La Dolfina have won the Hurlingham Open. In a final billed beforehand as a grudge match, they beat Ellerstina 18-16 to add the second leg of the Argentine Triple Crown to the Tortugas Open they won in October.
A rematch with something to prove
The two teams had already met in the first leg. La Dolfina Hope Fund beat Ellerstina Piaget 16-14 in the Tortugas Open final on 12 October, ending Ellerstina’s attempt to win the tournament for a seventh straight year. Both sides were rated just short of the maximum 40 goals, so the Hurlingham final carried the feel of a decider between two of the best teams in the sport. It was streamed live, with the throw-in set for 7pm in the UK.
Two goals is a narrow margin by the standards of this fixture, and it took good play from the whole La Dolfina side to hold on.
The players
- La Dolfina: Adolfo Cambiaso and Pablo MacDonough were both in the line-up, the core of a side that had scored heavily all tournament.
- Ellerstina: Facundo Pieres was the main scorer with 11 goals, with Gonzalito Pieres alongside him. Nico Pieres returned to the side after missing earlier games through injury.
Ellerstina had played part of the tournament without Nico Pieres, with Paco de Narváez deputising, and his return was a welcome boost for them in the final.
How the tournament got here
La Dolfina began their Hurlingham campaign with a 22-10 win over Chapaleufú and a 19-10 win over Alegría, which showed a team in a scoring mood. Ellerstina, meanwhile, beat La Aguada-Las Monjitas 17-10 in their group.
Looking ahead
With La Dolfina now winning both of the first two legs, all eyes move to the Argentine Open at Palermo, the last leg of the Triple Crown and the title every player wants most. We will cover it as it unfolds.
Sources: Horse Times Egypt, final report, Horse Times Egypt, preview, POLO Magazine
