Sheikha Maitha-led UAE Polo clinch Polo Masters Cup crown

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sheikha Maitha Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum-led UAE Polo defeated Battistoni 8-4.5 in the final of Polo Masters Cup as the second tournament of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series ended on high note at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club grounds.

The final match of the tournament saw two both the teams rush to score the first goal in the opening chukker. Tomy Iriarte opened the Battistoni Polo team’s account on the next chukker. Later, three consecutive goals from Benjamin Panelo provided UAE Polo an upper hand by the end of halftime.

The penultimate chukker saw excellent goals from both teams courtesy of Rashid Al Abbar for UAE Polo and two back-to-back goals, mid-field, from Raja Abuljebain for Battistoni.

With a two-goal lead at the beginning of the last chukker, Battistoni raced for the win. However, the penalty shot from Sheikha Maitha and the last goal from Lucas Monteverde Jr. closed the game with a 3.5 goal lead for UAE Polo and ultimately winning the Polo Masters Cup 2021.

Earlier, Bin Drai Polo team square off against Altamira Polo team in the Subsidiary Final.

The Bin Drai Polo team had taken the lead early with two goals from Rashid Bin Drai. Altamira shortened the gap in scores by the end of the second chukker with goals from Santos Iriarte and Guillermo Cuitinho. However, Bin Drai carved a two-goal advantage by the end of the penultimate chukker which was enough to seal the win at 5 goals to 4.

Mohammed Al Habtoor, Vice Chairman and CEO of Al Habtoor Group awarded the teams with Raja Albujebain as the Most Valuable Player and Cynthia, ridden by Benjamin Panelo, as the Best Playing Pony.

Eight teams participated in the tournament, which was sponsored by Al Nahda Contracting and Trading Co. Ltd.