Matildas madness in overdrive with penalty shootout win
Australia was on its feet as the fancy footwork of the Matildas in an epic penalty shootout scored the co-hosts a spot in the semi-finals in a match that has blown previous ratings records sky high
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Australia has done it — making the World Cup semi-finals for the first time with a heart-stopping penalty shootout win over France at Suncorp Stadium.
After a scoreless draw in 120 minutes, the shootout was as tense as it could be.
It was the longest shootout in World Cup history — men’s or women’s — going 10 rounds with Australia coming out on top 7-6. The previous longest was the Sweden-USA shootout earlier in this World Cup which went seven rounds, while the longest men’s shootout was six rounds between West Germany and France in the 1982 semi-final and the 1994 quarterfinal between Sweden and Romania.
With Mackenzie Arnold saving four shots, including a replayed shot, it came down to Cortnee Vine slotting what will instantly go into Australian sporting folklore*.
John Aloisi was on comments for Channel 7 and when told he’d be relegated* to the second most epic penalty shootout in history for his goal that ended the Socceroos’ World Cup drought, he said: “I’m happy to be relegated. We’re in a semi-final”.
“This is what a World Cup does on home soil: it brings everyone together,” he said. “The nation together. Everyone’s following the Matildas. Everyone’s behind them. Everyone’s believing they can go all the way and just this, this winning penalty from Vine, it gives you that belief that they can go all the way.”
Channel 7’s David Basheer said the result was “unbelievable” and described Arnold’s performance as “spine-tingling”.
Aloisi added: “Wow. I don’t think I have ever seen a penalty shootout like that before. It ebbed and flowed. Drama, drama. This is what sport does, though.”
Matildas star Elise Kellond-Knight said: “I’m speechless. What have we just witnessed? I don’t have words. How everyone just stood up right there, I don’t think I have seen a penalty shootout go to 10 penalty-takers at this level before.”
The result means the Matildas will now play England, with the semi-final on Wednesday night at 8pm at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
It comes after a wild 120 minutes which almost had it all – except goals.
There were two golden chances each in the first half but it was Australia’s Mary Fowler who had the best.
A desperate goal line save from French defender Elisa De Almeida denied Fowler an effectively empty net late in the first half as the Matildas turned the momentum*.
Sam Kerr came off the bench in the 55th minute and seemed to spark the Matildas but it was to no avail* as Australia played out the first scoreless draw after 90 minutes in our World Cup history.
It looked as though France had scored in extra-time when Alanna Kennedy appeared to head the ball into our own goal after a dodgy call handed France a corner, but it was denied after French captain Wendie Renaud was pinged* for dragging down Caitlin Foord.
The Matildas’ penalty-shootout heart-stopper smashed TV ratings records, knocking off Ash Barty’s Australian Open win, State of Origin and the NRL and AFL grand finals.
Channel 7’s coverage topped 4.2 million viewers, a phenomenal* figure considering so many fans watched the game in venues where figures are not included.
The network’s executives have been told the free-to-air figure will be 3.8 million and another 427,000 watched on streaming service 7plus – which is how it has topped Barty’s Australian Open victory, which averaged 3.577 million.
POLL
GLOSSARY
- folklore: stories, customs and habits of a community or nation
- relegated: given a lower position
- momentum: force or speed of movement, impetus, events going in your favour
- no avail: without any effect, without success
- pinged: caught, penalised for an infringement
- phenomenal: extremely good, successful or special
EXTRA READING
Matildas into the quarterfinals
QUICK QUIZ
- How many rounds was the penalty shootout?
- What was the penalty final score?
- Who kicked the winning ball for Australia?
- Who are the Matildas playing in Wednesday night’s semi-final?
- How many people are estimated to have watched the Matildas’ quarter-final against France?
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Identify the most important pieces of information in this article and write a condensed version of it using 50 words or less.
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