KO8: Club Egara – Real Club de Polo

Match report

Real Club de Polo produced a perfect shoot-out series to advance to the FINAL4 for the first time since 2010 as they came back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 in normal time.

Goalkeeper Mario Fernandez kept out all three of the shoot-outs he faced while Roc Oliva, David Alegre and Javier Cabot all scored theirs for a famous win.

Normal time was a slow burner in the first half as Polo missed the services of Xavi Lleonart to give them that creative spark. Egara took the lead in the ninth minute when Xavi Gispert showed some lovely skills to win a penalty corner which Josep Romeu whipped home down the glove side.

Gispert was against central to the second as he worked a crossing chance down the left wing. It should have been dealt with by Roc Oliva but it bounced up instead into the path of Lluis Mercade who volleyed home on the run for 2-0.

Polo got one back via David Alegre after Borja Llorens powered forward and delivered the ball into the circle.

Again, Egara came forward with Romeu breaking out of defence to get to the baseline where he got the ball through the defences of Mario Fernandez and Mercade was again in a position to profit, making it 3-1.

Polo were not giving up easily and they got another back via Roc Oliva from an elaborate penalty corner routine, sweeping in from the right side of the circle.

That was with nine minutes to go and just a couple of minutes later, Alegre equalised when he peeled away and, off his back foot, fired in a strong shot by Quico Cortes.

It earned Polo their playoff shot and ended a sequence of four exits at the KO8 stage in the last five years.

For Polo coach Carlos Garcia Cuenca, it means a FINAL4 place in what will be his last EHL of his seven-year tenure as coach as he steps down in the summer.

“It’s magic! For me, it’s amazing because we fought to be here. I think Polo has deserved to get to the FINAL4 in the last few years at least one time, maybe more. It’s difficult for a team from the Spanish league because the level is different to the big leagues.

“We believed all the time, all through the bad moments, believe, believe, believe and finally we are here.

“I don’t know how to describe my feelings other than I am just happy! It’s special for me in my last year; my players gave me all of their bodies and their souls. Happy for them, the club, everybody!”