India-B, USPA in final

A match in progress in Imphal on Tuesday. Telegraph picture

Imphal, Nov. 26: India-B (Manipur) will clash with United States Polo Association in the final of the seventh Manipur Polo International at Mapal Kangjeibung on Thursday.

In the semi-finals today, India-B (Manipur) defeated Thailand by 16-2 goals to sail into the final while United States Polo Association beat India-A (IPA) by 11-3 goals.

India-B set the tone with aggressive gallops as T. Pradeep opened the goal account.

Later S. Bimol struck four goals, P. Ojit fetched three goals and M. Jawan scored one goal to take a leap of nine goals in the first chukker. Thailand managed to hit one home through Verachaigo Ngaosa to trail 1-9.

Thailand fetched another goal through Vorajit Wongkhoso in the second chukker, which was also their last goal. India-B riders were unstoppable with M. Jawan Singh striking three goals and P. Ojit Singh pushing in one to make it 13-2.

Making matters worse for Thailand, India-B raised their game further with S. Somorjit making another connection to the goal in the third chukker and later in the fourth chukker S. Bimol and M. Jawan picked up a goal each for the victory.

United States Polo Association thrashed India-A (IPA) with a comfortable margin of 11-3 goals for a berth in the final.

Mason Wroe started confidently, securing two goals, while Peter Blake scored one goal to post a three-goal lead in the first chukker. The US team got two more goals from Weston Gracida and Wroe in the second chukker.

India-A managed to chip in with a goal from Deepal Udhar in the second chukker.

The third chukker proved fruitful for US riders with Johny Levine pushing home two goals while Wroe and Gracidia fetched a goal each to reach 9-1.

However in a late surge, Arunpal Singh came up with the second goal for India-A. The fourth chukker saw India-A rider Balvinder Singh Dhillon getting his team’s third goal. But the US riders tightened their grip and Wroe and Gracidia smashed home a goal each for the 11-3 goal-victory today.