Norway defeat Australia 1-1 (4-1 penalties) in Women’s World Cup

Australia has suffered a heartbreaking loss to Norway in a penalty shootout thriller, cruelly cutting short the Matildas’ World Cup bid.

NICE, FRANCE - JUNE 22: Australia players look dejected following their defeat in the penalty shoot out during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Round Of 16 match between Norway and Australia at Stade de Nice on June 22, 2019 in Nice, France. (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images )

Australia has suffered a heartbreaking loss to Norway in a penalty shootout thriller to cruelly cut short its World Cup.

The Aussies missed their first two penalties as Sam Kerr and Emily Gielnik failed to convert from the spot.

The Norwegians buried all four of their chances to secure their place in the final eight.

Kerr has come to her country’s rescue so often in the green and gold but she blasted her penalty high and wide to miss the target by a mile. Gielnik’s effort was saved by the keeper but Norway made no mistake and its players celebrated wildly.

In complete contrast, the Aussies were in tears, many of them slumped on their haunches on the sideline as they struggled to digest the devastating result.

READ: Fans erupt over VAR

Kyah Simon, who missed the tournament with injury, was devastated.

“I’m just really heart broken for the girls,” Simon told SBS. “There’s no worse feeling than getting knocked out of the World Cup.”

I. FEEL. SICK.

— Kyah Simon (@KyahSimon) June 22, 2019

The match was riddled with controversial VAR moments with none bigger than Alanna Kennedy being sent off under a straight red card in the first period of extra time.

Kennedy’s send-off was described as “hugely controversial” by former Socceroo Craig Foster.

“It’s harsh and my view is it shouldn’t have been given,” Foster said.

Socceroos coach Ante Milicic said the game could have gone either way but Kennedy’s red card made it “difficult” for his team.

“I’m proud of the girls, they never gave up,” he said. “They always had to do things the hard way and in the end we couldn’t get over this final hurdle.”

Kerr was devastated. “It sucks to lose on a penalty shootout but we’ll learn from this and grow from it,” she said.

“The first half was not our best but the second half we came out and dominated. We would’ve liked to win it in the 90 (minutes).

“Feels like we’ve let some people down but we’ll be stronger for it.”

Shattered.

The girls in gold paid the price for their high defensive line when a lovely through-ball put Isabell Herlovsen in behind the Matildas’ centre backs and she made no mistake, slotting the ball past goalkeeper Lydia Williams with a composed one-on-one finish after 31 minutes.

Kerr was a constant threat as the Aussies dominated the opening. Norway asserted itself after its goal before Australia thought it had a penalty for handball.

Norway’s Maria Thorisdottir protested the decision, claiming the ball hit closer to her shoulder — which is legal — and the VAR was called for. Both sides waited while the referee took several minutes to finalise a decision but in the end the call was reversed and Norway escaped.

In the second half Kerr was called offside after poking the ball past the keeper for what she thought was the equaliser but the disappointment evaporated in the 83rd minute when Elise Kellond-Knight scored a spectacular goal from a corner. Her curling effort miraculously evaded the plethora of players in the box and went into the back of the net untouched, making it 1-1 and sending the match into extra time.