New Zealand pushed Hong Kong China to a penalty shoot-out.

The Snow Polo World Cup 2013 continued into the fifth day at Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club on Wednesday, January 30, with the beginning of the Quarter Finals, in which each of the 8 teams are given one chance at moving forward to the Semi-Finals.

Whereas the qualifying rounds were played as 3-chukka matches, each match is now played over 4-chukkas, increasing the stress, and requiring higher levels of endurance from the teams. At the beginning of the day there was strong consensus among players and team managers that the level of play so far has been outstanding, with each of the remaining teams having their own respective strengths.

This, together with the unpredictable nature of snow polo, leaves the tournament open for any team to win. New Zealand player John Paul Clarkin, veteran of St. Moritz snow polo, said: “There are so many world-class players here in Tianjin, and in snow polo the match can change very quickly, we will play our best, and see who will win”.

The day began with New Zealand facing off against last year’s Snow Polo World Cup winners, Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong manager Dennis Loh, asked about his team’s chances of winning, said: “in terms of tactics, and technical ability, our team has what it takes to win, but the act of winning is as much about a state of mind as it is about tactics and technical skill, right now I think the team is in the right state of mind ”.

With journalists and television crews watching the teams emerge from the changing rooms, Hong Kong lead player Guillermo Terreras bore his trademark relaxed, confident smile. Terreras scored his first goal just 30 seconds into the match. Looking equally calm and focused, Hong Kong teammate Martin Inchauspe continued with another goal in the first chukka, then with another 2 goals in the second, founded on superb rear-guard play from teammate John Fisher.

New Zealand, displaying their own inner focus, put up a vigorous opposition pushing through Hong Kong, China to score 2 goals during the second chukka, but ending it 2 goals behind. It was in the third and final chukkas that New Zealand took back the ground they had lost; players Kit Brooks demonstrated fearless defensive horsemanship, riding off shoulder to shoulder against the Hong Kong, China offense, and allowing his teammates to push forward and seize 3 additional goals, to end the match-play with a 5 goals to 5 tie. It was indeed anyone’s match as the teams went into a nerve wracking penalty shoot-out. With the teams even at 2 penalty goals each, Terrera, maintaining that inner focus and calm he had begun with, sealed the match for Hong Kong, China with a third penalty goal.

The second match was Chile vs. England. Chile, who on Monday had beaten Hong Kong, China were viewed with the utmost respect by the England team, both before and after the game. The first chukka was an eventful struggle, with Chilean Matias Vial being forced to briefly leave his teammates one man short, while he exchanged a broken mallet. Despite his mallet set-back, it was Vial who took the only goal of the chukka. England managed to take back a goal in the second chukka, which marked the beginning of a more synchronized level of play.

The third chukka had hardly begun, when after a blink of an eye, England’s Meyrick swept the ball across field and scored within 8 seconds. The chukka continued with a level of synchronization that seemed as though it was being orchestrated by the heavens, with England weaving through the Chilean defense and scoring another 2 goals. Chile responded well, scoring an additional 1 goal, but ended the chukka 2 goals behind. In the final chukka, England continued their unstoppable combination of synchronized teamwork, rapidly backhanding the ball whenever it came towards their goal, and passing the ball forward to score another 2 goals.

Although Chile continued to play with passion and determination, it was clear the England lead was too great, and the match ended with a 6 goal to 3 win for England. England team captain James Harper congratulated his team on the strength of their coordination, and noted the enormous defensive effort that the Chile offense had required of them: “it was in the second chukka we took control of ourselves and started working together as one. Chile played very well, and forced us to emphasize defense, defense, defense”.

England gentleman player Oliver Hipwood emphasized his respect for the Chilean team: “they are excellent players and they don’t hold back, but they are also gentlemen, it is a pleasure to play against a team that exemplifies the spirit of polo”.

The Quarter Finals are continuing, with Argentina playing France, and Canada playing South Africa.

Daily schedule:

Qualifying
Friday, 25 Jan 2013
Result:
England vs USA 4-2
Hong Kong, China vs Brazil 7-4
South Africa vs India 7-3

Saturday, 26 Jan 2013
Result:
Argentina vs Canada 6-3
England vs New Zealand 2-4
Hong Kong, China vs Chile 2-3

Sunday, 27 Jan 2013
Result:
South Africa vs France 4-3
Argentina vs Australia 3-2
USA vs New Zealand 1-4

Monday, 28 Jan 2013
Result:
Brazil vs Chile 4-5
India vs France 2-5
Canada vs Australia 3-3 (Penalty 2:1)

Wednesday, 30 Jan 2013
Result:
Quarter-Finals 1: New Zealand vs Hong Kong 5-5 (Penalty 2:3)
Quarter-Finals 2: Chile vs England 3-6

Thursday, 31 Jan 2013
Quarter-Finals 3: South Africa vs Canada Quarter-Finals 4: Argentina vs France

All games played can be viewed at www.hurlinghampolo.com.

