Audi 8-goaler Nico Pieres goes for the neck shot. Photos – Alex Pacheco.
WELLINGTON, FL – March 18, 2013 — Audi played well against Zacara, but not well enough to remain alive in the USPA Piaget Gold Cup.
The Grand Champions Polo Club-based Audi, down by five goals early in the game, roared back to tie the game only to lose, 16-10, in one of five USPA Piaget Gold Cup games Sunday at International Polo Club Palm Beach.
It was Audi’s second loss of the 11-team tournament, finishing 2-2 in its bracket.
Audi defeated Zorzal and C. V. Whitney champion Alegria during the tournament. Other bracket members Mt. Brilliant and Coca Cola finished winless at 0-4.
Audi will compete in the subsidiary Butler Handicap Cap semifinals on Thursday against an opponent still to be announced. The game is scheduled for noon. The final is Sunday.
Team captain Marc Ganzi returned to the Audi lineup after missing three games nursing a broken thumb and knee injury.
“It was just a series of unfortunate events in the game,” Ganzi said. “Once again it’s the second game in a row where we felt like we played really well from the field.
“We outshot the other team and statistically our time of possession and throw-ins were in our favor but the scoreboard wasn’t in our favor again. It continues to be a little frustrating.
“We played a good tournament,” Ganzi said. “There’s nothing to be ashamed about with our performance. From the field we are playing pretty good polo. We have a couple of things to fix in terms of our heads a little bit and get our heads focused on polo and not worry about the third parties that can affect the game.”
Ganzi played well despite still nursing injuries.
“It feels great to be back,” Ganzi said. “I’m not 100 percent but I’m on the field trying to help my team as much as possible. It felt pretty good out there. I made some good plays and made maybe one or two dumb plays.”
Audi fell behind early. Zacara outscored them in the opening two chukkers, 6-2, and were trailing 7-2 early in the third chukker before Audi started chipping away at the lead.
Audi’s Nico Pieres scored four goals, all on penalty shots in the third and fourth chukkers. Jeff Hall tied the game at 8-8 with 3:11 left in the fourth chukker enabling Audi to outscore Zacara, 3-0, in the fourth.
“At that moment we were not that good, mistakes and penalties, and they were playing well,” said Zacara’s Facundo Pieres, playing against his brothers Gonzalito and Nico, all former teammates with Ganzi on the 2009 U.S. Open champion team. Pieres scored a game-high eight goals.
“I think because we were winning so good we started making mistakes and they started coming back,” Pieres said.
Zacara team captain Lyndon Lea injured his hip in the fourth chukker and was replaced by 14-year-old Matias Gonzalez, a Polo Park Middle School eighth grader.
“My leg got caught and got pulled backwards,” Lea said. “I tried to get back on but I couldn’t ride or use the right side of my body so I couldn’t stop the horse.”
The 20-minute injury timeout seemed to stall Audi’s momentum and rhythm in the fifth chukker when Zacara regained its composure and outscored them 5-1.
“It’s unfortunate that Lyndon got hurt,” Ganzi said. “He tried to play again and couldn’t come back. That was bad luck. Lyndon is a fierce competitor and friend. You never want to see a friend not be able to finish a game.
“We had a 20-minute wait. I think it hurt a little bit. Sitting on the side for an extended period doesn’t really help the team that much. We had a bit of bad luck in the fifth; we missed a couple of goals and made a couple of goals. We had a very, very tough call at the end of the fifth chukker that was very frustrating.
“Two of their players collide and our guy is coming from behind and has the line. I don’t understand how it’s not a foul so it’s a bit frustrating. Our guy is going the other way and it’s a chance for us to get the game back to within two goals going into the sixth. But instead your focus in the sixth chukker is thinking whether or not you have the line. You are very tentative and frustrated. The game got out of hand for us.”
“We knew as soon as we did a couple of things good that we had our chances,” Pieres said. “It is a huge win because we are in the semifinals and this is what we wanted. I think we had three good games except for one chukker in this game.
“It’s always hard to play against my brothers, not because they are good players but because they are my brothers,” Pieres added.
The victory earned Zacara (3-0), one of only three undefeated teams remaining, a berth in Wednesday’s semifinals, joining Lechuza Caracas (3-0), Alegria (2-1) and defending champion Valiente (3-0).
In Wednesday’s semifinals, Lechuza Caracas plays Zacara at 2 p.m. and Valiente will meet Alegria at 4 p.m. The winners advance to Sunday’s championship for the second jewel of U.S. polo’s Triple Crown.
“I am delighted that we won,” Lea said. “The team is playing well. Audi is a very good team. We have some moments where we go blank but the team when it’s playing well can beat anybody.”
Added Ganzi: “They are a good team. Mike Azzaro is playing well above his handicap and with confidence. That team has a ton of confidence.”
It was the second time during the 26-goal season a team called upon a teenager to sub for an injured player. Wellington High senior Juancito Bollini played three games for Ganzi.
“Hopefully, organizations like Zacara will give young players like Matias and Juancito and a ton of good kids coming up in Wellington the chance to play,” Ganzi said. “It’s the only way these guys are going to get good.”
In the other four Sunday games, ERG edged Grand Champions Polo Club-based Piaget, 7-6, in the main stadium game; Lechuza Caracas defeated Orchard Hill, 13-11; Zorzal beat Coca-Cola, 12-11, in overtime and Alegria topped Mt. Brilliant, 7-5.
Alegria earned its berth into the semifinals in a shootout after the main stadium game. Alegria won its first shootout with Zorzal, 7-6, to advance into the semifinal qualifier shootout.
Alegria and ERG then tied in the first round of the semifinal qualifier shootout, 4-4. Alegria won in sudden death when Julian Mannix scored the winning shot.
BUTLER HANDICAP AUDI SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 21: Semifinal, Audi vs. TBA, noon; Maserati U.S. Open draw.
Sunday, March 24: Butler Handicap Final, noon; USPA Piaget Gold Cup Final, 3 p.m.
Thursday, March 28: U.S. Open begins, schedule, pairings to be announced.
AUDI/PIAGET TOURNAMENT LINEUP
March 28 – April 21, 109th Maserati U.S. Open Polo Championship
GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB
WHERE: On the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington.
INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi and Piaget. Everyone is welcome to watch polo during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament, Women’s Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League Tournament.
Sharon Robb for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT:
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