FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: Australia through to semi-finals after dramatic penalty shootout win over France
The co-hosts are into the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup for the very first time.
Football
Australia are through to the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 following a dramatic shootout victory over France on Saturday (12 August).
The Matildas are into the last four of the competition for the first time, after beating France 7-6 on penalties in front of their home fans in Brisbane.
Cortnee Vine scored the winning spot-kick for the tournament co-hosts. They will now face either England or Colombia who meet in the last quarter-final later on Saturday.
France started the stronger of the two sides, surging forward in the opening exchanges. One of the favourites for the Golden Boot, Kadidiatou Diani came close to opening the scoring in the eighth minute, but her shot fizzed just past the far post.
Moments later, Les Bleus should have been ahead when Eugenie Le Sommer fired the ball back into the danger area following a corner but, in front of an open goal, Maëlle Lakrar shot over the bar.
It served as a wake-up call for Australia, who soon grew into the game. They themselves should have had the breakthrough when a mix-up at the back gave Mary Fowler a free shot on goal, but for an unbelievable block from Élisa De Almeida to deny the Manchester City forward.
The Matildas continued to pile the pressure on the opposition goal, but the score remained goalless at half-time.
The co-hosts started the second half the stronger, but their first real threat on goal came with the introduction of Sam Kerr from the bench. Almost instantly she picked the ball up in the middle of the park, driving toward goal and laying it off to Hayley Raso whose curling effort was saved well by Pauline Peyraud Magnin.
The French goalkeeper pulled off another big save to deny Fowler as the game ended 0-0, sending it to extra-time.
Mackenzie Arnold of Australia saves a penalty
The extra 30 minutes began in frantic fashion, with the ball fizzing end-to-end. France thought they had taken the lead when Caitlin Foord headed into her own net in a scramble after a corner, but the referee saw a foul on the Australian forward.
In the second half of extra time, substitute Vicki Becho forced Mackenzie Arnold into a big save before being denied a tap-in by Steph Catley's goal-saving clearance.
Once more, there was nothing to separate the two sides and this quarter-final clash was to be settled in a penalty shootout.
In one of the most incredible shootouts of the tournament so far, this one went 20 rounds - each taking 10 shots - before a winner could be settled.
There were four saves with three spot-kicks coming back off the frame of the goal, plus a retaken penalty. And after Becho hit the post, Vine shot home to send the co-hosts into the final four.