State Polo: IRC-A, TPC set up semifinal clash
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, November 08 2022:
Imphal Riding Club-A and Tekcham Polo Club pulled off comeback wins en route to the semifinals of the 26th N Hazari & Dr N Tombi State Polo Tournament 2022 on Tuesday.
Imphal Riding Club shrugged off a first-chukker deficit to outscore Assam Rifles Polo Team 7-5 for their place in the last four.
The AR team took the lead in opening chukker through Riyakat Ali but the Imphal riders recovered in the second chukker courtesy of a double from A Basanta and one from Dollar Soram while AR claimed two goals through Riyakat (his second) and Kh Chandrakumar as the score-line read 3-3 .
In the third chukker, IRC turned the tables on their opponents with three more goals as A Basanta (his second), Leishemba Takhellambam and Rohit got on the scoresheet.
AR team, who drew blank in the third-chukker, got a pair of goals through Riyakat but his four-goal salvo went in vain as IRC added a goal through Leishemba (his second) and ensured they came out 7-5 winners.
Tekcham Polo Club too had to fight back from a goal down to snatch a 5-4 victory against MPSC-B in a nerve-wracking quarterfinal contest.
After MPSC led in the first chukker through T Pradeep-kumar, Tekcham PC fought back in the second chukker with a goal from M Doren and took the lead in the third chukker courtesy of a strike from S Sadananda.
Then in an action-packed fourth chukker, both sides fired in three goals leading to a 5-4 result that went in favour of Tekcham PC, thanks to a double from S Sadananda and one from M Doren.
For MPSC, H Abung Khuman scored twice and T Pradeep-kumar added a goal in vain.
On Wednesday, X-Polo Club will clash with Chingkheihunba Polo Club in the first semifinal and Tekcham Polo Club face Imphal Riding Club-A later.