Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Mar 2 (IANS): Four-time former champions Services will take the field for the third-place match Trophy without the services of Adersh Mattummal in the 76th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy, here on Saturday.

Mattummal's campaign in Riyadh ended after he suffered a fracture in his shin bone and has to undergo an operation here on Thursday.

Mattummal suffered an injury during the first semifinal on Wednesday when he was tackled down by a Meghalaya defender late in the second half of the match.

Mattummal, who had come in as a substitute, had to be stretchered out of the ground and missed the remaining part of the match on Wednesday. He went for scans on Thursday and the doctors decided to operate on his left leg on Thursday evening.

The surgery has been done and he is well and recovering, He is likely to be out of action for around six to eight weeks.

Services will take on Punjab to decide the third place in the Santosh Trophy at the King Fahd International Stadium here on Saturday.