By Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Oct 17 (APP):FC Polo Team clinched the Gobi’s Paints Polo Cup after beating Diamond Paints/Sheikhoo Steel by 9-7 in the main final here at the Jinnah Polo and Country Club (JP&CC) ground on Sunday.
Gobi’s Paints Director Amna Omar graced the finals as chief guest and distributed trophies among the winners.
Other notable present on the occasion were JP&CC President Col (retd) Shoaib Aftab, Secretary Maj (retd) Babar Mahboob Awan, Irfan Ali Haider, Mir Shoaib Ahmad and polo enthusiasts.
Hav Shahzad Ahmad was in sublime form as he kept on scoring for Team FC Polo and emerged as top scorer with a classic contribution of superb seven goals. He was ably assisted by Hav Zia Ur Rehman and N Sub Israr Wali, who slammed in one goal each.
The losing side also displayed quality polo and fought well till the end but couldn’t win the final because of a huge lead of FC Polo Team, who won the final 9-7. For Diamond Paints/Sheikhoo Steel, Lt Col Omer Minhas hammered a hat-trick while Usman Anwar Aziz and Mir Huzaifa Ahmad banged in a brace each.
FC Polo Team dominated the final from the very beginning as they converted three back-to-back goals to take 3-0 lead in the first chukker.
Diamond Paints/Sheikhoo Steel bounced back in the second chukker by slamming in three goals against one by FC Polo, who were still enjoying 4-3 lead by the end of the second chukker.
FC Polo Team then made a tremendous comeback by cracking a classic quartet against one by Diamond Paints to take a healthy 8-4 lead. Diamond Paints though tried hard in the fourth and final chukker and succeeded in converting three goals against one by FC Polo, who won the final by 9-7. Lt Col Saleem Baboo and Omar Asjad Malhi supervised the match as field umpires.
Earlier in the subsidiary final, 4 Corps outpaced Mixed Bag by 7-3. Muhammad Ali emerged as top scorer from the winning side with fabulous five goals while Lt Col Saleem Baboo and Shoukat Ali Malik converted one goal. From the losing side, which had one goal handicap advantage, Sufi Muhammad Haroon and Omar Asjad Malhi struck one goal apiece.
