Women’s World Cup: Super-sub Cortnee Vine kicks Matildas into semi-finals

IT’S VINE Time – but not as you know it.

Cortnee Vine came off the bench in the 104th minute yesterday (Saturday, August 12) at Suncorp Stadium and then wrote her name into Australian sporting folklore.

The 25-year-old was the 10th penalty taker on coach Tony Gustavsson’s list when Saturday’s Women’s World Cup quarter-final against France went down to a shootout.

After France’s Vicki Becho hit the post at 6-6, with goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold having previously made three saves, Vine stepped up.

She coolly drilled her penalty into the bottom corner to end the longest shootout in Women’s World Cup history and send Australia into a semi-final against England at Stadium Australia on Wednesday, August 16.

It might just be the biggest penalty in Australian sporting history, too.

“I just knew where I was going to put my pen,” Vine told reporters.

“In those moments, you just need to be confident in what you’ve practised and in that moment I feel like Macca (Arnold) did the job before I had to.

“She’s the one that saved it and I just had to put it away.

“And I was fortunate enough to be that last penalty kick-taker that now has secured our spot to the semi-finals.

“It’s just something that I’d never dreamed of happening and it’s just crazy that it happened.

“I did it. I didn’t think I would have to do it. I didn’t think it was gonna get to the 10th penalty taker.

“I was willing to do whatever the team wanted me to do and Tony picked me as 10th – so I stood up.”

When asked if that gave a new definition to “Vine Time” – coined two years ago when she broke through at Sydney FC, Vine laughed: “Yeah, if you want.
“Pen time. Pen Vine Time”.

Arnold had one thought going through her mind: ‘Please get it in.’

“I was so done with it, I was like ‘please, please’ but I couldn’t say too much because I missed mine as well,” the goalkeeper said.

“But I was just praying that she got it in and I was honestly so proud of her, the way she stepped up.”

Gustavsson hailed the 25-year-old’s composure.

“Imagine standing there in the centre circle as a World Cup debutant and you’re listed as the 10th taker out of 11 and it goes to that,” he said.

“And then she just walks up and buries that PK – and you look at her body language. It looks like she wasn’t even disturbed by the moment – she just walks up and buries it.

“It’s just a very, very impressive moment, but also what you can do with preparation, because when you are prepared, you are confident.”

SNAPSHOT OF AUSTRALIA’S WORLD CUP QF AGAINST FRANCE:

• Result: Australia beat France 7-6 on penalties in front of 49,461 fans at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
• Key moment: When Cortnee Vine slotted home the winning penalty to give Australia a 7-6 victory on penalties. Vine was carrying the hopes of millions on her shoulders and she stepped up calmly to slot it home
• Player of the match: Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold after her heroics in the penalty shootout to make three saves. A brilliant one-handed diving save in the 107th minute by Arnold from a rifled shot by 19-year-old French forward Vicki Becho was also crucial
• Stat that matters: 7 – The number of penalties Australia scored in the shootout. It was an incredible feat as Katrina Gorry, Tameka Yallop and Ellie Carpenter all had pressure kicks to level when a miss would have led to the Matildas’ exit
• Quote: “I can start with the circle going into the PK shootout. I said to the players…’trust me when I say you are prepared for this moment’. I said, ‘you are ready, let’s show the world you are ready as well’.” – Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson on his unshakeable belief going into the penalty shootout
• What’s next: France go home after falling at the quarter-final hurdle while Australia play England in the semi-final at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Wednesday night.

– WITH AAP