dhabi Club Faces Must-Win Clash With Defending Champions, Habtoor. 

Dubai 5th of March 2013: Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club claimed an 8-3 victory over Mahra Polo in the Dubai Gold Cup this evening (Tuesday) and now face the hurdle of a decisive clash against defending champions, Habtoor Polo before they can seal a place in the semi-final.

Ghantoot, who defeated Habtoor in a charity exhibition match on home turf just before the start of the two-week-long Gold Cup, now find the tables turned as they go into their next game at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, the home ground of Habtoor.

The Royal club has suffered mixed fortunes in this tournament, defeating Zedan Polo in their opening round before losing to bogey team and fellow capital-based rivals, Abu Dhabi Polo, who also turfed them out of the Dubai Silver Cup at the semi-final stage last month.

Today’s victory will serve as a good confidence boost before the crunch match with Habtoor, but Ghantoot’s players are taking nothing for granted.

Ali Al Marri, Ghantoot’s Emirati player said: “We played well today and were happy to walk away with a win, but we are a long way from the final which is our ultimate goal in this tournament. We now look forward to our match with Habtoor having beaten them going into the event.

“Having said that, we don’t rest on our laurels. Habtoor are the form team in this competition, defending their trophy and playing with home advantage and they will be very tough.”

In today’s match, Mahra Polo drew first blood, but it was not long before Ghantoot found their stride, ending the first chukker with a two goal advantage at 3-1.

The second chukker ended 5-2 to an increasingly confident-looking Ghantoot and by the end of the third chukker, the Abu Dhabi side were leading 8-2. Mahra scored a consolation goal in the fourth period, but never looked like challenging for the lead.

Ghantoot, who were in fourth place in the table going into this match, will meet third-placed Habtoor at 4pm on Friday.

25 February 2013
Facundo Sola Scores All Five Of His Side’s Goals

Dubai, 25th of February 2013: Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club have made a rousing start to their Dubai Gold Cup campaign, defeating Zedan Polo 5-4 in the tournament’s opening match this afternoon at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club.

The Abu Dhabi-based side is in fine form at the moment, having claimed a 9-7 victory over defending Dubai Gold Cup champions and home side, Habtoor Polo at the weekend in a high-goal charity polo match held at Ghantoot that raised Dhs163,000 for the Al Ain Private Centre For Care and Rehabilitation.

This afternoon it was Facundo Sola, Ghantoot’s eight-goal Argentine professional, who scored all five of his side’s goals, three of which came from penalties.

Scores were tied at 1-1 after the first chukker, 2-2 after the second, and 3-4 to Ghantoot after the third. In the fourth chukker, Zedan’s nine goal player, Nachi Heguy missed a decisive penalty, and Sola capitalised by scoring in open play to make the score 5-3. Heguy came back strongly with a goal for 5-4, just before the claxon signaled the end of the match.

Ali al Marri, Ghantoot’s Emirati player said his side was satisfied with their effort.

“It’s always the aim to start a tournament with a win and we are very pleased to go into our next game on a high note,” said the scratch handicapper. “We are having a busy season so I think that for us, the main thing will be conserving as much of our strength as possible as we look forward to our next match against Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

The Dubai Gold Cup was preceded by the Dubai Silver Cup, which saw Ghantoot knocked out at the semi-final stage by city rivals, Abu Dhabi Polo. It was a golden goal in extra time which denied the Royal club a final berth.

“We played very well in the Dubai Silver Cup and just missed out on the final,” said Al Marri. “Every game is these tournaments are very close and the difference between winning and losing often comes down to one goal – as was the case today against Zedan.”

Ghantoot are next in action against Abu Dhabi at 4pm on Thursday February 28 at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club.

28 February 2013
Abu Dhabi Comes Off Best In 6-5 Clash

Dubai, 28th of February 2013: Ghantoot Polo lost a close game in the second round of the Dubai Gold Cup to their bogey team, Abu Dhabi Polo at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club this afternoon.

It was Abu Dhabi Polo who denied Ghantoot Polo a place in the final of the Silver Cup earlier this month and the Royal club would have been hopeful of a strong showing after beating the 2012 Gold Cup champions, Habtoor Polo in a charity match on home turf over the weekend.

But it was not to be. Ghantoot, who defeated Saudi Arabia’s Zedan Polo in the opening Gold Cup clash on Monday, were unable to sustain a three-goal advantage gained in the first-chukker, which also saw star player, Facundo Sola receive treatment after sustaining a knock to the leg.

Abu Dhabi’s JJ Storni pulled back a goal in the second chukker but at half-time Ghantoot were still leading 3-1.

In the third chukker Abu Dhabi Polo scored twice more while Ghantoot answered once and the sides went into the final period with a 4-3 lead. The fourth chukker saw Manuel Elizalde level the score for Abu Dhabi only for Sola to drive home a penalty giving Ghantoot the lead again.

But with less than 30 seconds left on the clock, Storni buried the ball between the posts in open play to take the teams to a golden goal fifth chukker and it was Storni who scored the penalty, sealing the win for Abu Dhabi.

Ali Al Marri, Ghantoot’s Emirati player was disappointed.

“An extra-time penalty is one of the most frustrating ways to lose an important game,” he said. “We had a lead in the beginning and obviously things didn’t go our way after that and we are very disappointed.

“But that is not the end of the Gold Cup for us, we play Mahra on Tuesday next week so we will be going away and analysing our performance today in order to concentrate on that match.”