Polo Face Egara Test as Spain’s Title Race Reaches Jornada 9
Polo are top of Spain, and Sunday is the day they have to prove they belong there. Egara are coming to the Eduardo Dualde, fresh from putting six past Barcelona, and the leaders have had exactly one week at the summit to enjoy it.
It was Nico Laplaza who put them there. His winner against CD Terrassa came with under three minutes left last Sunday, a 2-1 comeback win that took Polo top of the Liga IATI, the sponsored name of Spain’s top flight. One point behind them sit Junior, the only unbeaten side in the league, and the two of them meet on Thursday night in a rearranged game that could shuffle the whole pack before the weekend even starts.
So Sunday’s game lands in whatever shape Thursday leaves behind. Polo host Egara at noon, and Egara will fancy it. They’ve just won 6-0, they’re level on 13 points with Tenis and Atlètic, and they’ve got nothing to lose against the leaders. Polo have lost once all season, 4-3 at Atlètic back in September, and they’ll want to show last week’s late escape wasn’t a wobble.
Junior play at the same time, at home to Tenis. Junior haven’t lost a game yet, five wins and two draws from seven, and Tenis just drew 1-1 with Atlètic. If Junior win on Thursday and then beat Tenis, they could end the weekend top. That’s the prize on offer, and it’s a big one.
Saturday has its own story. Campo go to Carpesa, and the champions have been quietly ruthless on the road. They won 4-1 in Gran Canaria last week, they’re third on 16 points, and a win in Valencia keeps them right in the mix. Carpesa have seven points and shipped five at home to Sanse last weekend, so Campo will expect three points. They usually get them.
The other Sunday games matter too. Barcelona host CD Terrassa, fourth on 16 points, while Atlètic host Sardinero, still without a point after eight straight defeats, ten goals scored and 48 conceded. And in Gran Canaria, Taburiente host Complutense. Taburiente have one point all season. Complutense have won three in a row. That one looks one-way on paper, but Taburiente have made teams work for it at home before.
For our money, Polo against Egara is the game that tells us most about this title race. If Polo win it, they’ve beaten the form team and the lead starts to look real. If Egara win, it’s wide open again.
Jornada 9 fixtures
Saturday 14 November:
- CH Carpesa v Club de Campo (2pm)
Sunday 15 November:
- FC Barcelona v CD Terrassa (10am)
- Atlètic Terrassa v Sardinero HC (11am)
- Junior FC v RS Tenis (12pm)
- RC Polo v Club Egara (12pm)
- UD Taburiente v Sanse Complutense (12:30pm)
