USA wins in overtime shootout, 11-9

By Alex Webbe

The United States reversed a long string of international losses by scoring an 11-
9 overtime win over Hong Kong in the 24-goal Super Nations Cup at the Goldin
Metropolitan Polo Club in Tianjin, China Monday afternoon.

In a tightly contest match that had the USA trailing 6-5 after the fifth chukker, Hong
Kong broke it loose in the sixth on consecutive goals from John fisher and Jose Donoso
for an 8-5 lead with 3:30 left in regulation time. The USA team rallied to score three
unanswered goals and nearly notched the winning score as time expired before winning
it in an overtime shootout.

John Paul Clarkin got Hong Kong on the scoreboard early by converting a 40-yard
penalty shot for a goal. Minutes later, USA team captain Mike Azzaro scored on a well-
executed neck shot to draw them even at 1-1. Clarkin converted a 60-yard penalty shot
at the four minute mark for the last goal of the chukker and a 2-1 Hong Kong advantage.

Both defenses stiffened in the second period with scoring at a minimum. Mason Wroe
connected on what was the goal shot of the day, a nearside backhander just off the end
line that carried through the Hong Kong goalposts to knot it up at 2-2.

Chris MacKenzie opened up the scoring in the third chukker, scoring with just ninety
seconds gone in the period. Moments later, MacKenzie suffered a fall while trying to
defend against a USA charge on goal. With just under three minutes left in the period,
Azzaro took the ensuing throw-in and drove it through the goalposts for the 3-3 tie.

John Fisher scored the lone goal of the fourth on a beautifully executed nearside
backhander, similar to an earlier goal scored by USA’s Mason Wroe. A near goal by
Clarkin with under three minutes left in the chukker was disallowed, but with :22 left in
the chukker, Clarkin was awarded a 60-yard penalty shot that went wide. Hong Kong
held on to a narrow one goal lead, 4-3.

The offenses picked up on both sides in the fifth period, but the scoring didn’t come
from the field. Mike Azzaro opened up the scoring by converting a penalty shot for a
tying goal, 4-4. Clarkin answered with a penalty conversion of his own and a 5-4 Hong
Kong lead. Azzaro’s second penalty goal of the chukker came on a 60-yard Penalty 6.

It was all even again at 5-5. With 3:15 left in the frame, Clarkin scored on a Penalty 2 to
close out the scoring with Hong Kong ahead by a goal, 6-5.

John Fisher’s long shot at goal went through the goal posts at the 4:21 mark as Hong
Kong took its first two goal lead of the game, 7-5. Jose Donoso broke away to score
again at the 3:32 mark and the USA found themselves trailing by three goals with the
clock winding down.

Wroe made a run to the Hong Kong goal, scoring with 2:19 left in regulation time,
but Hong Kong maintained a two goal lead, 8-6. A Hong Kong foul put Azzaro at the
penalty line with 1:20 on the clock. He converted the 30-yard penalty shot for a goal,
cutting the Hong Kong lead to a single goal, 8-7.

Azzaro took the ensuing throw-in, passed it ahead to Jeff Hall who scored with :45 left
in the chukker. Wroe took control of the following throw-in and raced toward the Hong
Kong goal. A last second hook by Donoso left the ball just yards to the side of the goal.
A trailing Kampsen took the shot, hitting the post as time expired. The game ended in
an unlikely 8-8 tie, forcing a penalty shootout for the win.

Following a brief intermission, both teams returned to the field where they would
alternately attempt 60-yard penalty shots until one team or the other won. The USA
won the coin toss and elected to go first. Wroe converted to put the USA up 9-8
followed by Donoso who tied it again at 9-9 with his conversion of the shot. Kampsen
drove his shot through the goal posts as the USA took the lead for just the second
time all day, 10-9. Nineteen-year-old MacKenzie was the second Hong Kong player
to approach the ball, missing wide right with Jeff Hall sealing the victory when he
converted the next shot for the 11-9 USA victory.

The win boosts the USA into Friday’s finals against the winner of Tuesday’s contest
between Argentina and England.