In a rain-delayed match held in Moenchengladbach (Germany) on Sunday, Australia dominated England with a stunning score of 4-0, securing their third consecutive Champions Trophy title and their 11th overall.
While England, who had never placed above fifth, ended up as runners-up, the Netherlands clinched third place by defeating Germany 4-1.
Spain rounded out the rankings by defeating New Zealand 3-1 to achieve a fifth-place finish.
This victory marked Australia’s fifth flawless campaign, following their successes against Pakistan in 1978 and 1980, as well as the Netherlands in 2000 and Germany in 2001.
The scoring for Australia began with Luke Doerner, who converted the first penalty-corner for his team.
Just a minute later, Desmond Abbott converted a pass from Glenn Turner, and Jason Wilson extended the lead to 3-0 with a powerful shot in the 14th minute.
As the first half drew to a close, England had three penalty-corners, but both Ashley Jackson and Simon Mantell were unable to capitalize on these opportunities.
A significant rainstorm during the half-time break led to a 60-minute interruption in play.
In the second half, the heavy pitch caused a slowdown, yet Jamie Dwyer added to the Australian tally in the 49th minute, effectively quashing any hopes England may have had for a comeback.
The final score of 4-0 matched the highest recorded in a Champions Trophy final, previously set by Germany and Australia.
Australia’s coach, Ric Charlesworth, expressed his joy over the team’s impeccable record of six wins from six matches.
“If someone had told me prior to the tournament that we would achieve these results, I would have been extremely pleased. You don’t anticipate such an outcome,” remarked Charlesworth.
“We arrived with the least experienced team in the tournament, and this victory has significantly enhanced the confidence of several players regarding their ability to compete at this level.”
