Australia are in unchartered territory after a heart stopping penalty shootout win over France in their World Cup quarterfinal, seeing them progress to the semifinals for the first time ever.
After a tight and tense 120 minute game where the sides could not be split, each side has missed three penalties, before Vicki Becho smashed her penalty off the post, giving Cortnee Vine the chance to win the game.
And the native Queenslander did just that, as she scored Australia's seventh spot kick to give them a 7-6 win and sent Brisbane Stadium and all of Australia into delirium.
Australia struggled to get into the game, being held back by a well organised French defence, and Laelle Lakrar should have scored with a guilt edged chance in the opening 10 minutes, but Australia finished the half strongly and had a golden chance of their own through Mary Fowler, but Elise de Almeida blocked the shot off the line.
Australia continued their momentum in the second half, and the introduction of Sam Kerr helped give more chances to Fowler and Hayley Raso, but the French rearguard held firm.
France got into the game again, and captain Wendie Renard had a goal disallowed after a foul in the buildup.; the game eventually went to extra time, and as the two fatigued teams played on, penalties seemed like the only option.
It was a drama filled penalty shootout, with encroachments and a slew of misses, but Vine held her nerve when Australia needed it most, and continued Australia's magical journey at their own World Cup.
MORE: All the details on the semi finals
Australia vs France score
| Score | Penalties | Goalscorers | |
| Australia | 0 | 7 | — |
| France | 0 | 6 | — |
Starting lineups:
- Australia starting lineup (4-4-1-1): 18-Arnold (GK) — 21-Carpenter, 15-Hunt, 14-Kennedy, 7-Catley — 16-Raso, 19-Gorry, 23-Cooney-Cross (Yallop 115'), 9-Foord — 10-Van Egmond (Kerr 54') — 11-Fowler (Vine 103')
- France starting lineup (4-4-2): Peyraud-Magnin (GK) (Durand 122')— 2-Lakrar, 3-Renard, 5-de Almedia (Perriset 122'), 7-Karchaoui — 15-Dali, 8-Geyoro, 6-Toletti (Becho 64'), 13-Bacha — 9-Le Sommer, 11-Diani
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Will the limited subs come back to bite Australia?
They got away with it this time against France, but coach Tony Gustavsson's reticence to make substitutions could come back to cost an Australia side that has rotated the least at the World Cup.
Whilst Sam Kerr's return will help matters hugely, Gustavsson didn't make a second change until after 100 minutes in the match, despite Hayley Raso and Caitlin Foord being out on their feet from the 80th minute mark, and the midfield beginning to get sloppy in possession.
It cost his side in their loss to Nigeria, and France looked like they had more energy as the game went on due to the fact their side had been much more rotated — all 20 outfield players had played before tonight.
The momentum and adrenaline of a home World Cup clearly is taking them a long way, but they are only human, and could feel the affects sooner rather than later.
Penalty shootout history
If the game was already tense, the shootout took the drama level up to eleven, as a stunning seven penalties by both sides were missed in the shootout.
France blinked first, before Steph Catley ceded the advantage; keeper Mackenzie Arnold had the chance to win it for her country after great saves, but her penalty then cannoned off the post.
She then saved a penalty from Dali twice, but Clare Hunt couldn't win the game, though Cortnee Vine would then get the chance to write her name into history after Vicki Becho slammed her penalty against the post.
And in her home state, Vine showed nerves of steel as she tucked it away and sent Australia into dreamland.
Australia's fairytale continues
All of Australia has been swept up by World Cup fever, with the Matildas run to the quarterfinal seeing capacity crowds, record numbers on television and thousands watching at live sites around the country.
This match was no different, with the major Australian sporting codes moving kick off times and playing the game on big screens at stadiums due to the widespread popularity.
Whilst many fans will have a lack of fingernails after the tension and drama of the match, it continues Australia's magic run at the tournament which has shown the power of football to bring people together in the country.
And it only gets bigger, with a potential semifinal against England in Sydney awaiting them, in what is probably the biggest football match in Australian history.
Australia vs France live updates, highlights from 2023 World Cup
FULL TIME: Australia win 7-6 on penalties
Cortnee Vine for Australia, AND SHE SCORES! AUSTRALIA GO THROUGH AFTER ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC PENALTY SHOOTOUTS! THE CO-HOSTS MARCH ON TOP THE SEMI FINALS!
Australia 6-6 France
Becho the youngster is next for France, and SHE HITS THE POST! CAN AUSTRALIA FINALLY PUT IT TO BED?
Australia 6-6 France
Clare Hunt to win it, BUT DURAND GETS HER HAND TO IT, AND STILL WE GO ON!
Australia 6-6 France
Dali for France, and it's saved brilliantly by Arnold! BUT NO! Arnold has stepped off the line and it needs to be retaken. Dali steps up again, AND ARNOLD SAVES AGAIN! AUSTRALIA ON THE BRINK!
