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December 12, 2005
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Big Adolfo Cambiaso led La Dolfina to the Championship

Through a goal scored in a supplementary chukker by the best man of match, Adolfo Cambiaso, La Dolfina downed Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra 20-19 to obtain the 112th edition of the Argentine Open Championship. With their deserved triumph the winners gained their second title (they had won it in 2002) and spoilt the chance of the losers to reach the Triple Crown.

The final resulted exciting and well played, except in some passages in the last four periods when the players as a result of their nerves committed many fouls.
The first two chukkers were open and tied, finishing 5-5, with Ellerstina playing long and ordered and La Dolfina doing their known Cambiaso´s depending game with Aguerre and Monteverde fighting hard in the midfield and Castagnola trying to stop dangerous Facundo Pieres but also going forward frequently.
The winners had a great third chukker winning it 4-0 taking advantage of a small distraction by their opponents who looked disconnected and played below form. But from the next period the losers came from behind progressively, putting up a high class polo bolstered by a well built team work with brothers Facundo and Gonzalo Pieres jr. as its best figures.
The forward showed again his skills with the ball and the play maker spreading his talent in starting their best attacks.

In spite of Ellerstina´s reaction, La Dolfina was ahead during most of the match, losing the lead just in two opportunities in the seventh chukker. The first
was when cousins Pieres and Mac Donough squad put 16-15 ahead with a Gonzalo jr. goal but Cambiaso immediately equalized doing magic with the ball. The second was just 10 seconds to go when Pablo Mac Donough, “threatening” the best player in the world, shot the ball from more than 90 yards to score one of the most applauded goals of the match to lead 18-17.

Both quartets played the eighth period very nervously
Cambiaso was persuaded to win it by himself, with his team mates supporting his plays pushing and fighting against rivals. On the other side Ellerstina did not abandon their team work, but their nerves were their worst rival. They were close to lose the match if had it not been by a 40 yards penalty scored by Matías Mac Donough in the fourth minute but then Cambiaso lost a great opportunity shooting the ball which knocked a post and went out.
In extra time Matías Mac Donough lost a 60 yards penalty and then the back in an unfortunate play in a midfield penalty left the ball to Cambiaso who started the lonely and speedy ride to give his team the championship.
As said, number one shirt of the winners was the outstanding figure of the game, leading and ordering his team mates and also scoring 15 goals to be the top scorer of the championship, confirming he is nowadays the best player in the world…

TEAMS, goals in brackets and chukker scores:

La Dolfina (20):
Adolfo Cambiaso 10 (15- 8 pen )
Lucas Monteverde 8
Mariano Aguerre 9 (1)
Bartolomé Castagnola 9 (4)
-36

Ellerstina ( 19 ):
Facundo Pieres 9 (7-5 pen)
Pablo Mac Donough 9 (2)
Gonzalo Pieres jr. 10 (3)
Matías Mac Donough 8 (7- 5 pen)
-35

Chukker scores: La Dolfina
3-2, 5-5, 9-5, 11-8, 13-12, 15-15, 17-18, 19-19, 20-19.