India beat Australia 5-4 in shootout, claim 3rd Sultan of Johar Cup crown

India defeated Australia 5-4 in a nail-biting penalty shootout to reclaim their third Sultan of Johor Cup crown, breaking their five-year-old title jinx here on Saturday.

The teams were level at 1-1 after regulation time in the title encounter. In the shootout, both teams ended with 3-3 scoreline, forcing the match into sudden death.

Uttam Singh scored twice in the shootout, including in sudden death, while Vishnukant Singh, Ankit Pal, Sudeep Chirmako also sounded the board for India. For Australia, Burns Cooper, Foster Brodee, Brooks Joshua and Hart Liam entered their names on the scoresheet.

It was Sudeep, who drew the first blood when he scored a field goal in the 13th minute but Jack Hollad produced the equaliser in the 28th minute as the two teams finished the regulation time at 1-1.

The Indians have won the age group tournament twice — 2013 and 2014 — and finished second best four times in 2012, 2015, 2018 and the last edition of the event in 2019. The tournament was not held in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.