2009-11-14

Pilará Piaget win first Argentine Open match

Santiago Chavanne, player of the polo team Piaget-Pilará, at Argentina Open Tournament

Pilará Piaget got off to a flying start in the Argentine Open Championship, the world’s highest-rated polo tournament, when they defeated Indios Chapaleufú 16-15 on Saturday (14 November).

Piaget’s polo ambassador, 10-goal superstar Marcos Heguy, opened the scoring just a minute into the match on the main ground at Palermo, the “cathedral of polo”, in the heart of Buenos Aires. The Piaget-sponsored team held their opponents scoreless throughout the first period to build a 4-0 lead. “We played like a dream team in that first chukka,” said skipper Marcos. “Then we kept the lead until the eighth period when they managed to tie the score.” It was Marcos’ 10-goal team mate Agustin Merlos who hit in the winning goal halfway through the final period, having been the high scorer in the match with nine points.

Piaget-Pilará led 5-3 in the second chukka of the fast-paced match, then 7-5 in the third. By half-time they were ahead 10-6, holding their 4-point advantage by 13-9 in the fifth chukka, then 14-11 in the sixth. Only in the seventh period did Indios Chapaleufú manage to hold Piaget-Pilará scoreless, closing the gap to 14-13.

In the final period the two teams scored equally, but with Agustin’s goal the Piaget-sponsored side came out the winners. Only 3 of Piaget-Pilará’s 16 goals were scored on penalties, whereas their opponents relied on conversions for 9 of theirs.
Pilará Piaget will play next Saturday their second polo match of the Argentine Open Tournament, November 21 against Alegría at 2.30.