Master Paints master of Rafi Polo Cup

LAHORE: Master Paints clinched the Lt Gen Shah Rafi Alam Memorial Polo Cup after beating Diamond Paints/FG Polo by 8.5-8 in the thrilling final played here at the Lahore Polo Club ground on Sunday.

Marcos Panelo emerged as the hero of the winning side, which had a half-goal handicap advantage. Panelo smashed seven goals while the remaining one came from Raja Jalal Arslan. From the losing side, Tom Brodie struck seven goals and Mian Abbas Mukhtar scored one.

Diamond Paints/FG Polo stamped their authority right from word go as they fired in four goals. In the dying moments of the first chukker, Master Paints converted one to reduce the margin 4-1.

The second chukker was evenly poised as both teams thrashed two goals each. Diamond Paints were enjoying 6-3 lead.

Master Paints turned the tables in the third chukker, scoring four back-to-back goals against one goal by Diamond Paints to level the score at 7-7.

In the fourth and last chukker, Master Paints converted one more goal to gain an 8-7 lead, but Diamond Paints continued to attack and their efforts paid dividend when they managed to convert a 30-yard penalty to equalise the score at 8-all. No further goal was converted by either side and Master Paints won the thriller by 8.5-8.