GLOBALPORT fought through gloomy weather and an early deficit to pull the rug from under newly-crowned US Gold Cup champion Park Place and book a spot in the quarterfinals of the US Open Polo Championships at the National Polo Center in Wellington , Florida, late Tuesday.
Led by team owner and sport patron Mikee Romero, GlobalPort battled back from a huge 5-2 deficit in the contest that was momentarily halted by a rain and lightning delay at the end of the second chukker.
The break, however, proved to be what GlobalPort needed as theteam battled back for the come-from-behind win over the United Kingdom-based team.
Bartolome Castagnola led the way for GlobalPort with five goals – including two in the fourth chukker when the team made its run and cut Park Place’s advantage to just one 6-7.
GlobalPort held Park Place scoreless in the next chukker while Castagnola tied the game at 7-apiece. There was simply no looking back from there as three straight goals from Beltran Laulhe and Nico Escobar gave GlobalPort a commanding 10-7 lead in the sixth.
With the win, GlobalPort ended the group stage of the 22-goal tournament, largely considered as the crowning jewel of US Polo, on a two-game win streak after also taking down BTA, 10-7 , in its second game.
The Philippine crew finished second in its group with a 2-1 record, with its lone loss coming against La Dolfina Tamera, 7-9.
The quarterfinals is set Saturday, April 12 , with GlobalPort battling La Dolfina Catamount.
