WATCH: Passengers hooked Australia’s victory after 20-penalty thriller at Women’s World Cup | Football News
As Australia edged France on penalty kicks on Saturday to reach the Women’s World Cup semifinals for the first time, fans everywhere were hooked the drama. Clips went viral on social media showing fans catching the action the hundreds at public screenings in Australia.
Meanwhile, a clip going viral on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, showed a row of passengers on a flight tuning into the shootout action on the tiny screens in front of their seats.
Some of these stadium scenes from around the country when #Matildas won: MCG (Thread) #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/kdo7kbaIs4
— Tyson Whelan (@tyson_whelan) August 12, 2023
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A huge roar went up in the plane as Australia wrapped up the title.
That moment for women’s sport ❤️⚽️👑🦘 pic.twitter.com/vCgv9m4vxM
— Jacqueline Felgate (@Jacquifelgate) August 12, 2023
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Cortnee Vine took Australia’s 10th penalty from the spot and calmly converted to give the Matildas a 7-6 win in the shootout after the quarterfinal match finished 0-0 after regulation and extra time.
The Australians missed two earlier chances to clinch the dramatic shootout but ultimately it didn’t matter as they ended a long curse for tournament hosts. The Australians became the only team other than the United States to advance past the quarterfinals of a Women’s World Cup as the host nation.
Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold kept the Matildas in the game in extra time and made a string of clutch saves in the shootout — before and after missing with her own attempt that could have sealed the win.
“I’m just speechless right now to be honest,” Arnold said, adding that the missed shot was “incredibly disappointing” but the eventual win was “unreal.”
“I could have won the game for the girls and I missed it, but the way they rallied around me and just kept me in it,” she said. “At the end of the day it’s my job to keep the ball out of the net and thankfully I could do that for them.”
