TTS Report:
FG Polo secured a narrow 5–4 victory over Diamond/Master Paints in a gripping final league encounter of the 63rd Allied Bank National Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup 2026 at the Lahore Polo Club.
Despite the loss, both teams have successfully qualified for the main final scheduled for Sunday, while BN Polo has been eliminated from the title race following two consecutive defeats. The grand final between these two powerhouses – FG Polo and Diamond/Master Paints – is set to take place this Sunday at 3:00 PM.
FG Polo’s victory was powered by a stellar performance from Raja Mikayial Sami, who hammered home four crucial goals. He was supported by team member Amin Rehman, who added one goal to the tally. For Diamond/Master Paints, Sufi Haroon bin Haris led the fight with two goals, while Raja Temur Nadeem and Facundo Retamar chipped in with one goal apiece.
The match was a tactical battle of nerves, with momentum swinging between the two sides across five intense chukkas. Diamond/Master Paints started strong. Raja Temur Nadeem opened the scoring with a field goal, followed quickly by Sufi Haroon, giving DP/MP an early 2–0 lead. Diamond/Master Paints continued their dominance early in the second as Sufi Haroon struck again to make it 3–0. However, FG Polo finally found their rhythm late in the chukka, with Raja Mikayial Sami converting a crucial penalty goal to get his team on the board, making it 3–1. FG Polo mounted a comeback in the third chukka, with Amin Rehman scoring a penalty goal to narrow the gap, followed by another clinical finish from Raja Mikayial Sami, levelling the score at 3-3.
The tension peaked in the fourth chukka, where Facundo Retamar regained the lead for Diamond/Master Paints with a field goal, making it 4-3. The fifth and final chukka belonged entirely to Raja Mikayial Sami. Displaying exceptional composure, he scored two consecutive goals to flip the script and clinch a 5–4 victory for FG Polo in the final moments of the league match.
