World Champions Australia defeated India 3-1 via shoot-off after both teams were locked at 1-1 in regulation time to clinch their second consecutive Champions Trophy hockey title in Breda on Sunday.

It was a keenly-contested battle between the two finalists of last edition but once again Australia came out on top in the shoot-out to clinch their 15th Champions Trophy title.

India, however, had to contend with a consecutive runners-up finish after failing to get past the Kookaburras in what was the 37th and final edition of the tournament.

Australia took the lead in the 24th minute through a penalty corner conversion by Blake Govers, but India drew parity in the 42nd minute through a field strike by young Vivek Sagar Prasad.

A 1-1 scoreline was what the teams could manage in the regulation time and like last year, the final went into the shoot-off.

Australia came out on top in the battle of nerves, courtesy goalkeeper Tyler Lovell, who evicted three saves to turn out to be the hero.

Hosts Netherlands clinched the bronze medal defeating Olympic champions Argentina 2-0 in the third-fourth place play-off match earlier in the day.

Highlights:

Australia bagged their 15th (the highest ever) Champions Trophy title – having won the title in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1999, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016.

India finished runners-up for the second time in their history.

Australia got the lead in the second quarter thanks to a converted penalty corner by Govers Blake in the 24th minute. India keeper PR Sreejesh managed to get a hand to the shot but the ball trickled past him into the net.

Throughout the history of FIH Champions Trophy, India and Australia have played against each other 16 times. India have only two wins to show from those meetings while Australia have won 12 of those times and two times, the match has ended in a high-scoring draw.