Australia 6-6 France
Ellie Carpenter is up for the Matildas, and it's in off the post.
Australia 5-6 France
Lakrar's turn for France, and she sends Arnold the wrong way. They retake the lead.
Australia 5-5 France
Yallop for Australia, and she scores to level the game.
Australia 4-5 France
Karchaoui slams her penalty high into the net, to force Australia into another sudden death penalty.
Australia 4-4 France
Katrina Gorry up for Australia, she has to score, and she just about squeezes it in. Australia stay alive.
Australia 3-4 France
Geyoro is up next for France, and she scores despite Arnold getting a hand to it.
Australia 3-3 France
The keeper Mackenzie Arnold tries to win it, BUT MISSES OFF THE POST! YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS UP!
Australia 3-3 France
Perriset steps up for France and HITS THE POST! Australia are one away!
Australia 3-3 France
Mary Fowler for Australia, and she smashes it home with authority! 3-3 in the shootout.
Australia 2-3 France
Le Sommer now for Les Bleues, and she sends Arnold the wrong way to give France the lead back.
Australia 2-2 France
Australia's darling Sam Kerr steps up, and scores just. Level again.
Australia 1-2 France
It's France captain Wendie Renard next, and she converts cooly. France take the lead.
Australia 1-1 France
Next is Steph Catley for Australia, and her penalty is SAVED by Durand. Advantage lost for Australia.
Australia 1-1 France
Diani aims to get France on the board, and she wrong foots Arnold, we are level for now...
Australia 1-0 France
Caitlin Foord takes the first penalty for the Matildas, and she makes no mistake, Australia lead in the shootout.
AUSTRALIA 0-0 FRANCE
Bacha steps up first for France, AND MISSES! Arnold guesses the right way and saves an admittedly poor penalty!
Penalties are about to begin, with France set to kick first...
FULL TIME: Australia's mens side famously qualified for the 2022 World Cup thanks to substitute keeper Andrew Redmayne making a key save, will the country be given a taste of their own medicine by France?
FULL TIME
It's penalties once again in a knockout game in Brisbane, as the sides are stuck in a stalemate. France edged extra time in terms of chances, but some good saves from Arnold denied them, and now the players will have to keep their nerve from the spot.
120+2 minutes: A huge call from Herve Renard, as he chooses to change keepers before the shootout, as Peyraud-Magnin comes off for Durand, whilst de Almeida also comes off for Perriset.
120th minute: Four minutes of added time due to a few stoppages.
119th minute: As Bacha sends a speculative shot over the bar, it seems we will be destined for penalties in Brisbane unless there's late, late drama.
115th minute: Australia make another change, with Tameka Yallop enters the midfield in place of Kyra Cooney-Cross.
111th minute: It seems Kyah Simon is warming up despite not stepping on the field since October. She would be a penalty taker, but subbing on players just for a penalty shootout doesn't always end well.
110th minute: Becho's dangerous cross is cleared by a desperate sliding challenge by Catley, France really testing the co-hosts here.
107th minute: Vicki Becho with a golden opportunity, but Arnold dives brilliantly to her right to deny the substitute.
105th minute: Just 15 minutes left, can either side score before the dreaded penalty shootout?
HALF TIME ET
We're halfway through extra time and still no goals. France thought they had the lead, though it was disallowed for a foul, and if that one was allowed there would have been fury in Brisbane, as the corner the goal came from shouldn't have been allowed.
105th minute: Almost an instant impact from Vine as she slides to meet Foord's cross, but she just can't direct it on target.
103rd minute: A second change for Australia, as Vine comes on for Raso, her pace could be key here.
100th minute: Wendie Renard puts the ball in the back of the net, but the referee blows her whistle for a shirt pull on Caitlin Foord. Australia feel vindicated, as it seemed the ball from the corner was out off France instead of Australia.
94th minute: Australia giving away some cheap fouls, their fatigue is looking very apparent, yet Gustavsson still doesn't make anymore changes.
92nd minute: Gorry puts in a rough challenge and picks up a yellow card.
90th minute: Extra time begins, which defence will cave in first?
FULL TIME
The sides cannot be split, so we will play another 30 minutes to decide the third semifinalist of the tournament. Australia started the second half strongly, and the introduction of Sam Kerr threatened to open up the game. But France weathered the storm and created chances of their own and put the Matildas under the pump towards the end. Expect changes in extra time as each side has four subs up their sleeve.
90+3 minutes: France putting the Matildas under all sorts of pressure, can they hold on for another minute?
90th minute: There will be four minutes of added time.
90th minute: Gorry gifts Bacha the ball cheaply, but her powerful shot goes wide.
89th minute: Australia build well, but Carpenter then wastes it with a wild effort from distance. Need more composure in times like this.
