: The penultimate quarter-final went all the way to penalties after a battle between both sides saw a 0-0 draw at the end of both 90 minutes and extra time Australia booked their place in the semi-finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup after beating France 7-6 in a nerve-racking penalty shootout. It was a nail-biting encounter at the Suncorp stadium in Brisbane but neither side were able to break the deadlock inside 90 minutes. Arguably the best chance of the game fell to the Matildas shortly before half-time as Mary Fowler saw an effort cleared off the line by a diving Elisa De Almeida. France thought they'd scored a winner in extra-time when Wendie Renard headed home, but it was brought back for a foul on Alanna Kennedy. Cortnee Vine also had a glaring opportunity to break French hearts when she got on the end of a low, driving cross from Caitlin Foord but she could only direct her effort wide. Penalties were needed to separate the two teams and it was Vine who scored the winning spot-kick to fire the Matildas through to the final four. Here are six talking points from a tight match that ended with an epic conclusion It was nervy, edge-of-your-seat stuff in Brisbane. Selma Bacha missed her opening penalty for France to give Australia an early advantage but Steph Catley missed the Matildas' second to level the scoreline. Eve Perisset missed another for Les Bleus but Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold struck the post moments later. If things couldn't get even more stressful, Kenza Dali missed her initial penalty for France but VAR stepped in as Arnold was ruled to be off her line. The Aston Villa midfielder missed her second attempt, but Clare Hunt then missed another opportunity to win it for Australia. Things went from bad to worse for France as Vicki Becho then missed her spot-kick, allowing Vine to clinch it at the death for the co-hosts. Not to mention Mackenzie Arnold stepping up for a penalty to send Australia through - but spe){kind=link}
AUSTRALIA 0-0 FRANCE (Pens 7-6): The penultimate quarter-final went all the way to penalties after a battle between both sides saw a 0-0 draw at the end of both 90 minutes and extra time
Australia booked their place in the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup after beating France 7-6 in a nerve-racking penalty shootout.
It was a nail-biting encounter at the Suncorp stadium in Brisbane but neither side were able to break the deadlock inside 90 minutes. Arguably the best chance of the game fell to the Matildas shortly before half-time as Mary Fowler saw an effort cleared off the line by a diving Elisa De Almeida.
France thought they’d scored a winner in extra-time when Wendie Renard headed home, but it was brought back for a foul on Alanna Kennedy. Cortnee Vine also had a glaring opportunity to break French hearts when she got on the end of a low, driving cross from Caitlin Foord but she could only direct her effort wide.
Penalties were needed to separate the two teams and it was Vine who scored the winning spot-kick to fire the Matildas through to the final four. Here are six talking points from a tight match that ended with an epic conclusion