Fourth day report: January 28:

The Fortune Heights Snow Polo World Cup 2013 continued into the fourth day at Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club.

In the qualifying matches, which have taken place during the first 4 days of the tournament, the teams have been divided into groups of 3 teams. Each team played the other 2 teams in their respective group, with the top 2 teams in each group moving forward to the Quarter Finals. Yesterday saw the USA knocked out after 2 consecutive defeats against the mallets of England and New Zealand. Three other teams secured their places in the Quarter Final: Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa. The qualifying round continued today, in three “move forward or go home” matches.

The day began with two Latin American teams, Brazil and Chile, facing off on a chilling winter day, in stark contrast to the warm summer weather they left behind 2 weeks ago in their home countries.

The crowds were treated to an adrenalin-pumping roller-coaster of a match. The first chukka at times resembled a horse race, the ball being repeatedly driven up and down field on powerful forward swings, with the players frantically riding in pursuit. The Chilean team at first appeared to have the edge over Brazil, allowing them to establish a 2 goal lead. In a dramatic turn, Brazil swept through the Chileans in the second chukka, developing a rhythm that appeared to leave the Chileans in shock and disarray as they equalized the score within the initial 2 minutes, going on to score an incredible total of 4 goals, while blocking every Chilean offense.

But snow polo is an unpredictable game, and with Brazil possibly overspent from this whirlwind performance, their luck again shifted in the final chukka. Top scoring Brazilian Pedro Zacharias lost grip on his mallet early on, followed by a fall for team-mate Calao Mello, leaving him looking winded as he remounted to applause from the crowds. Chile took back 2 goals, but then with only 6 seconds remaining, Chile took their third goal of the chukka to screams of excitement from their supporters. This second win of the tournament sealed their place in the Quarter Finals against England.

The second match saw India play France, both of which had lost in their games against South Africa. France kept India scrambling in the first chukka, with a torrent of 4 goals, and some of the day’s most notable swings. India scored their first goal in the second chukka, and admirably blocked a 30 yard penalty, briefly fueling speculation that they could make a come-back. India’s Basheer Ali scored a crowd pleasing goal on an almost impossible looking high angle shot in the final chukka, but ultimately India was not able to catch-up, and the match ended 5 goals to 2. France now moves forward to the Quarter Finals, in which they will play Argentina.

In the final match of the qualifying round, and what turned out the be the most tense match so far, Canada battled with Australia, both having previously lost in their matches against Argentina. With Australia playing a less restrained game than Canada, the Canada team scored 2 goals from penalty shots in the first chukka. Canada was awarded an additional penalty shot after Australia committed a technical foul by talking back against the umpire. Luckily for Australia, or perhaps due to the sportsmanship of the Canada team, this additional penalty shot went wide. The first chukka ended 2 goals to 1 in favor of Canada. The match continued with utmost determination from both teams into the second, with both teams notching up a single goal. The final chukka kept the crowds on their toes, looking for a clear victor, even as the match-play ended in a 3 goal to 3 draw.

Play then continued in a tense penalty shoot-out, first with 3 penalty shots per team, which resulted in a tie, and then moving into a “sudden-death” playoff, in which Australia finally missed their shot, giving Canada their place in the Quarter Finals. Canada will return to the snow on Thursday to play against South Africa.

The spectators and players will take a day to relax tomorrow, before returning on Wednesday, January 30 for the beginning of the 4-match Quarter Finals.

Wednesday, 30 Jan 2013
Quarter-Finals 1: New Zealand vs Hong Kong
Quarter-Finals 2: Chile vs England

Thursday, 31 Jan 2013
Quarter-Finals 3: South Africa vs Canada
Quarter-Finals 4: Argentina vs France

USA (in white) competes against New Zealand (in black) on the third day of the Snow Polo World Cup.

First game NZ V England. NZ 4 goals to England 2

Second game. NZ V USA. NZ 4 goals. USA 1 goal

NZ now in quarter finals, on Wednesday. Opposition to be announced.

The Fortune Heights Snow Polo World Cup 2013 (“Snow Polo World Cup”) continued into the third day at Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club (“Metropolitan Polo Club”).

