It was a ‘where were you’ moment in Australia as the Matildas secured their place in the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in football history.
The team defeated France (0-0) 7-6 on penalties in the longest shootout in the history of the tournament on Saturday night.
The nerve-racking shootout saw three saves from Mackenzie Arnold before Cortnee Vine kicked the winner to seal the quarter-final victory in front of 49,461 screaming fans in green and gold at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
Those ecstatic 49,461 fans were joined by the millions glued to screens in pubs, clubs, parks and festivals and other public venues across the country.
Some resorted to odd ways of watching the game with one taped to their fridge’s screen, while others watched quietly on their phones while enjoying good food at some of the world’s most expensive restaurants.
The spectacle was truly a moment that will live on forever in Australian sporting history.
It was a ‘where were you’ moment in Australia as the Matildas secured their place in the FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-finals
Football fans were glued to their screens and nervously watched the longest shootout in the history of the Women’s World Cup
Millions of people across the country cheered in pubs, clubs, parks, festivals and restaurants, among other places
Australian of the year Dylan Alcott, 32, was screaming at a local pub with a beer in hand.
The former wheelchair tennis player cheered along with other spectators as they watched the game on TV.
My God, that was the closest I’ve ever been to getting up. Incredible effort. MCG is going off,” he wrote on Twitter with a video of his waiting party.
The MCG even showed some of the exciting play before the Carlton vs Melbourne Demons crashed to the ground.
Aussie Rules fans in Demons and Blues kit cheered at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the Matildas kicked the winning goal.
The game was shown on the big screen at the MCG but was removed shortly after 7pm.
This was met with thunderous boos when a public service announcement urged fans to switch to their personal streaming devices to watch the Matildas.
But the MCG reversed this decision and decided to show the game on the scoreboard screen just before the footy was about to start.
The match was also shown on television sets throughout the venue in an extraordinary support of both codes of football.
As Australia’s own women’s national football team beat France 0-0 7-6 on penalties, wheelchair-bound Dylan (pictured) joked that he had been the closest to standing
AFL fans at the MCG before the Demons and Blues game cheered as the Matildas kicked the winning goal
Green and gold crowds flocked to watch the Matildas match in Melbourne’s Federation Square
Melbourne’s Federation Square was lit up with torches and lights as crowds of green and gold flocked to the edge of the city’s central business district.
In absolutely wild scenes, we saw thousands of fans screaming, screaming and jumping for joy as the red hue of countless flares burned in the background.
This level of excitement was matched at the other major fan festivals around the country, including Tumbalong Park in Sydney, Riverside Green in Brisbane, Festival Plaza in Adelaide and Forrest Place in Perth.
The buzz generated by the game saw the game viewed from the most unique of places, with some mind-blowing scenes of fan excitement.
A supporter had the game played on their own fridge at their house.
‘F*** this is intense!!!! LET’S GO MATILDAS,” they wrote in one message.
‘Use the smart refrigerator properly.’
While footage at one of Sydney’s most expensive restaurants, Firedoor, showed diners at nearly every table watching the World Cup shootout on their mobile devices.
A supporter had the Matildas game played on their real smart fridge at their home
Another video shot from the inside of an airplane showed almost every monitor watching the penalty shootout
Cortnee Vine kicked the winner to seal the quarter-final win in front of 49,461 screaming fans at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium
Matildas’ victory caused guests from the tables in the restaurant to stand and cheer.
Another video shot from the inside of an airplane showed almost every monitor watching the penalty shootout.
Passengers burst into applause and praise as Vine scored the winning penalty kick.
“That moment for women’s sport,” wrote 7News journalist Jacqueline Felgate, who uploaded the clip.
The Matildas will face England in the semi-final at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Wednesday.