HYDERABAD, Dec 10: Star studded Indian Airlines came crashing down in the semifinals of the 4th Federation Cup hockey tournament while hot favourites Punjab staged a dramatic recovery to avert what looked a certain defeat against Air India. Services handed Airlines a 4-0 (half-time 2-0) drubbing will take on Punjab in the title match at the Begumpet Hockey Stadium on Thursday.

Punjab overcame a goal deficit twice, the last seconds before the regulation time, to score a 7-5 (ht 1-0; full-time 3-3; extra-time 3-3) win via tie-breaker over debutantes Air-India, in a match of fluctuating fortunes. Nippy right-winger Baljit Singh Dhillon scored a magnificent hat-trick to help his side out of the woods.

Air-India shocked fancied Punjab with a second minute stunner and maintained the tempo for quite some time. Alex D'Souza wasted little time in tapping in a short cross inside the semi-circle from Surinder Kundu, after Davinder Kumar sent the free-hit from deep down the left-flank.

The scores were level after 23 minutes. Baljeet Bullar combined with Harpreet Singh to piece a move down the right flank before passing it to Dhillon, in side the `D', to provide the finishing touches.

Right-back Harpreet's presence of mind put Punjab ahead for the first time in the 45th minute. The defender, with the rival custodian Edgar Mascarenhas (Jr) lying in front of the goal after blocking a stinging hit from Dhillon, cooly lobbed over the goal-keeper. Anil Aldrin carried the ball on the goalline. Referee Shakeel Qureshi promptly awarded stroke which was converted gleefully by Dhillon.

The airmen turned the tables on Punjab with two goals in the space of six minutes. Jagdev Singh stick-checked a goal-bound Edward Aranha, in the 60th minute, to return the favour and Kundu made no mistake, scooping to the right of the goal-keeper. Then, with four minutes to go, Alex D'Souza made amends for a goal-mouth fumble with a superb diving effort to send a Kundu centre crashing in. Kundu exploited a defensive lapse, which almost cost Punjab a place in the final.

Towards the end both the teams were reduced to 10 men as Bullar and Air-India goalie Mascarenhas were sent off after they hit each other with sticks following a Punjab penalty corner. The contest was almost over when Punjab forced one of their half-a-dozen penalty-corners even as the long hooter came. Dhillon's indirect scoop brought Punjab back into the match from the jaws of defeat.

Extra-time failed to produce the golden goal and the tie-break was applied. While Jagdev, Dhillon, Baljeet and Harpreet Singh all scored in the absence of the regular custodian for Air India, Hyderabad-born Alloysius Edwards brought off two good saves to take Punjab into the final.

TOUGH CUSTOMERS: Services twice in each half and at no time looked like losing their grip over the match.

Services scored twice in the space of five minutes -- 12th and 17th minutes. Following Services' second penalty corner, S Aind latched onto a Ponacha rebound to open the account for the victors. Kujur, running in from the right flank, placed a cross from Anand Velu to make it 2-0. After the break, Kujur scored with a classic hit from top of the circle. Anand Velu bettered it five minutes from the end. In a swift move from the centre-line Velu took a cute cross from Horo and smacked it on the run from an acute angle.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.