Four Teams Book Copa De Oro Ayala Semifinal Places
Shootouts Settle Both Group Finishes
The last four teams contesting the high goal Copa de Oro Ayala have been confirmed following a dramatic conclusion to the league phase in Sotogrande, with penalty shootouts needed in both groups to separate sides finishing level on points.
La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal, Brunei, Sainte Mesme and Dubai have all advanced to the semifinal stage of the tournament, which forms the third and final leg of the 55th Torneo Internacional de Polo staged by Ayala Polo Club.
Reaching this point required a tense finish to proceedings in both leagues, with three-way ties forcing shootouts to determine which sides would progress and which would be eliminated.
La Dolfina And Brunei Top Their Groups
In the opening group, La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal getting the better of Dos Lunas IQ set up a standings situation that needed sorting beyond the regular fixtures. Ayala also winning a tightly contested match against Dubai left three teams level, meaning La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal, Dubai and Ayala all went into a shootout to establish the final order.
When the penalties were completed, La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal held on to top spot in the league, with Dubai securing the second qualifying place. Ayala, despite their win over Dubai in normal play, found themselves eliminated once the shootout results were factored in, ending their run in this year's competition.
The second group produced an almost identical scenario. Amanara defeating Essso and Brunei getting past Sainte Mesme in the final round of matches again left three teams tied, sending Amanara, Brunei and Sainte Mesme to a shootout of their own to decide who would join La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal and Dubai in the last four.
Brunei coming out on top of that shootout secured first position in the league, while Sainte Mesme claimed the second semifinal berth. Amanara's campaign came to an end at this stage, mirroring the fate of Ayala in the opposite group.
Copa De Oro Ayala Semifinals Set
With both leagues settled, attention turns to Wednesday, when the semifinals of the high goal Copa de Oro Ayala get underway at the club's grounds in Sotogrande.
The first semifinal, throwing in at 5pm, pits League One winners La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal against League Two runners-up Sainte Mesme. The second match, starting at 6.30pm, sees League Two champions Brunei taking on Dubai, who finished second behind La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal in the opening group.
The pairings effectively cross the two leagues, with the top finisher from one group facing the second-placed side from the other in each semifinal tie, a structure that has become familiar to followers of the Sotogrande high goal season.
Both semifinals carry significant weight, with the winners advancing to contest the final of the Copa de Oro Ayala, one of the standout fixtures of the Spanish high goal calendar and the concluding trophy of the 55th edition of the Torneo Internacional de Polo.
For La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal, topping their league without needing to rely on the shootout placing offers a measure of momentum heading into the knockout stage, though Sainte Mesme arrive having already proven capable of testing strong opposition during the group stage.
Brunei's shootout success to finish first in League Two similarly puts them into their semifinal in good form, while Dubai will look to carry forward the resilience shown in their own group, where they progressed despite finishing behind La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal in the standings.
Ayala Polo Club, as hosts of this final leg of the tournament, will see their own representative side depart the competition at the group stage after finishing outside the qualifying places in the League One shootout, alongside Amanara's exit from League Two.
Attention now shifts entirely to Wednesday's action, with the Sotogrande crowd set to see two closely fought contests determining which two teams progress to fight for the Copa de Oro Ayala title, bringing the high goal season at Ayala Polo Club towards its climax.