The Matildas have entered uncharted territory after edging out France in an epic penalty shootout on Saturday night to reach their first ever Women's World Cup semi-final.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
In a pulsating and tense affair in front of a packed crowd at Brisbane Stadium, neither side could be split through 120 minutes of football, meaning it took a shootout to decide the winner by 0-0 (7-6 on penalties) in a clash that will go down as an instant classic.
Going into the quarter-final showdown, all eyes were always going to fall on one woman: Sam Kerr. And there will be plenty of questions placed on coach Tony Gustavsson, after he waited until the second half to inject the Aussie skipper into the game.
![Cortnee Vine is mobbed after scoring the winning penalty. Picture Getty Images Cortnee Vine is mobbed after scoring the winning penalty. Picture Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/RXMuw2JbrrS7ELSxSY9rkR/3c4c49c0-17dc-4c51-8f58-be5854ff6188.jpg/r0_183_4566_2760_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Kerr was kept on the bench until the 55th minute, presumably because Tony Gustavsson and his coaching staff didn't believe she could get through a full game. As such, the risk of starting Kerr was not worth it.
On the flip side, it mean that Australia didn't have one of the world's best players to finish the golden opportunities that arrived in the first half. And while Mary Fowler is a brilliant player, she is no Sam Kerr.
Gustavsson gambled and wanted to make sure that his ace in the pack was available at the end, but was she needed from the outset?
![Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold made some critical saves on Saturday night. Picture - Getty Images Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold made some critical saves on Saturday night. Picture - Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/4sZx2UeLhML2LRYLyd2FGM/3054dc89-8fa8-49cf-883c-5f8a3b7aeda0.jpg/r0_100_3000_1787_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
When Kerr was injected from the bench 10 minutes into the second half, the impact was felt immediately - both on the field, and from the noise level of 50,000 screaming fans in Brisbane.
![Matildas star Sam Kerr looks to get past her France opponent Élisa De Almeida during their Women's World Cup quarter-final at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. Picture - Getty Images Matildas star Sam Kerr looks to get past her France opponent Élisa De Almeida during their Women's World Cup quarter-final at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. Picture - Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/4sZx2UeLhML2LRYLyd2FGM/5693c17b-95f2-4938-b1d4-06a96ad3eee8.jpg/r0_56_1338_892_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
France had looked the more settled side in the opening half, though both teams were forced to rue some missed opportunities.
France were able to control possession early and look more likely to score inside the opening 15 minutes, while the hosts looked a bit shaky at the back.
An errant clearance from Alanna Kennedy opened the door for Kadidiatou Diani to get a shot on goal, with her attempt sliding past the goalmouth. However, France continued to pile on the pressure by forcing a couple of corners, including one which led to a mad scramble inside Australia's box, with the ball falling to the feet of Maëlle Lakrar, who couldn't keep her shot down.
While the Matildas slowly wrestled back some control, their opponents looked deadly on the counter-attack. Aussie fans held their breath when Eugenie Le Sommer found space through the middle, with a deflection off Kennedy fortunately stopped by Mackenzie Arnold.
Minutes later, it was Arnold who proved the hero again, saving a Lakrar attempt from close range.
Late in the half, a mix-up at the back set up a golden opportunity for Matildas rising star Mary Fowler to have a shot on an open goal. However, French defender Élisa De Almeida's desperate lunge on the line denied Australia.
Fowler continued to look ominous, with a wonderful through-ball from Katrina Gorry allowing her to get one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Pauline Peyraud Magnin proved up to the task.
The score remained 0-0 at halftime.
The Matildas looked energised early in the second stanza, with Fowler in particular looking threatening in their front third.
There was a huge roar in the 55th minute when Kerr was injected into the match. And the skipper made an immediate impact, scorching her way down the middle of the field before the ball was flicked back to Hayley Raso, who was denied by a diving Peyraud Magnin
Minutes later, Fowler had another golden opportunity inside the box, which hit the goalkeeper and ricocheted away. Kerr and Kennedy also missed some chances inside the box.
However, after absorbing so much pressure, France began to wrestle back some control and get their fair share of opportunities. There was a moment of controversy when Clare Hunt appeared to do an accidental handball inside Australia's box, but play was called on.
Heading into the final stages of regular time, it was still anyone's game, and both teams became increasingly desperate in their pursuit of that elusive first goal.
However, the sides couldn't be split, with the game forced into extra time to decide a winner.
![Australia's Mary Fowler prepares to fire a shot towards goals against France at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. Picture - Getty Images Australia's Mary Fowler prepares to fire a shot towards goals against France at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. Picture - Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/4sZx2UeLhML2LRYLyd2FGM/10c732fa-6a57-4eb4-9c48-855917f5ad3f.jpg/r0_14_1217_893_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
France continued to press hard in the early stages of extra time, but Australia's defence was able to hold firm.
Fans right across Australia held their breath in the 100th minute when France appeared to have finally produced the breakthrough goal via a Kennedy own goal. However, the referee immediately blew the whistle for French captain Wendie Renard dragging down Caitlin Foord inside the box.
At the other end, with minutes left in the first half of extra time, Foord put through a wonderful cross for substitute Cortnee Vine, who just put the ball wide of the near post.
But the sides still couldn't be split by the 105th minute.
France came firing out of the blocks in the second stanza of ET, with a superb blast from substitute Vicki Becho only denied by a diving Arnold.
Soon after, a dangerous cross from Grace Geyoro was parried away by Arnold, with the Aussie defence then scrambling to get the ball out of their box.
Both teams continued to pepper their opponents' defence, as fatigue increasingly became a factor in the dying stages of the match. However, neither side was able to get that breakthrough goal, meaning the match went into a penalty shootout.
France's Salma Bascha took the first shootout attempt, which was denied by Arnold. Foord then took Australia's first shot, making no mistake as they leapt ahead 1-0. Kadidiatou Diani made no mistake with France's second shot, before Steph Catley was denied by substitute goalkeeper Solène Durand as the shootout score read 1-1.
Renard nailed France's third attempt to give her side the advantage, which was quickly cancelled out by Kerr's goal as the scoreboard read 2-2. Le Sommer coolly slotted home the next shot, before there was a huge roar when Fowler found the back of the net.
With the score reading 3-3, Ève Périsset took France's fifth attempt, which was denied by a diving Arnold. The Matildas goalkeeper then took her team's next shot, which hit the woodwork and bounced away.
All eyes were then on Geyoro, who made no mistake. Katrina Gorry's shot hit Durand's gloves before ricocheting into the net. France then took a 5-4 lead when Sakina Karchaoui hit the crossbar but the ball bounced in. However, Tamika Yallop scored to keep Australia's dream alive.
Lakrar then made no mistake as France edged ahead again, but that goal was cancelled out by Ellie Carpenter.
With the pressure mounting, Arnold made an excellent save to deny Dali. However, the play was called back on a VAR review due to the goalkeeper stepping off the line.
However, Arnold wouldn't be denied the second time around. But