By Alejandra Ocampo
Zedan beat Abu Dhabi 9-7Â at Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club to secure the last spot in the semifinals of the 18-goal Standard Chartered Gold Cup, the most coveted trophy of the prestigious Dubai Gold Cup Series, the most important polo competition in Asia and the Middle East.
The results of the match mean that the Standard Chartered Gold Cup semifinals, due on Tuesday March 3, are now set. Ghantoot will take on AM/UAE, while UAE will play Zedan.
In terms of Zedan’s quarterfinal against Abu Dhabi, the former were able take an early advantage in the first two chukkas, securing a 4-1 win by the end of the second. Santiago Cernadas gave an outstanding performance, shining thanks to his accurate shots on goal. Abu Dhabi made a comeback in the third, but Zedan managed to hold on to the lead, going into half time 6-4 up.
Abu Dhabi fought back over the two next chukkas, and were particularly strong in the fifth. But Amr Zedan’s boys were strong in defence and were able to hold Abu Dhabi back. At the end of the match, Amr Zedan produced scored a great goal to seal Zedan’s 9-7 win and secure their place in the Standard Chartered Gold Cup semifinals.
SEMIFINALS BENTLEY CUP
The semifinals of the Bentley Cup are set for Monday, March 2:
2.30pm: Habtoor vs. Bangash
4.15pm: Abu Dhabi vs. Dubai Wolves
The finals of the Gold Cup (Dubai Open) are set for Friday, March 6.
ALL GOLD CUP MATCHES WILL BE STREAMED LIVE VIAÂ POLOLINE TV.
ZEDAN 9 vs. ABU DHABI 7
ZEDAN:Â Amr Zedan 0 (2 goals), Manuel Plaza de Ayala 6 (1), Juan Jauretche 6 (1), Santiago Laborde 6 (5, 3 penalties).
ABU DHABI: Faris Al Yabhouni 0 (1), César Crespo 4, Alfredo Cappella 9 (3), MartÃn Donovan 5 (3, 1 penalty).
SCORE ZEDAN:Â 2-0, 4-1, 6-4, 7-5, 9-7
IMAGES:
Zedan vs. Abu Dhabi, by Ana Clara Cozzi
REWATCH:
The Gold Cup, the most important tournament of Asia and the Middle East, was established in 2009. Over the last decade, the competition has become one of the most prestigious of the international polo calendar. The Gold Cup also awards points for the WPT Championship Cup category of the  World Polo Tour.
STANDARD CHARTERED GOLD CUP: TEAMS AND FIXTURES