HPRC lose to Madrid Polo Club in closing minutes of Clubs Cup

The Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club, representing India, lost 4-3 to Madrid Polo Club, representing Spain, in the Clubs Cup at San Fernando de Henares. HPRC led through goals from Chaitania Kumar and Arsalan Khan before a late winner

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club (HPRC), playing as India, went down 4-3 to Madrid Polo Club, playing as Spain, in the Clubs Cup at San Fernando de Henares on Sunday — a match decided by a goal in the closing minutes of the final chukker, at the end of a weekend that both clubs described as polo at its best.

Chaitania Kumar, President of HPRC, opened the scoring for India, and Arsalan Khan added two goals to take the visitors to three. With the scores level, India played a disciplined defensive game and held the home side out until the final minutes of the last chukker, when Madrid Polo Club converted the fourth goal that settled the Cup.

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India was represented by Akash Reddy, Arsalan Khan, Saif Attari and Chaitania Kumar. Madrid Polo Club fielded Mateo, Ivan Davila, Manuel Segimon and Paul. The match was played on Madrid Polo Club’s ground at San Fernando de Henares, with the horses — three for each visiting player — provided by the host club.

“It was an amazing game, and it showed the true essence of polo,” said Chaitania Kumar. “We scored first, we defended well, and we lost to a goal in the last minutes to a very good side on their own horses. Nobody on either team will forget it. More than the result, this weekend was about the friendship between Spain and India, and between our two clubs — and about taking Hyderabad’s polo out into the world.”