Co-hosts Australia Beat France on Penalties to Reach the Semifinals for the First Time

Australia has made history after defeating France on penalties to reach the first-ever Women’s World Cup semi-final. Over the duration of 90 minutes and an additional half-hour of extra time, neither team was able to break the deadlock. The Matildas won a tense shootout when Cortnee Vine converted the game-winning penalty kick.

At the end of a suspenseful and goalless Women’s World Cup quarter-final, Australia defeated France 7-6 on penalties.

Cortnee Vine scored the game-winning penalty kick after Mackenzie Arnold saved multiple French attempts but also failed when she had a chance to win it.

Australia are into the semi-finals for the first time and will play either England or Colombia next. France had started the match strongly through Kadidiatou Diani, who drilled a shot wide when had she gone down, Alanna Kennedy perhaps would have been facing a red card.

Maelle Lakrar stabbed over from inside the six-yard box when it looked easier to score, but Australia did end the first half better and it required a great Elisa De Almeida block to stop Mary Fowler opening the scoring.

Sam Kerr’s arrival as a 55th-minute substitute woke up the 49,000 spectators in attendance in Brisbane. It was Fowler again who had Australia’s best chance soon after, but she shot straight at Pauline Peyraud-Magnin.

A Kennedy own goal, correctly ruled out for a shirt pull off the ball, was the closest France game to winning the match.

Extra time was need with neither side able to break the deadlock, and in due course penalties.

Vine had Australia’s best chance of extra time, diverting a cross into the side netting, while France’s lone replacement, Vicki Becho twice tested Arnold.

For the third World Cup in a row France depart at the quarter-final stage. Les Bleues enjoyed the better of the 120-minutes, especially the first half, then towards the end of extra time, but they failed to find a way beyond Mackenzie Arnold.