Imphal: Host Manipur representing India B defeated India A (Indian Polo Assn) 8-3 in a thrilling match on Wednesday, the 2nd day of the 14th Manipur Polo International tournament 2022.
The match was much more keenly contested than the score line suggests.
The Manipur team held total sway in the 1st chukkar, striking at the goal four times while the India A team managed to score only once. P Ojit opened the account for the host team in the 1.58th minute and followed it up with another one in the 2.00nd minute. Atangba increased the tally to 3 goals in the 2.11th minute. India A managed to pull one back through Major Anan in the 6.20th minute. The chukkar ended at 4-1 in favour of Manipur with Pradeepkumar striking in the 6.33rd minute.
From the 2nd chukkar onwards the India A team gave much fiercer fight to the host team and gave a much improved display. India A was the first to score in this chukkar through Ranshay Purohit in the .55th minute. But Manipur maintain a healthy lead of four goals as Atangba (1.11th minute ) and Pradeepkumar (1.38th minute) scored for the team.
The 3rd and 4th chukkar was very keenly contested with both the teams mounting series of attacks on the opponent’s citadel. The major part of the 3rd chukkar went goalless. It was only in the 6.06th minute that Major Anan scored for Indian A followed by another goal towards the end of the chukkar (7.10) for Manipur by Rohit who came in as a substitute for Thomson.
In the 4th chukkar th India A team managed to hold off the raids by the host team for the major part allowing in just one goal in the early part. After a goal in the beginning of this last chukkar .15th minute by Pradeepkumar, Manipur failed to add any more goals. The match ended 8-3 in favour of Manipur.
Nick Feldman from USA and Phil Seller from UK were the umpires of the match.
On November 24, the third day of the Manipur Polo International tournament, Indian Navy will take on USA in the first match while UK will clash with USA in the second match