The tournament is hosted by the Equestrian Association of China and the Federation of International Polo (FIP), and is organized by the Tianjin Sports Bureau, the Hong Kong Polo Development and Promotion Federation (HKPDPF) and the Tianjin Polo Association, with support from various sponsors.

Twelve teams have been participating in this year’s tournament with handicaps ranging from 14 to 16 goals, making this the world’s premier snow polo event. The teams, selected in cooperation with the Federation of International Polo, represent 9 out of the top 10 polo countries. Countries represented are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Hong Kong China, India, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.

Sunday’s matches saw Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa cementing their places in the Quarter Final, with the USA being knocked out of the tournament.

On Sunday France was matched against South Africa, who on Day 1 of the tournament had delivered a decisive victory against India. Perhaps feeling empowered after their initial victory, the South Africa team snatched a lead almost immediately, swiftly taking the ball and dribbling it downfield to score the first goal of the match within 20 seconds of the starting throw-in. The South Africa offensive duo Lance Watson and Tom De Bruin continued the goal-scoring rhythm they had established in the match against India, taking another 2 goals during the first chukka. Despite some impressive swings, the French team was unable to equalize the score, but ended the first chukka with two goals, one of which was scored on a penalty shot.

It was the second chukka in which the French team demonstrated their experience on snow, with Edouard Pan early on shifting South Africa into defense, with a superb curve swing that sent the ball from center field to within several meters of the South African goal-line. After intense back and forth struggle, an un-marked Juan Manuel Gonzalez seized an opening to drive the ball ahead of the South African defense and finally equalized the score. After South Africa again taking the lead on a penalty shot, the second chukka ended 4 goals to 3 in favor of South Africa.

The final chukka again was a crowd pleaser, with the French repeatedly pushing the ball to the South African defense, only to see it blocked and returned down-field. French player Pan was down on the snow for several minutes after sustaining an injury, but remounted to the cheers of the crowd, Pierre-Henri N’Goumou showed particular prowess at bumping shoulders with his opponents to clear the way for his team-mates, and Juan Manuel Gonzalez demonstrated some very impressive forward swings.

Ultimately, neither team was able to convert, hence the match ended with a 4 goal to 3 victory for South Africa, securing South Africa’s place in the Quarter Finals. For France to continue they must prevail against India today.

The second match of the day saw Australia’s tournament debut against Argentina, who had beaten Canada on Day 2. In that match, Argentina had demonstrated superb ball control, teamwork, and boundless energy. Australia is also a highly respected team, known for skill, adaptability and bravery in the field. Not unexpectedly, the first chukka was an out and out scramble for dominance, with an evenly matched field of players not letting any goals through, until four minutes in, when Australia took the first goal on a penalty shot. As though an alarm bell had been activated for Argentina, they responded with a surge of energy, moving and weaving through the field, and taking 2 goals. The second and third chukkas saw Argentina continue their strategy of dodging, weaving and distancing themselves from the opponents’ marking players, taking every opportunity to move the ball through open field.

Despite the high energy and frantic action, Argentina was able to take only one additional goal, but then gave up a goal on a penalty shot. The match ended with a 4 goals to 3 victory for Argentina. This being Argentina’s second win of the tournament, they will now go through to the Quarter Final, leaving Australia and Canada to battle it out tomorrow to determine which of those teams will also continue.

The final match of the day was New Zealand vs. the USA. The USA needed to win this match, having previously lost in their debut match against England, as opposed to New Zealand, who won their match against England. The match opened like an unleashed whirlwind, with hardly time for the USA to react as New Zealand swept the ball towards the USA goal, keeping them on defense during much of the first chukka. The USA pushed back hard and scored 1 goal, perhaps taking too many risks and allowing New Zealand to score 2 goals on penalty shots. USA top player Mike Azarro, realizing the importance of a win, did not relent, keeping the pressure on New Zealand through the next two chukkas. The pressure just kept on building as the USA frantically fought until the last moment of the match, which ended with a 4 goals to 1 victory for New Zealand. After their knock-out from the tournament, the USA honorably left the field after congratulating New Zealand on their place in the Quarter Final.

Daily polo matches are being contested as follows:

Qualifying
Friday, 25 Jan 2013
Result: England vs USA 4-2
Hong Kong, China vs Brazil 7-4
South Africa vs India 7-3

Saturday, 26 Jan 2013
Result: Argentina vs Canada 6-3
England vs New Zealand 2-4
Hong Kong, China vs Chile 2-3

Sunday, 27 Jan 2013
Result: South Africa vs France 4-3
Argentina vs Australia 3-2
USA vs New Zealand 1-4

England is the team favoured to win overall.