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I have a signature hair clip, but it’s not as cool as a bow. I’m Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan and Steph Yang — welcome to Full Time!
The Girl with the Ribbon
Photo by Chris Hyde, Getty Images
Australian forward Hayley Raso isn’t hard to spot. She’s the one with the ribbon, an accessory that’s been synonymous with the 28-year-old since her youth soccer days — she’s even written a children’s book about it. When she was younger, the Queensland-born player’s grandmother, Patricia, gave her ribbons to match the kit she wore. She’s done the same for the World Cup.
And she definitely didn’t go unnoticed in the 104 minutes she played in front of a home crowd on her way to helping the Matildas make history.
Australia 0(7)-0(6) France
For the first time since 2003, a host nation is headed to the Women’s World Cup semifinals. Australia held on through 120 minutes of play and 20 total penalty kicks(!) and is now one win away from the World Cup final – the farthest the country has made it in the tournament’s history.
What a moment! ????????
Australia fans react to Cortnee Vine’s winning penalty to send them into the semi-final!#AUSFRA | #AUS | #FRA | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/hmjGViKKZQ
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) August 12, 2023
A stadium of 49,000 fans was eclectic all night in Brisbane, especially when captain Sam Kerr subbed on early in the second half. The highlights also included:
- A goal-line clearance for France to maintain the scoreless tie.
- France hitting the woodwork multiple times in the shootout.
- Goalkeepers saving penalties, and in the case of Australia’s Mackenzie Arnold, saving the same shot twice for one player.
Finally, after what felt like three games packed into one, Cortnee Vine buried her penalty to break the deadlock. It felt like all of Australia (and the world) was watching.
To make Australia’s achievements even more impressive, they’ve done it with a youthful team of players working largely without Kerr, the superstar who missed the first part of the tournament with a calf injury.
Whether you lived through the incredibly exciting game at the stadium, at home or inside of a plane, the excitement is the same????
The moment Courtnee Vine took the penalty to send Australia to their first ever semi-final????
????️ @Jacquifelgate #FIFAWWC #BeyondGreatness pic.twitter.com/6BIW08y2YN
— ata football (@atafball) August 12, 2023
“I kinda felt that the momentum swung a little bit in our way, but that’s what you have to do as a sub,” Kerr said after the match. “That’s your role as a teammate, to come off the bench and change the game then just settle in and do your job. It’s not easy coming on as a sub. I don’t envy people who are super subs because it’s an amazing job that they do.”
Kerr has the hearts of her nation, and Australia keeps rolling.
“Yes, it was a tough match for us,” France defender Wendie Renard told The Equalizer after the match. “Unfortunately, we lost on penalties and have gone out of the tournament. I’m very proud of our team because we played very well and showed plenty of aggressiveness, but that’s football.”
The local angle: Four U.S.-based referees helped call the game. Referee Katja Koroleva, assistant referees Kathryn Nesbitt and Felisha Mariscal and video assistant referees Carol Anne Chenard and Armando Villarreal all work for North America’s Professional Referee Organization (PRO).
England 2-1 Colombia
England qualified for its third consecutive World Cup with a 2-1 win over Colombia.
But it wasn’t easy. Colombia, with its clean passing and constant switching of the attack, struck first, with a beautiful ball from Leicy Santos that was placed above the diving reach of England goalkeeper Mary Earps.
I saw some arguments that it was a cross, but I’m having none of that.
AN ABSOLUTE BEAUTY FROM LEICY SANTOS ???????? pic.twitter.com/ktL77HpNwh
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 12, 2023
Colombia maintained equal footing with England until the last minute of first-half stoppage time. That’s when goalkeeper Catalina Pérez blocked an initial shot on goal from Alessia Russo but failed to secure the ball in her hands. Lauren Hemp cleaned up the rest, making things 1-1 going into the break.
A tied score at halftime was always going to give a general advantage to England. Sure enough, less than 20 minutes into the second Russo found the back of the net. As Charlotte Harpur wrote in her instant analysis, Russo has been asked to do the grunt work for this England team.
She has fought tooth and nail, battling for the ball, and holding up play well. The new Arsenal signing was alive for England’s first goal, allowing Lauren Hemp to toe-poke home. But when goalscoring opportunities have fallen to her, at times it has looked like she was trying too hard. Against Nigeria for instance, after a poor defensive error, Russo lacked composure when in front of goal.
But this time, Russo made no mistake. When Georgia Stanway threaded a line-breaking pass, the striker pounced on the Colombia defender Daniela Arias’ mistake, maintained her balance and struck her shot sweetly to score the winning goal.
What Else? England’s defense might just win them the Women’s World Cup
Up Next
And then there were four. England faces host nation Australia on Wednesday in Sydney, while Sweden and Spain face off on Tuesday in Auckland.
Both games are available in the U.S. on Fox.
Tuesday, Aug. 15
- Spain vs. Sweden at Eden Park, Auckland (8 p.m. local / 4 a.m. ET / 9 a.m. UK)
Wednesday, Aug. 16
- England vs. Australia at Stadium Australia, Sydney (8 p.m. local / 6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. UK)
Steph’s Set Piece
A turning point in Australian soccer history
I’m writing this as England and Colombia kick-off, and at the moment I think it’s just asking a lot of people emotionally to have to watch another knockout game after going to 20 penalty kicks.
I have a lot of sympathy right now for France’s players, but I’m also pleased that Australia has gone through because I think it’s better for the tournament overall when the host goes deep. And I think it’s good for building soccer in this region – both Australia and Oceania at large.
I think seeing a host go far after investing in getting a tournament will be encouraging to other countries. For example, the head of Japan’s federation mentioned wanting to bid on the World Cup after the next one — not 2027, but 2031 possibly or 2035. I think if other federations say, “If we build it, they will come,” then that benefits fans, players and programs alike.
So, I would count this as a triumph, not just for the Matildas advancing to their first semifinal in a World Cup ever, but also for women’s soccer in general.
It’s also a testament to this generation of talent. There were a lot of articles and I’m not gonna lie, The Athletic also asked the question “What are the Matildas going to do without Sam Kerr?”
❤️ ¿Se puede ser más feliz?
???? Si Sam Kerr, jugadora de #AUS, te diera su camiseta la reacción sería justificada.
???? ¡La #FIFAWWC por @Telemundo y @peacock!#MundialTelemundo #LaCopaEsNuestra pic.twitter.com/yfo8NTftB3
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) August 12, 2023
This team is not just Sam Kerr. There’s a lot of talent on it. Look at all the great performances by Kyra Cooney-Cross, Mary Fowler, Raso, Caitlin Ford, Steph Catley, Arnold… it’s been a true team effort.
I would love to see the federation and the fans stay behind them and keep pushing them as far as they can go even if they don’t go to the final, even if they don’t win the whole thing. You have to look at the incredible excitement and their performance and say, “How can we springboard off of this to even greater heights?”
Fun Time World Cup Trivia
Test your host nation knowledge
If you don’t want the answer to yesterday’s question, stop scrolling now….
Salma Paralluelo’s 111th-minute goal was the latest game-winning goal in World Cup history, not including penalty kicks.
Today’s question…
Who was the host nation that made it to the World Cup semifinals in 2003?
Full-Time First Looks
Special report: Women’s goalkeeping has long been ridiculed but not anymore – this is why
Watching Spain vs. Netherlands with World Cup winner Amy Rodriguez ended up being really exciting, with a bonus Bonnie Blair cameo!
History-making Spain continues to break barriers at World Cup after turbulent year
(Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)
