Philippine team enters Asian polo semis

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine polo team, bannered by GlobalPort owner Mikee Romero and Antonio Veloso, advanced to the semis of the 2016 Asian Polo Cup with a convincing a 6-3 win over Brunei Monday at the Siam Polo Park in Bangkok, Thailand.

The win was a fitting follow-up to the country’s 8-3 rout of China in the region’s biggest polo tournament to finish second behind Indonesia in Group B elims with a 2-1 card.

Hardly had a time to prepare for the match, the Phl team dropped its opening game to Indonesia last Saturday.

But against the Chinese, Romero and Veloso were at their best as they – along with Andrian Garcia and Andrew Garcia – beat their rivals with their sharp and precise passes to romp off with the win.

They sustained their form against Brunei as they effectively settled the outcome of the game early in the third quarter with a big lead.

The Phl team, however, needs to play tougher and smarter when it goes up against the host squad today for a crack at the finals. Also going for a final berth are the Indons and the Malaysians.

“Going up against a host team is very tough but we are all fully motivated after our wins against China and Brunei,” said Romero.

The tournament, according to Romeo, is a good gauge for the Southeast Asian countries – the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore – as they prepare for the 2017 SEA Games in Malaysia.

Romero and his counterparts from Thailand and Brunei are lobbying for the inclusion of the sport in the biennial event.