Co-hosts Australia dramatically qualified for the Women’s World Cup semifinals on Saturday by beating France 7-6 on penalties after 120 minutes without scoring in Brisbane.
In the third game of the ‘quarters’, Cortnee Vine was the ‘heroine’ of the ‘Matildas’, converting the 20th serve of the ‘lottery’, in which the Australians missed three attempts, two of them to seal the ‘ socks’ ‘ in advance, and the Gauls four.
Australia has thus secured its best performance in World Cups, after three consecutive losses in the quarterfinals, in 2007, 2011 and 2015, against Brazil, Sweden and Japan, respectively.
On his side, France, a semifinalist in 2011, ‘tomba’ for the third time in a row in the ‘fourths’, repeating 2015 (defeat against Germany, also without a penalty shootout) and 2019 (2-1 defeat against the United States, at home).
The game was balanced during the 120 minutes, with moments of domination by both teams, and neither of them had the art of making the score work.
In the tiebreaker, the gala Selma Bacha missed the first shot, saved by Mackenzie Arnold, but, in the fourth, Stephanie Catley also provided a defense to Solene Durand, who had entered at minute 120+3, on penalties.
On the ninth shot, Arnold deflected Eve Perisset’s shot to the right post, who had also entered at minute 120+3 on penalties, and then took advantage of the 10th, which could qualify for Australia, but hit the left post.
The next three French women scored, with the Australians always answering, until on kick 17 Arnold stopped Kenza Dali, but on the next Durand did the same against Clare Hunt, the second co-host to miss out on qualifying.
France failed again, however, on the 19th attempt, when Vicki Becho hit the right post and, on the 20th, and on the third ‘match point’, Australia even managed to qualify, with Cortnee Vine showing coldness, much to the delight of the vast majority of the 49,461 spectators who nearly filled Suncorp Stadium.
In the semifinals, the ‘Matildas’ will face the winner of the clash between England and Colombia, while, in the other, they will face Spain and Sweden, being certain that the ninth Women’s World Cup will see the birth of a new champion, on the 20th of August.
Source: TSF
