2016 Access Bank-UNICEF Charity Polo: BUA edge Jericho to clinch Argentinian Ambassador’s Cup

The first week of the 2016 Access Bank-UNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament came to an exciting end Sunday at the Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Club, Kaduna with BUA beating Jericho 5 1/2 – 5 to claim the Argentinian Ambassador’s Cup.

Jericho, formed by Koyinsola Owoeye, Babao Lawal, Saidu Umar and Ahmadu Umar. And it was three-goaler Umar, who got the opening goal to close in on their opponents, who began the game with a 1 1/2 goal advantage due to handicap difference.

It was expected to be the show of Ahmadu and Tata Ali Kura, his BUA counterpart hitman, but it was Abdrahman Mohammed who stepped up for BUA scoring their opener to make scores 2 1/2 – 1 at the start of the second chukka. Jericho, however, responded with a goal by Ahmadu’s older sibling Saidu to keep the debuting team from Ibadan on the heels of their opponents going into the penultimate chukka of the low-goal event.

Saidu Bala, Sadiq Rabiu are the other two members of BUA and unsurprisingly, their influential scorer, Ali broke from the middle to register his name on the score sheet to take score to 3 1/2 – 2. Soon, Mohammed got another goal to ease the pressure following close misses by the Umar brothers.

Ahmadu, nicknamed Cascar, amended for his miss in a sublime fashion scoring twice.

And the former horse-groomer was not done yet as he brought his skills to the fore scoring another goal just before the bell to give Jericho the lead for the first time in the game watched among a large crowd including the British High Commissioner alongside Ambassadors of Poland, Italy, Argentina.

The final chukka, as anticipated, was explosive and a frantic defending by Jericho prevented Ali from making BUA retaking the lead.

But the final say belongs to Ali, who scrambled in a shot from about 12 yards off a crowded goalmouth at the dying moments to seal a hard-fought win.