Australia extended its domination in the Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament, by bagging its their seventh title, after a 3-2 win over host Malaysia in the summit clash here on Sunday.
South Korea beat New Zealand 2-1 to clinch the bronze medal, while India bested Pakistan 4-2 to avoid the wooden spoon.
In an action-packed final match, Australia’s Trent Milton fired in the winning goal from a pass by Robert Hammond just ahead of the final hooter to stun the 15000-odd Malaysian supporters.
With attack as the watchword, Malaysia pressed for an early goal and Saari Faizal struck from the team’s second penalty corner in the fourth minute.
Australia’s penalty corner came its way in the 27th minute and the drag flick of Nicholas Budgeon was a screaming winner all the way.
Buoyed by the strike, the spring in the Aussie attack gained huge strides. A scrimmage inside the Malaysian D and a quick one-two between Daniel Beal and Craig Boyne found the latter smartly tapping into the goal.
Malaysia found the equaliser through Ahmed Tajudin in the 48th minute before Milton came up with the winner.
Earlier, drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh struck twice as India finished fifth. He scored through a penalty corner in the ninth minute and from a penalty stroke in the 62nd minute.
India's other field goals came from Akashdeep Singh in the 35th minute and Malak Singh in the 44th minute of the fifth-sixth place classification match.
For Pakistan, who ended the tournament at the last spot, skipper Muhammad Imran scored in the seventh minute through a penalty corner while Kashif Shah Syed found the target in the 46th minute.
