Nigeria: Buba Promises Pakistani Fall

Ismaila Lere

16 June 2011

Nigeria’s top rated player, Bello Buba who could not finished the Zone D polo World qualifier against South Africa, has vowed to make up with an impressive outing against Pakistan in Nigeria’s second group game.

The Kaduna based top striker who was dismounted in the crucial fourth Chukka of the tense African clash due to dehydration, no thanks to the stiffing Malaysian humid weather, says all hope is not loss in Nigeria’s quest to win her first ever Polo World Cup finals ticket to Argentina next October.

Buba who scored two of the Nigerian goals in the opening game vowed to put on his best against the Asian nation to ensure Nigeria scale through to the second round of the hotly contested zonal qualifier billed for the Malaysian capital city, Kuala Lumpur next week and maintained the momentum throughout the crucial stages.

“I cannot explain what really happened, but I found it difficult to continue the game after three chukkas because of the excessive heat that drained me to the point of exhaustions and my coach, Dawdle Baba decided to dismount me,” he said.

“The result was not what we anticipated, but I want to promise Nigerians, particularly polo enthusiast that the result they all crave for would come against Pakistan in our second game.”

“We may not be one of the rated team in the competition, but I am confident that we can upset bookmakers and pick the needed point that would see Nigeria through to the next round of the competition,” he added.

South African who found themselves neck to neck with Nigeria in the opening three chukkas of the hotly contested encounter, made a good use of Buba’s absence on the pitch to break through in the fourth chukka and eventually won the game 13-5, much to the chagrin of the teeming fans who were routing for Nigeria throughout the game.

In the second game of the Zone D qualifier, India hold on to their half goal handicap advantage, to beat highly rated Australia 51/2-5 in their opening stream game.

Meanwhile, host Malaysia take their first step toward polo history in their bid to qualifying for their first ever Polo World Cup on an impressive note, upsetting mighty New Zealand 9-8 in a high pitch clash decided at the Royal Pahang Polo Club on Tuesday.

Malaysian Team Manager, Ahmed Jamil Rashid said the team spirit would not have been any better as the whole nation was looking for a winning start in the Afro-Astralasian- African Zone D qualifier for this year’s World Cup finals in San Luis, Argentina from October 11-25, 2011.

“The luck of draw for the Horse Group was not in our favour. However, that takes a back seat for now as we have archived the result we needed against New Zealand, which automatically puts our campaign for the global finals on the right footings,” he declares.

Royal Malaysian Polo Association President, Tengku Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Sham had earlier in the opening ceremony said that Malaysia faces an opening tough game against New Zealand, but expressed confidence that his team would secure the much needed result and remain in contention for the three final tickets available from Zone D.

“If we make to the finals in Argentina, it will take Malaysian polo to a higher level. It will also mean that we have to groom more youngsters for the development of sport in the country,” added the elated Sultan.

With Agency Reports

AllAfrica – All the Time