83rd minute: No signs of anymore subs from either side, surely some will be incoming soon for both sides as fatigue sets in.
77th minute: A crowd of 49,461 has been announced, another brilliant sight at the World Cup!
70th minute: Things getting very tense in Brisbane as both teams are fighting to open the scoring. You can't help but feel the side that scores first won't be caught.
64th minute: France make their first change, as TolettI makes way for Becho.
60th minute: The loose ball falls to Fowler, and she lashes a volley straight at Peyraud-Magnin, and then the Matildas get a corner soon after.
57th minute: Kennedy stays up after the corner and almost scores from a Cooney-Cross delivery, but its over the bar. Australia have been much improved this second half.
56th minute: Raso! She fires a ball at goal, but the curling effort is well saved by Peyraud-Magnin.
55th minute: Le Sommer almost ghosts in at the back post, but Carpenter puts her off enough that she skews the effort. In the meantime, Sam Kerr replaces Emily van Egmond to a massive roar from the Brisbane crowd.
50th minute: Peyraud-Magnin with another poor ball that falls straight at Fowler, she opts to go alone but her shot is blocked. You can't help but feel squaring to Foord would have been the better option.
49th minute: Australia have started well this second half, and have just forced France into a cheap giveaway. Sam Kerr is also already warming up, telling me she could make her entry at the hour mark...
47th minute: Australia have a free kick chance in a good position, but Kennedy is only able to fire it straight into the wall.
46th minute: The second half begins, who will get the crucial go ahead goal?
HALF TIME: The game opened up slightly for Australia at the end of the first period, but they still aren't looking too fluid playing through France, and in turn Les Bleues are having joy down their right side. That said, Peyraud-Magnin in goals playing out from the back looks a bit shaky, so Australia may look to exploit that more in the second half.
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HALF TIME
An end to end first half comes to an end, and the scores are locked at 0-0. Both sides probably should have had a goal, with Maelle Lakrar conspiring to miss with the goal gaping, before Mary Fowler's shot was blocked brilliantly on the line by de Almedia. Australia slightly grew into the half as it went on, but struggled to deal with a well organised France press and the presence of Renard.
45th minute: Just the one minute of added time in a frenetic first half.
45th minute: Cooney-Cross dinks it in behind to Fowler, but she just can't get to it and France are able to deal with it. Better from Australia on the cusp of half time.
41st minute: de Almeida clears it off the line! van Egmond gets in front of Peyraud-Magnin, and she squares it to Fowler, but her shot on goal is brilliantly cleared off the line by the France fullback. Best chance of the game for the Matildas!
32nd minute: From the second phase of the corner, Lakrar hits a volley at goal and Arnold saves well again. Les Bleues beginning to turn the screws, Tony Gustavsson has to make some tactical tweaks as he did against Denmark.
30th minute: Half an hour gone in Brisbane, and France have probably been the better side in defence and have definitely created the better chances. They win possession and break, forcing Australia to concede another corner.
28th minute: Le Sommer's shot from the edge of the area takes a deflection and requires Mackenzie Arnold to be alert and parry it away.
26th minute: Australia's turn to put the French under pressure, but France's defence is very well organised and not allowing Australia any space to use their speed in behind.
24th minute: France do a very poor job of dealing with the corner, as both sides swing and flail at the ball, but eventually a Gorry volley from way out flies wide.
23rd minute: Australia have their first corner of the match, can they get the breakthrough?
18th minute: Australia are struggling to play through the France defence, and are reticent to play it long due to the aerial presence of Wendie Renard at the back for Les Bleues. the Matildas are going to need a moment of magic to break the game open.
12th minute: France enjoying a spell of possession and have forced Australia to concede a couple of corners, but eventually Lakrar is called offside, letting the Matildas off the hook.
8th minute: A miscued clearance from Kennedy gives Diani a route on goal, but Kennedy manages to get back quickly enough to harry Diani into dragging her shot wide. A nervy moment for the Matildas, though!
KICK OFF
This monumental quarterfinal clash begins in Brisbane, who will gain the ascendancy early on?
3 mins from kickoff: The anthems are done, kick off is moments away!
6 mins from kickoff: The gladiators enter the arena to an almighty roar in Brisbane, what a brilliant noise!
9 mins from kickoff: The Welcome to Country is taking place, as the teams line up in the tunnel and prepare to enter the field.
15 mins from kickoff: It's set to be a special atmosphere at Brisbane Stadium, where both sides have already played in front of sold out crowds here earlier in the tournament. Can the raucous home crowd carry the Matildas to victory?
25 mins from kickoff: A special day for France captain Wendie Renard, as she earns her 150th cap. Can she celebrate it with a quarterfinal win?
30 mins from kickoff: Not only is it the stands at Brisbane Stadium beginning to fill up, but so are live sites in cities around Australia. World Cup fever has truly gripped the nation!
