Hockey: Argentina beat Australia to win Champions Trophy
Last Updated: 22/01/15 10:33am
Luciana Aymar bowed out of international field hockey a winner as Argentina beat Australia 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out in the Women's Champions Trophy final.
Captain Aymar, who is regarded as the one of best women to have ever played the sport, converted the first of Argentina's penalties as the home side claimed its sixth Champions Trophy title, matching the record previously shared by Australia and the Netherlands.
Argentina were playing in their seventh consecutive Trophy final and Aymar has appeared in all six of its tournament victories.
The 37-year-old tried to conjure up an early goal with a determined run, but Carla Rebecchi was denied by Ashlee Wells, and Aymar then picked out Delfino Merino, who also could not beat the Australian goalkeeper.
Kathryn Slattery, a lively attacking outlet for the Aussies, was held at bay by Belen Succi after she broke through on goal, but she made amends in the 35th minute by guiding the ball past the Argentina keeper.
Aymar was the architect as the hosts hit back just four minutes later, with her penalty corner strike being turned home by Florencia Habif.
Both sides spurned opportunties to snatch victory in the closing minutes as Slattery and Emily Smith forced Succi into a double save, while at the other end Martina Cavallero's effort was kept out by Wells.
Aymar made a successful start to the shootout, slotting the ball past Wells, and two misses from the nervy Aussies allowed Carla Rebecchi and Silvinia D'Elia to complete a fairytale ending for their skipper.
In the bronze medal match the Netherlands beat the New Zealand Black Sticks 2-1, while England won the fifth-place play-off in a dramatic penalty shoot-out against China.
You can watch action from the Men's Champions Trophy in India all of next week live on Sky Sports.
