Ipoh: Olympic champions Australia overcame a spirited but disjointed Malaysia 3-1 to win the 16th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here on Sunday.
Goals by Edward Ockenden (39th, 41st) and Russell Ford (53rd) set up the Australian victory while the Malaysians drew some consolation from Jiwa Mohan's penalty corner in the last minute of the game.
It was Australia's third title triumph in four years and their fifth overall, as they proved far too superior for the Malaysians who did a lot of running but precious little else.
For Malaysia, it was second time unlucky in the final. They had lost to India in 1985, the only other time the hosts had entered the final of this tournament.
Australia raised the level of their game when it mattered most and clearly, they were the quicker, fitter and better organised side than the Malaysians who simply did not have the ammunition to counter their mighty opponents.
Thus, the barren first-half during which the Malaysians kept up with the Aussies, gave no indication of what was to follow, but there were definite signs that the hosts would have to work harder to keep their rivals at bay.
Australia's big-match experience came into play in the second-half after failing to make any headway in the first session when they had only a couple of scoring opportunities.
The Malaysians defended for all their worth, but as the game progressed, the Aussies began to take a stranglehold on the proceedings.
A two-goal blitz in two-minutes early in the second-half effectively closed the game in Australia's favour.
Grant Schubert came up with a superb diagonal run from left to right on top of the circle and passed to Liam Deyoung. From the ensuing goalmouth scramble, Ockenden flicked home for the first Aussie goal.
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Within minutes, the Aussies made it 2-0, this time Ockenden getting a touch to Bevan George's quickly taken free-hit at the top of the circle.
The Malaysians then made a few concerted bids at the Aussie goal, but could not beat goalkeeper Stephen Lambert who easily parried the attempts.
The Aussies then stepped up their onslaughts and the beleaguered Malaysian defence caved in, leaving Ford free to cap a three-touch move from the left.
The Australians sustained the pace and attacked their rivals from all sides, but the Malaysians just about survived the onslaught.
Seconds before the final whistle, the Malaysians earned their only penalty corner of the match and Mohan drag-flicked to boards much to the jubilation of the capacity crowd that had little else to cheer about.
It was a fitting climax to Australia's campaign that had begun so sluggishly with a defeat to Argentina. However, they picked up momentum and finished off in style.
Sultan Azlan Shah, the Sultan of Perak, gave away the trophy.
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