45 mins from kickoff: The Prime Minister's of each country have been involved in some friendly banter on Twitter ahead of the match, which one will be laughing at the end of 90 (or 120) minutes?
1hr from kickoff: Some fans may not remember, but these two sides actually clashed very shortly before the World Cup in a warm up match in Melbourne. That night, Australia came out on top with a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to a second half goal to Mary Fowler, can they repeat the trick tonight?
1hr 20 mins from kickoff: The lineups have just been announced! Australia are unchanged, as superstar Sam Kerr once again starts on the bench, but expect her to play more minutes than her 10 minute cameo on Monday. France meanwhile have made one change from the side that defeated Morocco, as Maelle Lakrar has replaced Eve Perriset at right back.
1hr 30 mins from kickoff: Les Bleues will be looking to spoil the party, though, and their coach Herve Renard is used to causing upsets at the World Cup, as he managed Saudi Arabia to a shock win over Lionel Messi's Argentina at the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar.
1hr 45 mins from kickoff: The city of Brisbane, like the whole country, is getting behind the Matildas for the biggest match in the history of women's football in the country!
2hrs from kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of the Women's World Cup quarterfinal clash between Australia and France. There has never been so much hype and anticipation for a women's football match in Australia, with 50,000 fans and millions around the country getting ready to cheer on the Matildas as they look to qualify to the semifinals for the first time ever, as well as become the first host nation in 20 years to make it past the quarterfinals. It was a feat their opponents couldn't achieve four years ago, and they would love nothing more than to make amends and spoil Australia's party.
Australia vs France lineups, team news
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has seemed to strike gold with his lineup, as Caitlin Foord's move to left midfield and Mary Fowler being shifted to the striker position has seen Australia's attack go from clunky to clinical.
The pair were the players of the match in Australia's win over Denmark, combining brilliantly for the opening goal, particularly with Foord and club teammate Steph Catley being a deadly combination down the left side of the field.
Sam Kerr is still likely not fit enough to start, and even then Gustavsson will not want to disrupt the rhythm the team has found in the last couple of games, but Kerr will probably be fit for 30 minutes of game time if she is required to turn the tide against a talented France team.
Gustavsson has not rotated much during the tournament and has been reluctant to make substitutions — and when he does, they usually come late in the match. He copped criticism early on in the tournament for this, and it will be interesting to see whether tired legs begin to affect the Matildas as they get deeper into the competition.
- Australia starting lineup (4-4-1-1): 18-Arnold (GK) — 21-Carpenter, 15-Hunt, 14-Kennedy, 7-Catley — 16-Raso, 19-Gorry, 23-Cooney-Cross, 9-Foord — 10-Van Egmond — 11-Fowler
France coach Herve Renard has rotated his team throughout the tournament, which may serve them well if their match against Australia goes to extra time.
They have had a different centre-back pairing for every match of the tournament so far; captain Wendie Renard will start, but her partner could be anyone of Estelle Cascarino, Elisa de Almeida and Maelle Lakrar.
They have two dangerous attackers in Eugenie Le Sommer and Kadidatou Diani who have been scoring goals for fun at the tournament, whilst Sakina Karchaoui and Selma Bacha have been combining well down the left wing.
Grace Geyoro has been a constant in midfield and will most likely start alongside Sandie Toletti as they will look to combat the influence of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Katrina Gorry.
France starting lineup (4-4-2): Peyraud-Magnin (GK) — 2-Lakrar, 3-Renard, 5-de Almedia, 7-Karchaoui — 15-Dali, 8-Geyoro, 6-Toletti, 13-Bacha — 9-Le Sommer, 11-Diani
Australia vs France live stream, TV channel
Fans around the world will be able to watch the third quarterfinal of the tournament on both TV and live stream, with the match being available to watch on free-to-air options in Australia via Channel 7, which has seen record numbers of viewers during the Matildas run to the quarterfinals.
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | FOX, Universo, Telemundo | Fubo, Fox Sports site/app, Peacock, Universo NOW Telemundo Deportes En Vivo (Spanish) |
| UK | ITV 1, RTE 2, STV Scotland | ITVX, RTE Player |
| Australia | Optus Sport, Channel Seven | Optus Sport, 7Plus |
| Canada | TSN1, TSN 4, TSN 5, RDS | TSN+, RDS app |
| India | Star Sports 1 | FanCode, Jio TV, Hotstar VIP, |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport 1 NZ, Prime TV | Sky Sport NOW, Prime TV |
| Singapore | FIFA WWC CH01 | meWATCH |
| Hong Kong | Now Sports Prime | Now Player |
| Malaysia | — | FIFA+ |
Fans in select regions of the world can stream the Women's World Cup live on FIFA+, including in Japan, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand.