NEW DELHI (AP) - Australia won the field hockey World Cup for the first time in 24 years by defeating two-time defending champion Germany 2-1 on Saturday.

Germany had beaten Australia in the final of the last two World Cups in 2002 and ‘06, both times by one goal. The Germans were trying to become the first team to win three successive World Cups.

This time, the Kookaburras turned the tables with Luke Doerner’s title-winning goal from a low drag-flicked penalty corner 11 minutes from the end at Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

Edward Ockenden opened the scoring for Australia in the sixth minute and Germany equalized in the 46th through a penalty corner goal by Moritz Furste.

Australia’s only previous World Cup victory came in 1986 in London.

Australia hadn’t beaten Germany in the World Cup since 1994, but was boosted by its victory over the Germans in the Champions Trophy final only three months ago.

Doerner’s strike made him the joint leading goalscorer in the tournament with eight, along with Netherlands penalty corner specialist Taeke Taekema, who also scored in the 4-3 win against England in the bronze medal match.

Rogier Hofman scored with three minutes to go to clinch victory for the Dutch.

Teun de Nooijer gave them the lead in the 22nd minute, but England took a 3-1 lead into halftime through a field goal from Alastair Brogdon and two penalty corner conversions by Ashley Jackson.

Three-time champion Netherlands hit back by dominating the second session with a penalty corner conversion by Taekema in the 48th and an open play strike by Klass Vermeulen in the 55th, followed by Hofman’s winner.

Dutch captain de Nooijer said his team wanted to win for veteran goalkeeper Guus Vogels, who was retiring from international field hockey.

Vogels won two Olympic gold medals for the Netherlands in 1996 and 2000, but missed the 1998 World Cup that the Dutch won on home turf.

"We wanted to win this one for Guus, and I’m proud of the way we played today," de Nooijer said. "We played an incredible game to come back in the match"