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December 8, 2007
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La Dolfina claim third consecutive Palermo Open

By Alejandra Ocampos

Will La Dolfina be a kind of Michael Schumacher of polo? Many know the achievements of the former racing driver, who made Formula 1 almost his property, as he won seven titles, and five of them were consecutive. Now, we could think that the guys from Cañuelas, after winning their third consecutive Palermo, are on the way to make the world´s best polo tournament as their own.
As a curious detail, La Dolfina obtained each of their three Opens in the same way: in extra chukker. That´s how they defeated Ellerstina in 2005, next La Aguada in 2006, and now once again Ellerstina, 16-15, with a golden goal by Lucas Monteverde. Maybe it´s a minor detail: it´s the world´s best polo, and in a final in Palermo, you find the two best polo teams of the whole planet. Not an easy thing….

So that´s it, La Dolfina has won their third Palermo, and once again, as it happened in 2005, Ellerstina narrowly failed to win the Triple Crown.

The final match started with rain, and La Dolfina playing offensive polo since the very beginning, as Mariano Aguerre already showed himself as the most outstanding player of his team. He scored La Dolfina´s first two goals, wich took them to a 2-1 lead. La Dolfina improved the gap to 4-2 in the second period.

In the third chukker, Ellerstina came closer. Adolfo Cambiaso scored a penalty from the spot which meant a 5-2 lead for La Dolfina, but the answer from Ellerstina came inmedialty, as an inspired Facundo Pieres scored the three goals (all by penalties) which meant a 5-5 tie. In the next chukker, came La Dolfina´s reaction, as Mariano Aguerre and Lucas Monteverde scored to make it 8-5 for their team, leaving Ellerstina without scoring.

The fifth chukker was a bit more balanced (10-8 for La Dolfina), but the Cañuelas guys took more advantage in the sixth period with goals by Cambiaso and Aguerre, who at this stage, was the best player in the field. But it was the talented Facundo Pieres who was in charge, once again, to reduce the gap for Ellerstina. This chukker closed with a 13-10 lead for La Dolfina.

If someone thought it was a monotonous match, wait for the two last chukkers. In the seventh chukker, Ellerstina overwhelmed La Dolfina to win that period 4-1, which meant a 14-14 tie in the general score. So, they entered the eighth and last chukker, which promised full action. Before the first minute, Adolfo Cambiaso scored to gave La Dolfina a 15-14 lead. At 4m20s, Facundo Pieres tied 15-15. And at 5m, Cambiaso missed a penalty which could have sealed the final result in regular time. Here they go, then, to extra chukker.

So, as it happened in 2005 between the same two teams, the final was decided in extra chukker. And it was Lucas Monteverde who, at 2m11s. scored the golden goal, which gives the final victory and the third consecutive Palermo to La Dolfina, something only obtained by the legendary Indios Chapaleufu, with the three Heguy brothers, in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

La Dolfina Jaeger LeCoultre: Adolfo Cambiaso (h) 10 (7, four penalties) (he received a yellow card in the fifth chukker), Lucas Monteverde (h) 9 (3, one penalty), Mariano Aguerre 10 (6, one penalty) andBartolomé Castagnola 10 (he received a yellow card in the third chukker). Total: 39.

Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra: Pablo Mac Donough 9 (2) (he received a yellow card in the seventh chukker), Gonzalo Pieres 10 (he received a yellow card in the eighth chukker), Facundo Pieres 10 (12, eight penalties and one corner) and Matías Mac Donough 9 (1) (he received a yellow card in the fourth chukker) Total: 38.

La Dolfina Jaeger LeCoultre: 2-1, 4-2, 5-5, 8-5, 10-8, 13-10, 14-14, 15-15 and 16-15.

Referees: Matías Baibiene and Daniel Boudou.

Umpire: Augusto Gómez Romero. Fourth umpire: Juan José Díaz Alberdi.