MAHRA IN SEMIS AFTER WIN OVER ZEDAN POLO

Rashid Al Habtoor's Mahra Polo team became the second team to qualify for the semifinals of the 1st Threadneedle Dubai Gold Cup with a 6-3 win against Saudi Arabia's Zedan Polo at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club Saturday.

Older brother Mohammad Al Habtoor's Habtoor Polo was the first team to qualify with a thrilling 7-6 last-gasp win against The First Group Polo from the UK on the opening day of the week-long competition last Friday.

And yesterday, there was no denying Rashid Al Habtoor's Mahra Polo as they had opened up an early 5-0 lead by the end of the first two chukkas. The hero of the moment was Argentina's Mario Gomez as he found the goal thrice. Manuel Plaza de Ayala and Nacho Gonzalez struck once each to give the home side an early lead that proved useful in the end.

Gomez scored his fourth early in the third chukka from a 30-yard penalty to make it 6-0 and the game looked done and dusted. But the fighters from Saudi Arabia were far from finished as Rudolfo Ducos opened the scoring for the visitors at the end of the third and then scored from a 60-yard penalty early in the fourth and final chukka to bring the game back to life.

Skipper Saeed Bin Drai scored from a tight angle for possibly the best goal of the match to make it 6-3 and Alfredo Capella managed to push in the fourth, only to have it disallowed as the ball had crossed a wee bit before the final hooter.

Results

Mahra Polo 6 (Mario Gomez - 4 goals, Manuel Plaza de Ayala - 1 goal, Nacho Gonzalez - 1 goal)

beat Zedan Polo 3 (Rudolfo Ducos - 2 goals, Saeed Bin Drai - 1 goal).

Today's fixtures: (3 pm) The First Group Polo vs Gulf Wings/Sumaya; (4.30 pm) Dubai Falcons vs Zedan Polo.