Services brought their campaign back on track with a 2-1 win over Karnataka in the 64th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday.
A second consecutive loss for Karnataka meant they were out of the championship. They now take on Punjab in their last match.
Karnataka lost to Goa and Services bowed to Punjab in their earlier quarter-final Group-A league matches on July 29.
All the action in the match was in the second-half with Services scoring through captain Dileep M (54th minute) and substitute Shaji A D'Silva (75th).
After Services went 1-0 ahead, Karnataka levelled matters through substitute J Karthigeyan in the 68th minute.
Services squandered plenty of chances, a couple of them easy sitters, as the first session ended goalless. Forward Shkhohao Tuboi missed an open goal on more than one occasion.
Their easiest opportunity came in the 43rd minute when Tuboi failed to score.
Earlier in the 23rd minute, Tuboi had failed to connect after Subba Rao set it up for him inside the box. Services coach Siddhartha Chatterjee replaced Tuboi in the 63rd minute, bringing in D'Silva in the most crucial substitution in Services scheme of things.
Just after the change over, Karnataka almost went ahead through Rajendra Prasad but only to see his powerful shot hit the horizontal crosspiece.
But Services looked more effective with the tactical substitution of Sochungmi Raleng who replaced Subrato Sarkar from the right-flank.
The Armymen had the final laugh when they converted through a brilliant header by captain Dileep M in the 54th minute.
A freekick by Gordon Z from the right of the box gave Services the much-needed lead with Dileep rising to the occasion with a smart header beyond Karnataka goalkeeper Bimal Minz's reach.
But Karnataka made a superb comeback with coach Aslam Khan replacing R C Prakash with J Karthigeyan.
Karthigeyan capitalised on a cross from the left flank to make use of the opportunity and found the back of Services net for the 1-1 equaliser in the 68th minute.
But before Karntaka could dominate, Services went ahead in a counter attack.
It was in the 75th minute, Raleng from left created an opportunity an substitute Shaji A D'Silva converted with a right-footer to take Services 2-1 ahead.
Services almost scored their third but Raleng missed an open net in the 83rd minute to see the scoreline remain 2-1.
