LAHORE: The 5th President of Pakistan Polo Cup 2026 for the National Open Polo Championship got underway with a dominant performance by FG Polo, who outpaced Diamond Paints/Master Paints (DP/MP) by a convincing margin of 13-5 in in the opening match at Jinnah Polo Fields.
FG Polo’s offensive charge was led by Mekayial Sami and Raul Laplacette, both of whom hammered in five goals each. Marcos Rivarola provided vital support with three goals. For Diamond Paints/Master Paints, Facundo Retamar scored three goals, while Amirreza Behbudi contributed two.
The match drew a large number of spectators and families. Distinguish guests in attendance included Mian Abbas Mukhtar (Director, Sarsabz Pakistan), Club Secretary Major Adil Rao (Retd), Executive Committee member Sufi Muhammad Haroon, and a significant number of polo players. FG Polo is scheduled to face BN Polo in their next fixture on Thursday. FG Polo showed superior tactical coordination from the start, consistently increasing their lead in every chukker. The match began with a balanced exchange. Amirreza Behbudi opened the account for DP/MP with a 30-yard penalty, followed by a field goal from Facundo Retamar. However, FG Polo’s Raul Laplacette responded with a swift field goal to keep the score close.
FG Polo began to assert control in the second chukker. Marcos Rivarola and Raul Laplacette both found the back of the goal with accurate field goals, putting DP/MP on the defensive. The third chukker proved the highest-scoring one of the match, featuring six goals. FG Polo’s Mekayial Sami and Raul Laplacette were relentless, scoring two goals each. DP/MP attempted to stay in the contest through Facundo Retamar (60-yard penalty) and Marcos Rivarola, but FG Polo ended the chukker with a significant lead.
