The 2015 World Polo Championship organized by the Federation of International Polo (FIP) was played on the field of the San Cristobal Polo and Riding Club of Santiago de Chile between March 27 and April 1. On Wednesday April 1, the national teams of the United States (Remy Muller, Jesse Bray, Felipe Viana and Patrick Uretz) and Chile (Felipe Vercellino, Mario Silva, José Ignacio Vial and José M. Pereira) played for gold and silver medals, while Brazil, representing the American zone, and England, representing the European zone, played for bronze.
The US team took advantage of the local team’s nervousness, taking a quick 3-0 lead with a goal of Uretz and two penalty shots of Jesse Bray. Vercellino scored for Chile, ending the first two chukkers with the US ahead 3-1.
At the beginning of the third chukker, goals by Bray and Viana increased the score 5-1 for the US. The match looked like a very difficult task with a very gloomy prospect for the host team. However, Chile managed to decrease the US lead with the goal of Silva that left the match 5-2 at the end of the third chukker.
The fourth chukker was crucial to Chile with four successive goals converted by Vial, Vercellino, and two goals from Silva, bringing Chile ahead 6-5. A goal of Muller tied the score 6-6.
The fifth period was very even with the US team retaking the lead with two goals of Bray and one of Viana, while a penalty shot of Vercellino kept alive the hopes of the host team that was behind 7-9.
In the sixth and final chukker, Chile redoubled its efforts and was not discouraged when receiving two further goals of Viana and Bray. Vercellino, Chile’s top scorer, was deadly when converting three penalties to leave the score 10-11 and later, in an extraordinary run, achieve the goal that tied the score 11-11 in the final minute of the game taking the match to a sudden-death round.
In extra time, Chile went decidedly in search of the deciding goal, which came after three minutes of play, scored by Silva. The “golden goal” by the local team allowed Chile to get its second world title after that conquered 2008 in Mexico.
In the other match played on Wednesday before some 12,000 spectators at the San Cristobal Polo and Riding Club of Santiago de Chile, the Brazilian team won third place by beating England 12-10.
