As the battle for the centenary Georgian Cup at the ongoing Kaduna International Polo Tournament 2019 hots up, Malcomites defeated Imani 12-9 to set up a tantalising finale.
Imani, sponsored by the President of Kaduna Polo Club, Alhaji Suleiman Abubakar, starring Aliyu Tijani and Malam Kabiru among others faced a torrid time against the Malcomites, who lined up Nigeria golden boy, Hamisu Buba, Argentine hired assassins, Andre Crespo and Diego White among other.
The Georgian Cup defending champions, Kaduna El-Amin, had earlier suffered a major upset as they lost to Abuja Guards Brigade Rubicon 10-8 in their opening encounter of the annual tournament.
Hard fighting El-Amin had trailed from behind from the first chukka as a result of two goals awarded to Rubicon who have lesser handicap, they equalized in the fifth chukka, only to concede two unreplied goals in the last of the six chukka thriller. The first chukka ended 1-3, second finished 2-6, third ended 4-7 and the fourth finished 7-8. El Amin equalised 8-8 in the fifth chukka only to lose in the last chukka 10-8.
Patron and number one player of Rubicon, Hadi Sirika said they were excited to have beaten 14 times Georgian Cup winners El-Amin. “We pray they lose to another team so we can win this centenary Georgian Cup. The Georgian Cup.
The Georgian Cup, produced of Georgian silver in 1785 is one of the oldest trophies in the world and the biggest trophy of Africa’s most prestigious polo tournament, the Kaduna International Polo tournament competed for at the Ahmadu Yakubu Polo Club in Kaduna since 1919.
