FG Polo and BN/Newage emerged victorious in the Sarsabz 4th President of Pakistan Polo Cup National Open Polo Championship 2025 at the Jinnah Polo Fields. 
Both matches, postponed due to rain, were played on Friday. A large crowd, including players, their families and polo enthusiasts, gathered to witness the event, alongside Fatima Group Director Mian Abbas Mukhtar and Club Secretary Major Ali Taimoor (Retd). 
In the first match of the day, FG Polo secured a thrilling 13-12 victory over HN Polo in the sudden death during the sixth chukker. Raul Laplacette was the standout performer for the winning side, as he smashed in superb 10 goals, while Raja Mikael Sami, Nicolas Ruiz Guinazu, and Mian Abbas Mukhtar contributed one goal each. On the other hand, Hamza Mawaz Khan slammed in six goals for HN Polo, followed by Pelayo Berazadi with five and Haider Naseem with one goal. 
The highly competitive match kicked off with HN storming ahead with two quick goals, seizing an early 2-0 lead. However, FG responded in style, leveling the score at 2-2 just before the end of the first chukker. The intensity continued into the second chukker, where HN unleashed a stunning hat-trick of goals, racing to a 5-2 lead. But FG once again displayed remarkable resilience, firing in three consecutive goals to bring the game back to level terms at 5-5. 
In the third chukker, HN regained momentum, delivering another hat-trick to reclaim an 8-5 advantage. FG fought hard to close the gap, managing two goals to make it 8-7 heading into the next phase. HN maintained their dominance in the fourth chukker, adding a brace to stretch their lead to 10-7. This time, FG turned the tables, hammering in a brilliant hat-trick to pull off another stunning comeback and tie the match at 10-10. 
With both teams vying for supremacy, the fifth chukker turned into a fierce battle. HN once again surged ahead with two back-to-back goals, making it 12-10, but FG refused to back down, levelling the score once again at 12-12. As neither side could break the deadlock, the match entered a sudden death chukker. Amidst electrifying tension, Raul Laplacette stepped up as the hero, smashing in the match-winning goal, securing a hard-fought 13-12 victory for FG in a contest that will be remembered as one of the most thrilling encounters of the tournament. 
The second match of the day saw BN/Newage claim a convincing 9-5 victory over Olympia/AZB. Marcos Solari led the charge with five fabulous goals, while Mir Huzaifa Ahmed netted three, and Tito Ruiz Guinazu added one. For Olympia/AZB, Luis Manuel Aguirre thrashed in three goals, with Novillo Astrada and Abdul Rehman Monnoo adding one each. 
BN/Newage set the tone early, firing in two back-to-back field goals to establish a 2-0 lead. Though Olympia/AZB responded with a well-executed 40-yard penalty conversion, narrowing the gap to 2-1, BN/Newage quickly reclaimed control. They unleashed a dazzling brace of goals, extending their advantage to 4-1 by the end of the first chukker. 
The second and third chukkers saw BN/Newage in complete command, further asserting their dominance. They struck twice in the second chukker before adding another goal in the third, surging to an imposing 7-1 lead.  
The intensity peaked in the fourth chukker, with both teams matching fire with fire, scoring two goals apiece. However, BN/Newage still held a comfortable 9-3 cushion heading into the final phase. Olympia/AZB staged a spirited fightback in the fifth and final chukker, but their efforts proved too little, too late, as BN/Newage sealed an emphatic 9-5 victory. 
The tournament action continues today (Saturday, February 22, 2025), with Olympia/AZB facing DS Polo at 2:00 PM and BN/Newage taking on HN Polo at 3:30 PM. 

The COW News