GlobalPort captures US Sterling Cup in overtime polo thriller

WELLINGTON, Florida – GlobalPort toppled defending champion Maltese Falcons, 12-11, in an overtime thriller to capture the Sterling Cup championship at the Grand Champions Polo Club here on Sunday.

The epic eight-chukker victory put the Philippine-based quartet of Mikee Romero in winning form as it geared for the final and most prestigious event of the sport’s winter season, the US Open.

Barto Castagnola, the Argentinian 10-goaler who is one of the top goal scorers of the season, knocked in all but one of GlobalPort’s goals in an action-packed finale that also sent GlobalPort’s Lucas Alberdi off the saddle and off the field with a suspected concussion.

Castagnola scored the tying goal with five seconds remaining in regular time, sending the match into overtime.

After a scoreless first overtime chukker, he drove in the winning goal just seconds into the second overtime.

Stephanie Lueders of University of Wisconsin-Madison joined the GlobalPort quartet to substitute for Romero, who returned to Manila for business matters.

The congressman also oversees the campaign of the 1Pacman party-list, which is putting forward his daughter, Milka, to succeed him as the first nominee.

GlobalPort and Romero have been playing in a series of tournaments in Florida, including the Gauntlet of Polo, a trio of top-notch 22-goal championships that includes the recently concluded Whitney Cup, the ongoing United States Polo Association (USPA), and the most prestigious of polo events, the US Open, which starts next week.

GlobalPort has so far put up a creditable showing, reaching the semi-finals in the Whitney Cup, just missing the quarterfinals of the USPA Gold Cup, placing second in the 12-goal Bronze Cup, and winning the Sterling Cup last Sunday.

“I’m excited to return to Florida and see action in the US Open. It is a dream come true for me,” said Romero, who will fly back next week for the US Open matches.

The sportsman and businessman, however, missed the excitement of Sunday’s title match against the Maltese Falcon.

It was a nip-and-tuck battle from start to finish, with Castagnola scoring GlobalPort’s first five goals before six-goaler Lucas Alberdi scored a goal that gave GlobalPort a 6-4 lead at halftime.

But midway through the fifth chukker, a collision knocked Alberdi and his horse hard to the ground. While the horse emerged unscathed, Alberdi had to be sidelined due to safety concerns .

He was replaced by Mariano Obregon Jr., who quickly made his presence felt at the resumption of play when he lofted an assist to Castagnola to keep GlobalPort ahead at 8-6.

Maltese Falcon clawed back into the game with a balanced attack, ending the fifth chukker at 9-all.

Maltese Falcon, comprising Santi Toccalino, Nic Roldan, Gonzalito Pieres, and Champions Polo Club president Melissa Ganzi, surged ahead and took the lead for the first time at 10-9 when Santi Toccalino scored in the first minute of the sixth period.

After Castagnola equalized at 10-10, Toccalino seemed to have secured the title for Maltese Falcon when he scored with 45 seconds remaining in regular time.

Maltese Falcon was five seconds away from the Sterling Cup when Toccalino fouled Castagnola in an attempted breakaway after winning the throw-in.

Castagnola was galloping downfield when Toccalino crossed his line.

After a challenge failed to reverse the call, Castagnola struck from 60 yards, his line drive clearing the defenders’ mallets overhead and soaring over the goalposts.

In the first overtime, both teams tightened their defenses and continually missed shots from point-blank range.

During the heat of the defensive battle, Castagnola broke his mallet but continued playing until Lueders passed him her stick, allowing GlobalPort to maintain a scoreless seventh chukker.

The eighth chukker, the second sudden-death overtime period, felt almost like an anti-climax.

Castagnola found himself at a standstill in front of the goalposts, and he calmly stroked it in for the win.