Tue 27th Feb 2024Dubai Gold Cup FinalFirst Gold Cup win for Habtoor in 12 years
Habtoor emerged as champions in The Dubai Gold Cup on Saturday 24 February, at Al Habtoor Polo Resort's main field in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In a tightly contested battle, Habtoor secured a narrow 11-10 victory over Dubai Wolves by CAFU in extra time, courtesy of a golden goal by José Araya. This win marked a significant achievement for Habtoor, claiming The Dubai Gold Cup for the first time in twelve years and concluding a remarkable high-goal season within the 2024 Dubai Gold Cup Series, where Mohammed Al Habtoor's team also secured The Dubai Silver Cup. Habtoor took an early lead with a couple of unanswered goals, but Wolves, led by their key player Benjamin Panelo, stayed in contention. The first half concluded with Juan Jauretche's remarkable goal, levelling the score at 5-5 by half-time. In the second half, a determined Habtoor line-up regained a three-goal advantage. However, Wolves, fuelled by Benjamin Panelo's contributions, narrowed the gap on the scoreboard. Starting the last chukka with a two-goal lead, Habtoor faced a resurgence from Wolves. With only five minutes left in regulation time, Benjamin Panelo scored, forcing the match into an extra chukka. It was in this crucial moment that José Araya seized the opportunity, carrying the ball to the goalposts and securing the victory for Habtoor. A full report will be in the next issue of Polo Times, click here to gift a subscription to a friend today! The Dubai Gold Cup Final Teams: Habtoor Polo (20): Mohammed Al Habtoor (0), José Araya (5), Facundo Fernández Llorente (8) & Juan Jaureche (7) Dubai Wolves By CAFU (20): Benjamín Panelo (7), Habtoor Al Habtoor (1), Félix Esaín (6) & Santiago Laborde (6) Photograph: Habtoor, winners of the 2024 Dubai Gold Cup. By AHPC |