The PACA region will represent France in the final of the first Polo Nations Cup on Sunday at the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly (3:00 pm). The French team will face South Korea, winners against Illinois in the second semi-final that took place this afternoon. France – South Korea, an unprecedented encounter in this sport.

After a very tense, defensive game with few goals and a golden goal from Louis Jarrige in overtime, PACA France emerged from the trap of this semi-final against Normandy. The tight, minimalist 4-3 scoreline reflects all the tension that hung over this game that even felt awkward at times: just one converted penalty out of seven opportunities for both sides. Elena Venot (PACA) pulled off a fine save to stop a 60-yard penalty from Normandy’s Pierre Henri Ngoumou. In the end, it is a young team, made up of players all trained at the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly, who will be defending the colors of France next Sunday: Louis Jarrige, Elena Venot, Dorian Bulteau and Julien Reynes (MVP of the game). They are just one match away from a historic achievement: that of putting the name of a French team on the very first line of the prize list of this brand-new Polo Nations Cup.

This fine team will first have to find new offensive strategies against a South Korean team reinforced by solid and talented Argentine “mercenaries”, notably Tito Guiñazu, who was particularly effective both as a scorer (4 goals) and as an assistant, with a decisive pass to teammate Santiago Irastorza who scored a magnificent goal, the team’s ninth in the fifth period. But it was in the fourth period that the difference was made, with Korea inflicting a 3-0 defeat on the Americans, including an audacious (second) goal from Korean captain David Ko.

PACA France 
Elena Venot (1)
Dorian Bulteau (3)
Louis Jarrige (4)
Julien Reynes (4)

Normandy
Ulysse Eisensteter (0)
Tete Storni (5)
Pierre Henri Ngoumou (6)
Patrick Eisensteter (0)

South Korea
David Ko (0)
Jerry Kwak/Bin Kim (0)
Tito Guiñazu (7)
Santiago Irastorza (5)

Illinois USA
Richard Harris (0)
Larry Aschebrook (0)
Pedro Harrison (5)
Adrian Laplacette (6)

Photo credit: © R&B Presse – Adèle Renauldon