Thoubal advance to final

Chingkhei Hunba thrash Khurai 6-2 in a one-sided semi-final

State-Level Polo

Two Chingkhei Hunba Polo Club (A) players (in yellow) attempt to snatch the ball from a Khurai Polo Club player at Imphal Polo ground on Friday. Telegraph picture Imphal, Feb 15 : Thoubal District Polo Association blanked Lamyanba Pakhang Polo (A) by 5-0 goals en route to the final of the 26th Men’s State Level Polo Tournament played at Imphal Polo ground today. Thoubal District Polo Association will now clash with Chingkhei Hunba Polo Club (A) in the final on Sunday. In another semi-final, Chingkhei Hunba outsmarted Khurai Polo Club by 6-2 goals. Lamyanba Pakhang Polo (A) and Thoubal District Polo Association matched each other in the first two chukkers. However, neither side could score any goals. The Lamyanba Pakhang team showed aggressiveness in their approach while Thoubal maintained subtlety in its moves. Both the teams made some spectacular goal-line saves. However, in the third chukker, the Thoubal riders were apparently charged up and in the process displayed some spirited moves, which eventually paid off with P. Ojit Singh making the first goal in the game. Thereafter, it was the turn of team captain M. Manihar Singh picking up the second goal and P. Ojit Singh again fired in the team’s third goal. With 3-0 goals in their kitty, the Thoubal riders never let their tempo down. On the contrary, all options seemed to be running out for the Lamyanba Pakhang riders, who showed desperation in terms of opening their account. However, Thoubal had the last laugh as M. Manihar Singh and P. Ojit Singh scored a goal each to blank out Lamyanba Pakhang Polo (A) by 5-0. In the other semi-final, Chingkhei Hunba Polo Club (A) thrashed Khurai Polo Club by 6-2 goals.  The Chingkhei Hunba riders dominated the first and second chukkers taking a commanding four-goal lead. In the first chukker, Ak. Peter Singh scored the opening goal. T. Pradeepkumar Singh fired in two goals while Ak. Peter Singh scored another goal in the second chukker. In the third chukker, M. Jawan Singh scored for Chingkhei Hunba for a convincing 5-0 lead. However, Khurai Polo Club managed to salvage some pride with Th. Ranjit Singh scoring a goal. While it seemed that the Khurai riders were fighting for a lost cause, Th. Ranjit Singh came up with another goal to raise a glimmer of hope in the game. But Th. Kaoba Singh from the Chingkhei Hunba dashed whatever little hopes the opponents had, pushing home its sixth goal to make to the final on Sunday.