Mon 30th Sep 2024131st Hurlingham Open FinalistsLa Natividad & La Dolfina Saudi in 80 goal Final on Saturday 5 October
The 131st Hurlingham Open Semi Finals took place over the weekend of 28 – 29 September at Palermo. On Saturday 28 September, La Natividad and La Hache went head-to-head in the first Semi Final, which was a rematch of the 2023 Semi Finals when La Hache beat La Natividad to progress to the Final where they were beaten by La Dolfina Saudi. Both teams fought hard in a closely contested match that was tied 7-7 at the end of the fifth chukka. However, La Natividad surged ahead in the sixth chukka to push ahead 10-8 and although La Hache fought back in the seventh and outscored La Natividad 2 goals to 1, they were still one goal behind with one chukka remaining, 11-10. However, La Natividad pushed on in the final chukka to score three more goals to seal their 14-11 win and with it their place in the Final. The following day, Sunday 29 September, defending champions La Dolfina Saudi defeated Ellerstina UAE Yellow Rose by just one goal in an extra chukka, 18-17, to secure their place in the Final. The evenly matched teams exchanged the lead throughout the match with La Dolfina’s Poroto Cambiaso and Ellerstina’s Sapo Caset scoring 11 and 12 goals respectively. Poroto Cambiaso scored the winning goal in extra time. This means that The 131st Hurlingham Open Final on Saturday 5 October will be an 80 goal Final, which is an historic milestone as it is only the fifth time an 80 goal Final has been played in The Argentine Triple Crown and the third 80 goal Hurlingham Open Final. The 131st Hurlingham Open Final Teams: La Natividad (40): Facundo Pieres (10), Camilo ‘Jeta’ Castagnola (10), Pablo Mac Donough (10) & Barto Castagnola (10) La Dolfina Saudi (40): Adolfo Cambiaso (10), David Stirling (10), Poroto Cambiaso (10) & Juan Martin Nero (10) Photograph: Jeta Castagnola on the ball for La Natividad in the Semi Final. By Matías Callejo / AAP Press |