BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Australia edged France on penalty kicks Saturday to reach the Women’s World Cup semifinals for the first time.
Cortnee Vine took Australia’s 10th penalty from the spot and calmly converted to give the Matildas a 7-6 win in the shootout after the quarterfinal match finished 0-0 after regulation and extra time.
The Australians missed two earlier chances to clinch the dramatic shootout but ultimately it didn’t matter as they ended a long curse for tournament hosts. The Australians became the only team other than the United States to advance past the quarterfinals of a Women’s World Cup as the host nation.
Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold kept the Matildas in the game in extra time and made a string of clutch saves in the shootout — before and after missing with her own attempt that could have sealed the win.
“I’m just speechless right now to be honest,” Arnold said, adding that the missed shot was “incredibly disappointing” but the eventual win was “unreal.”
“I could have won the game for the girls and I missed it, but the way they rallied around me and just kept me in it,” she said. “At the end of the day it’s my job to keep the ball out of the net and thankfully I could do that for them.”
Australia will play either England or Colombia next Wednesday in Sydney for a spot in the final.
Australia had lost all three of its previous quarterfinals at Women’s World Cups and went into the knockout game under intense pressure knowing that six of the previous hosts were eliminated at the quarterfinal stage, including France in 2019. Australia is co-hosting the tournament with New Zealand.
The French were playing in the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive time but its only win remains its first, beating England on penalties in 2011 and placing fourth. A 2-1 loss to eventual the eventual champion U.S. team finished off their home tournament four years ago.
Both teams had chances to win it in regulation, and star striker Sam Kerr’s first meaningful appearance of the tournament triggered a surge in tempo from the Australians when she went on in the 55th minute but ultimately no goals.
The French team celebrated momentarily in extra time when it appeared Australian defender Alanna Kennedy’s misdirected header from a corner kick had produced an own goal, but referee Maria Carvajal immediately disallowed it. Carvajal ruled that France captain Wendie Renard had pulled the jersey of Australian forward Caitlin Foord in the area.
It would have been a contentious goal, regardless, with France awarded the corner despite the ball appearing to go out off Vicki Becho in the 10th minute of extra time.
Becho was in the thick of the late action, firing a shot early in the second period of extra time that Arnold pushed over her right post. The Australian keeper also blocked shots from Grace Geyoro and veteran striker Eugenie Le Sommer late to take the game to a shootout, momentarily quieting the 49,461-strong crowd.
A tension-filled shootout started with Arnold blocking the first shot diving to her right from Selma Bacha.
Foord took Australia’s first shot, calmly slotting it past Solene Durand, who went on deep in extra time as France’s replacement goalkeeper.
Steph Catley missed with Australia’s second shot and Renard stepped up and converted despite a chorus of booing from the crowd to give France a 2-1 lead.
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Kerr made it 2-2 and Le Sommer fired a shot low inside the right post to give France a 3-2 lead.
Mary Fowler equalized and, after making another save, Arnold lined up for her own shot in an attempt to win it for the hosts. She missed.
At 6-6, Kenza Dali had two chances for France, both stopped by Arnold. The first went to VAR and Dali was given another shot. The retaken penalty was well saved by Arnold, who celebrated wildly near the goalposts.
Clare Hunt missed a chance to win it for Australia, with Durand getting a hand to her shot directed straight down the middle.
But after the 19-year-old Becho’s curling right-footed shot hit the left post, Vine stepped up to make it third time lucky for Australia.
France coach Herve Renard struck an optimistic tone in defeat.
“I am even more positive than my players,” he said. “I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate them, congratulate them for the performance that they pulled off today against an entire nation. There were a couple of things that could have gone the other way.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to quite clinch that win. I’ve got nothing to criticize — everyone worked exceptionally hard.”
The French had three times more shots on goal in the first half, with nine against Australia’s three, and Maelle Lakrar and Le Sommer forced two saves from Arnold.
France had the first opportunity in the 12th when Le Sommer volleyed a corner kick back across for Lakrar, who couldn’t control it and deflected over the crossbar.
But it was Fowler who had the best chance to break the deadlock in the 41st minute.
The Matildas’ forward was right in front after Emily Van Egmond turned it back in for her with French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin well out of position, but her shot was blocked by defender Elisa De Almeida desperately covering across the line.
Fowler was again well placed five minutes after the break but her shot this time was deflected.
A huge cheer went up when the stadium screen showed Kerr getting instructions from a coach near the dugout in the 53rd.
Two minutes later, Australia’s greatest player replaced van Egmond and the capacity crowd responded with a tremendous roar. The Chelsea star was in the action within seconds, sprinting toward the area and crossing to create an opportunity.
The pace stepped up, and Kennedy’s angled header in the 57th was too high and wide of the post.
Fowler lashed a left-footed shot from directly in front that Peyraud-Magnin blocked with her legs on the hour. An hour later, it was all over.
