Jalandhar: Holders Indian Oil will fight it out with Air India in the finals of the 28th Indian Oil Servo Surjit Hockey Tournament at Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium here on Saturday.  On Friday, Air India, Mumbai beat Namdhari XI by 2-0 where as Indian Oil edged out Bharat Petroleum by 6-3.

In the first semi finals of the tournament, Air India, Mumbai did not give any chance to the Namdhari’s from the very start as in the 5th minute of the game, Air India took the lead when lalit Upadhyay scored a field goal from the pass of Joga Singh (1-0). After that Namdhari XI wasted a penalty corner in the 9th minute. In the 30th minute of the play, Lalit Upadhyay struck once again when Ajmer Singh gave a lovely cross from right flank (2-0). At half time Air India was leading by 2-0.

After the break, Air India again started putting pressure on the Namdhari’s but their defenders stood rock solid and didn’t allow the attackers pose serious threat

Meanwhile in the second semi-final, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum displayed good and fast hockey and it was Bharat Petroleum who took the lead in the 3rd minute through a penalty corner conversion by Gurpreet Singh (1-0). In the 15th minute, Indian Oil’s Affan Yousuf scored the equalizer (1-1). But Bharat Petroleum once again went ahead in the 17th minute when Jarnail Singh scored the field goal (2-1). But six minutes later Didar Singh of Indian Oil converted the penalty corner to make it 2-2 for Indian Oil.

Indian Oil then took the lead (3-2) THROUGH captain Deepak Thakur when he sounded the board in the 26th minute and three minutes later Didar Singh converted the penalty stroke to consolidate the lead to 4-2. In the 33rd minute of the play Affan Yousuf scored the fifth goal for Indian Oil (5-2).

In the 42nd minute, Gurpreet Singh of Bharat Petroleum converted the penalty stroke to reduce the margin (3-5) but Deepak Thakur made it 6-3 by scoring a field goal in the 56th minute.