Lagos Leighton Kings defeated Lagos Caverton Riverlake 8 – 4 1/2 to clinch the Oba of Lagos Cup as the 2017 NPA Lagos International Polo Tournament entered its first week.
Also, the Kings would keep a date with Lagos Lintex in the final of the Open Cup billed for today. The other match of the day would see STL and Ibadan Jericho vie for the Silver Cup after wins over Kano Agad and Lagos Insight Redefini.
Leighton Kings – made up of Bowale Jolaosho (0), Hassan Fayad (+1), Martin Juaregi (+4) and Santiago Cernadas (+6) – took control of the game from the second chukka and never held back, as Cernadas thrilled the crowd, which included the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, among other dignitaries, with his amazing playing skills.
Fayad also had a memorable game, scoring his team’s second and third goals to keep the Kings in the lead in the early part of the second chukka.
They were out of sight by the fourth chukka, as they led Caverton – Yemo Alakija (+1), Rotimi Makanjuola (+1), Tobi Edun (+2) and Diego White (+6) – 8 – 2 1/2 at a point before seeing the match contest out via a 8 – 4 1/2 final score-line.
In the match played previously, Ahmadu Umar scored a goal in each half, to keep A-plus in touch as Bello Buba and Bashir Dantata continued to pose huge threats.
Isa Kwame also scored three straight goals in the second chukka to give A-Plus a 5 1/2 – 3 lead, with Dantata scoring Lintex’s solitary goal in the second chukka.
Abdulrahman and Buba were the calling the shots for both sides in the fourth and fifth chukkas to end the enthralling contest 10 1/2 – 9.
In the Silver Cup, Lagos STL outplayed Kano Agad 9-4 to set up a final tie with Ibadan Jericho, 7-6 winners over Lagos Insight Redefini.
Ibrahim Musa Dantala continued his impressive display netting five goals for the side which has Seyi Tinubu and Lolu Agoro as co-patrons.
The Jericho-Redefini encounter was keenly contested and, after STL had won the first match of the day, an all-Lagos final loomed large as Mamuda Shehu scored all of Redefini’s goals with much of the third chukka played.
However, Jericho hit-man, Umar sparked a come-back for his side, netting a goal and, soon after, Nurudeen Akibu tied the score 5-5 to end the penultimate chukka.
Jericho surged ahead through Immigration officer, Edozie Onwuli, before Umar scored his seventh goal which proved to be the winner, making the goal by Yusuf Katako for Redefini in the dying minutes inconsequential.