Valiente beats Lechuza Caracas, faces La Herradura in Bobby Barry Cup final

By Alex Webbe

Valiente scored a 9-5 win over Lechuza Caracas Friday afternoon in the semifinals of the 20-goal Bobby Barry Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington. The victory secured Valiente a berth in Sunday’s finals when they will face La Herradura for the tournament title.

Valiente won by four goals, but it was a far different story in the first half of play.

A tenuous first chukker saw all three gals scored come on penalty shots. Adolfo Cambiaso scored the first two with Lechuza Caracas’s Tomas Goti getting them on the scoreboard with a penalty conversion in the final 33 seconds of the period. Valiente took a narrow 2-1 lead after the opening chukker.

Goti tied it up at 2-2 on a goal from the field in the opening seconds of the second chukker while a disciplined defense kept Valiente off of the scoreboard. With two minutes left in the chukker, Lechuza Caracas tem captain Victor Vargas managed to ride Santi Torres off of the ball and score the go-ahead goal. At the end of the second period Lechuza Caracas were on top of a 3-2 score.

Torres converted a penalty shot for a goal to open the third, but countering goals from Agustin Nero (following up a 100 yard run with the ball by Vargas) and Goti ended the first half with Valiente trailing by two goals, 5-3.

A refreshed and refocused Valiente team took the field in the second half and immediately took control of the game. Fourth chukker goals from Cambiaso and Torres went unanswered as Valiente tied it up at 5-5.

For the second straight chukker Lechuza Caracas was unable to mount a successful attack while Cambiaso registered his fourth of the day and Torres added two more from the field. Valiente owned an 8-5 lead with just one chukker left in regulation time.

Lechuza Caracas continued to struggle with its offense in the sixth, missing passes and being ridden out of play after play. Julio Gracida scored the final goal in a game that found Lechuza Caracas unable to score a single goal in the last three chukkers of the game. Valiente celebrated the 9-5 win while Lechuza Caracas repaired to the sidelines where they would discuss their lack of offense and prepare themselves for the next tournament.

Adolfo Cambiaso and Santi Torres scored four goals apiece for Valiente. Julio Gracida added a penalty goal in the win. Tomas Goti was credited with three goals for Lechuza Caracas. Agustin Nero and Victor Vargas each added a goal in a losing effort.

On Sunday afternoon at noon, Valiente will face La Herradura to determine the 2013 winner of the bobby Barry Cup.