BY CONSOLATA MAKOKHA
ROYAL Salute beat Samurai 4F-3 to win their Kenya International 10-14 Goal tournament opener at the Nairobi Polo Club, Jamhuri Park yesterday.
It looked like Samurai had found their footing in the third chukka scoring twice successively after trailing 3-0 at the beginning of period three but Royal Salute held on to their lead to win.
Five goaler Selby Williamson and captain of South Africa’s polo national team scored the game’s first goal in the second chukka and Mike Osborn added the second to gift Royal Salute a 2-0 lead. Vishal Somaia netted the third a few seconds into the third chukka. Highest handicapped player in the tournament Buster Mckenzie scored a back-to-back brace both from a penalty four position.
Samurai’s spirit was dampened when Somaia added Royal Salute’s fourth.
In the fourth and last chukka, Samurai mounted solid defense and pushed Royal Salute to the wall for the team’s patron Raphael Nzomo chip in their third goal.
“The game was so fast and tough but I’m grateful we won. We played an equally good side and they gave us a run for our money. The only challenge is that the pitch was dusty but hopefully it will be watered ahead of tomorrow’s (today) matches,” said Williamson, the Royal Salute’s captain.
On the other hand, Nzomo stayed positive after his outfit’s lost. “We played a better side with two top handicapped players (Williamson-5 and Osborn-4) in the tournament and so we are still upbeat as we go on to meet Peroni on Saturday. We have gelled well and going forward we will do better,” said Nzomo.
Courtesy of the-star.co.ke