DS Polo/ASC, Diamond Paints in Jinnah Gold Cup main final

LAHORE: DS Polo/ASC and Diamond Paints booked berths in the main final of the Master Paints Jinnah Gold Cup 2021, winning their semifinals here at the Jinnah Polo and Country Club (JP&CC) ground on Friday.

Superb seven goals by Maxwell Charlton steered DS Polo/ASC to a hard-fought 9-7 1/2 triumph over spirited Master Paints in the first semifinal. Hissam Ali Hyder also played well and converted a brace. For Master Paints, who had a half goal handicap advantage, Marcos Panelo slammed five goals while Juan Cruz Losada and Raja Jalal Arslan scored one goal apiece.

DS Polo/ASC struck the opening goal of the match to gain 1- 1/2 lead but Master Paints then started playing aggressively, which helped them convert a brace to earn 2 1/2-1 lead. Both the sides then converted one goal each with Master Paints having a slight 3 1/2-2 lead.

The second chukker saw great action and both sides managed two goals each. Master Paints were still enjoying a minor lead of 5 1/2-4.

DS Polo turned the tables in the third chukker, hammering a hat-trick of goals against one goal by Master Paints to gain a good 7-6 1/2 lead. Master Paints started the fourth and last chukker well by converting a field goal to get back 7 1/2-7 lead but Hissam Ali Hyder then showed his class and malleted two back-to-back goals to guide his side to a well-deserving 9-7 1/2 victory.

Raul Laplacette fired in fabulous five goals in the Diamond Paints' 7-4 victory over FG Polo in the second semifinal. Ramiro Zaveletta and Saqib Khan Khakwani scored one goal each. For FG Polo, the contribution came from Mian Abbas Mukhtar (2 goals), Jamie Le Hardy (1 goal) and Francisco Bensadon (1 goal).