After finishing second last year, Kalinga Lancers beat Dabang Mumbai 4-1 to win their maiden Hockey India League title in Chandigarh on Sunday.
Skipper Moritz Fuerste (30th, 58th) converted two penalty corners for the Lancers after Glenn Turner (18th minute) struck a field effort for the Odisha outfit, which lost the final last year to Jaypee Punjab Warriors.
For first time finalist Dabang Mumbai, Affan Yousuf (33rd) scored the lone goal from a penalty corner variation.
After a goalless first quarter, Australian Glenn Turner scored in the 18th minute to give Lancers the lead. The tournament’s highest scorer tapped home a Mortuiz Fuerste pass from outside the D after it took a deflection from Lalit Upadhayay's stick.
A minute later, Dabang Mumbai secured a penalty corner but Charter stood like a rock to deny Lancers’ Harmanpreet Singh a goal.
It was only three minutes into the third quarter that Kieran Govers' secured a penalty corner for Dabang Mumbai and Affan Yousuf reduced the margin for his side with the help of a fine variation.
Earlier in the day, Agustin Mazzilli scored a late field goal to help Uttar Pradesh Wizards register a 5-4 come-from-behind win over Delhi Waveriders and claim the bronze medal in the fifth edition of the tournament.
Trailing 3-4 with three minutes remaining in the game, the Argentine striker found himself at the right place at the right time to clinically finish Florent van Aubel's assist from a tight angle to hand UP Wizards the lead and their first podium finish in the history of the tournament.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)