Women’s World Cup: Australia beat France in penalty thriller to reach maiden semi-finals | Football News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Co-hosts Australia defeated France 7-6 in a thrilling penalty shoot-out on Saturday to enter the Women’s World Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history.

Australia will now go to Sydney on Wednesday to face the winner of the final quarter-final between England and Colombia.
Cortnee Vine scored the winning penalty to cap up an incredible shoot-out in which both teams took ten penalty kicks, after the quarter-final ending 0-0 after 120 nerve-wracking minutes.

Vine kept her cool to excite the fans and keep the Matildas’ dream of winning the World Cup on home soil alive.

Australia goalie Mackenzie Arnold missed a chance to win the shootout when her kick hit the post, but she then saved Kenza Dali twice when the VAR noticed she had both feet off the line the first time.
Vicki Becho missed France’s tenth penalty, leaving it up to Vine to send Australia through by defeating France’s substitute custodian Solene Durand, who had been brought on just for the shootout.
It was a painful way for France to exit following a tense match seen by a sell-out crowd of 49,461.
Les Bleues had hoped to reach the semi-finals for the second time after losing in the last four in 2011, but instead were eliminated.
Australia won despite leaving Sam Kerr on the bench at kick-off, with the talismanic Matildas captain, now fit after a calf injury, coming on early in the second half and converting her penalty in the shoot-out.

Tony Gustavsson stayed with the same lineup that started against Denmark in the last 16, while France reintroduced the fit-again Maelle Lakrar to their defence.
Lakrar should have given France an early lead to quiet the raucous crowd, but the 23-year-old managed to redirect a Eugenie Le Sommer attempt over the bar with the goal gaping.
The hosts were subsequently indebted to Arnold for turning a Le Sommer shot behind and preventing a stinging Lakrar attempt from a corner.
The pressure appeared to be getting to Australia, but they began to threaten in the waning minutes of the first half.
They were incredibly unlucky not to go ahead in the 41st minute, when a lapse in French defence allowed Emily van Egmond to set up Mary Fowler for what appeared to be a surefire goal.
But Elisa De Almeida, who had been pushed out to right-back for this game, sprinted in and produced a stunning thigh block.
As the game remained goalless at the half, French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin had to come out to clear in front of Fowler.

Kerr came in to replace Van Egmond 10 minutes into the second half, much to the joy of the spectators, and her introduction provided such a boost that Australia almost went ahead moments later.
Hayley Raso tried her luck from outside the box, but Peyraud-Magnin saved it, and the Juventus custodian followed it up with a fantastic block to deny Fowler from close range on the hour mark.
That looked to penetrate some of Australia’s momentum, and as the clock ticked down, the tension grew, making extra time nearly unavoidable.
France thought they had won the game when Ellie Carpenter turned the ball into her own net 10 minutes into extra time, but Australia were saved when the Chilean referee blew for a foul.
Arnold made an outstanding save from Becho before France substituted Durand for Peyraud-Magnin as penalties approached.
Durand is their go-to penalty-kick saver, and he denied both Steph Catley and Clare Hunt in the shootout, but it wasn’t enough for France.
(With inputs from AFP)