68th Inter-Services Hockey: Indian Navy Face Indian Army Red in Final

Defending champions Indian Navy edged out Indian Army Green 6-5 in a shootout to reach the final of the 68th Inter-Services Hockey Tournament at the Astroturf Hockey Ground, Jalandhar Cantonement. The shootout was applied after both teams were tied 2-2 in regulation time. Indian Navy – a semfinalist of the 57th Senior Nehru Hockey Tournament at Hyderabad – had earlier beaten Indian Air Force 3-2.

The Navymen will now face 2019 runners-up Indian Army Red in Sunday’s final – the Army Red outfit had sneaked past Indian Air Force by a solitary goal. The Inter-Services Hockey Tournament is being revived after a three-year gap owing to Covid-19.

It may be recalled that Indian Navy had outclassed Army Red 5-3 in the final of the 57th edition when it was last held in December 2019 at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala – Indian drag-flicker Jugraj Singh had then slammed a hat-trick for the Navymen.