Australia have advanced to the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time, taking down France in a marathon penalty shootout in front of their home fans in Brisbane.
After the two teams were deadlocked through 120 minutes, it took an incredible 20 penalties to decide a winner, the longest shootout in the history of the tournament.
Australia had a chance to win when goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold stepped up to take a penalty with the score at 3-3, but she hit the post. But her teammates that followed were clutch as the shootout went to sudden death, with three straight players all converting to keep the hosts alive.
Arnold then managed to save – twice - from French midfielder Kenza Dali, after being ruled to have come off her line for the first save, but France goalkeeper Solene Durand kept her team alive, saving from Clare Hunt.
However, France couldn’t convert their next penalty, hitting the post, and Cortnee Vine was the hero for the hosts, scoring to send the crowd into delirium.
France were left distraught, eliminated in the quarter-finals for the third consecutive World Cup.
Despite the occasion and scoreline that suggests a tense encounter, both teams had chances to score throughout in an open game.
France should have scored early as Maelle Lakrar somehow put the ball over the bar when facing an open net a few yards out, and Australia had a similarly strong chance to open the scoring when forward Mary Fowler was brilliantly denied by defender Elisa De Almeida’s goalline block before the break.
The Matildas spurned several good chances in their best spell early in the second half, and the co-hosts then introduced captain and star striker Sam Kerr in the 55th minute as she continued to battle back from injury.
However, Kerr couldn’t break the deadlock as the game went to extra time, where France thought they had finally broken through, but had a goal disallowed from a controversially awarded corner after the referee spotted a foul.
The game went on, and on, but just when it seemed like it extend into a second set of penalties, Vine finally sent France home, and extended Australia’s run.
