New Zealand have won the 2015 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in thrilling style with a 3-1 shoot-out victory over eight times champions Australia, the number 1 ranked team in the world.
It is the second time that New Zealand have lifted the trophy at the world famous invitational tournament, adding to the title that they won in 2012.
Kookaburras legend Jamie Dwyer cancelled out an early strike from New Zealand drag-flicker Andy Hayward to set up an exhilarating finish to the match.
Hayward edged the Black Sticks back in front with two minutes of the match remaining, but a final minute penalty stroke from 2014 FIH Player of the Year Mark Knowles pulled the Aussies level once again.
With the scores locked at 2-2 at full-time, goalkeeper Devon Manchester proved the hero in the shoot-out with three saves as the Kiwis romped to the title.
Speaking after the game, Black Sticks Head Coach Colin Batch said: “We’re all very excited right now and pleased with our performance not only in the final but throughout the tournament. The guys should be very proud of themselves. I thought Devon had an outstanding game in goal, some of the saves he made gave the rest of the team a lot of confidence and we kept fighting right to the finish.”
It was the first time in the tournament’s history that the winner has been decided in a shoot-out, and also the first time the final has been an all-Oceania affair.
Earlier in the day, India sealed third place with a 4-1 shoot-out triumph over Korea, with Akashdeep Singh, Sardar Singh, Rupinder Singh and Birendra Lakra all on target after regular time in the match finished with the scores locked at 2-2.
The opening match of the classification day also went to a shoot-out, with Canada taking fifth place ahead of host nation Malaysia. Canada’s Gabriel Ho-Garcia scored a hat-trick to help Canada to a 4-4 draw in regular time before goal-keeper David Carter made three saves as the north Americans took a 3-1 win in the shoot-out.
