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.