*Team South Africa put up a spirited performance to see off the strong resistance of Ghana’s Accra Polo Club 5 to 3½ over four chukkas to claim the 2013 Vodafone Polo Cup on Saturday afternoon in the Ghanaian capital.*
Captain Angus Williamson, James Gardiner, Lionel Foster and Andrew Gilson rode the rainbow flag in the game which was graced by the South Africa High Commissioner to Ghana, Jeanette Ndhlovu. It indeed was truly a classic end-to-end stuff but the South Africa side eventually prevailed, close as it ended.
“On behalf of the team, South Africans, the spectators here, we thank everybody for making the South African team very welcome. Both teams played very well but there has to be only one winner. Congratulations to the SA team for coming all the way to Ghana to put up such a great fight,” Madam Mkaleno said to close the day.
Lionel Foster, a player on the South African team concurred: “It’s a bit sad to beat the Ghanaians because they have been very hospitable to us. It was never an easy game and Ghana are also very good. We are happy to win but its sad there has to be a winner.”
It is almost the same theme reiterated by host chief, Kwakye Dopoah-Dei who acknowledged the resilience of Team SA in the face of unyielding challenge from Accra Polo Club’s team of Suleman Iddrissu, Eric Gene, Michael Mahama and Ahmed Umoru.
“My team also played very well but it’s a game so we congratulate the South Africans for their great performance even though they didn’t have it easy. We thank almighty God that we didn’t have any casualties and we hope that when we go to South Africa, we shall also defeat them,” the Accra Polo Club Captain told Sportsinghana.com exclusively.
Under his stewardship, Mr. Dopoah-Dei has vowed to put the sport in the limelight and increase patronage by Ghanaians. He confessed on the importance of involving various stakeholders in the surge to make Polo one of the favourite sports disciplines in this country.
“I would like to thank the South African Polo Association for honouring this invitation, Vodafone, our seasonal title sponsor and you the spectator for your presence here not to forget the media through whom we hope we can grow this sport,” Mr. Dopoah-Dei said.
Meanwhile the 2-day international friendly contest continues at the Accra Polo Club grounds on Sunday afternoon with a family fun day, a junior exhibition match and a friendly between the two teams which competed for the Vodafone Cup earlier on Saturday when South Africa of course beat Ghana by 5 to 3½.
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