By Our Sports Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 29: Nagamapal Youth Polo Club (NYPC), defeated MPSC-A 7-6 with a 5th chukker winner from M Chaoba in a keenly contested match to seal a spot in the last 8 round of the 36th Men’s State Polo Tournament 2020 at Mapal Kangjeibung today.
The third day also saw Samadon Ayangba beat MPC 7-2 and MPSC-C crush San Polo Club (SPC) 14-1 to advance to second round of this knock out tournament.
The first match went neck and neck first match and a blunder by MPSC-A proved them costly as NYPC fought back to draw level in the fourth chukker before the game was decided in the fifth chukker. The first chukker ended goalless despite cautious efforts from both ends and they were locked at 2-2 till halfway as M Chaoba and Bilam scored one each for NYPC while MPSC-A’s M Surjit and S Bimol found the target.
MPSC-A led 5-4 till the third chukker even though they conceded an own goal early as Y Binoy struck once while S Bimol scored his second and third goal. M Chaoba was the lone scorer for NYPC in this chukker.
NYPC however made a fine comeback to overturn the lead with M Chaoba and Bishorjit chipping in a goal each in the fourth chukker before Y Binoy struck anoher latter in the 6th minute and made it 6-6 forcing the game to continue with a fifth chukker (Golden Goal).
Just 38 seconds into the last chukker, NYPC’s M Chaoba scored his fourth and the winning goal to end the match 7-6 in their favour.
The second match saw Samadon Ayangba thrash MPC riding on treble by Tiken and doubles from Abung and Girimohan.
Samadon Ayangbam led the first chukker 3-0 with Tiken opening the account and Girimohon scoring his two goals. Abung and Tiken added a goal each to extend Samadon Ayangba’s lead in the second chukker but MPC fought back and pulled two goals back through Th Robert to make it 2-5.
MPC’s comeback however proved to be a flash in the pan as dominant Samadon Ayangba fetched another two goals, one off Tiken in the third chukker and the last off Abung in the final chukker, to finish the game 7-2.
Samadon Ayangbam will take on Khurai Polo Club for a place in the quarter final on January 31.
Meanwhile in the last match of the third day, MPSC-C crushed San Polo Club 14-1 as M Jawan shone with five goals.
MPSC-C dominated San PC the game throughout and took a comfortable 5-0 lead in the in the opening chukker with M Jawan scoring a treble and Kh Dinesh and S Arun adding up a goal each.
The second chukker also saw MPSC-C pump in three goals as M Jawan completed his haul of 5 goals by adding twice after S Veiking fetched his first goal.
MPSC-C carried forward the onslaught in the 3rd chukker as S Veiking completed his double and Th Ranjit and S Abungcha scored two goals each.
San Polo Club which were reeling under huge pressure since the beginning of the game however grabbed a consolation goal through K Krishnakanta Meitei before MPSC-C’s S Abungcha completed his treble and wrapped up the game 14-1.
