‘I stood up’: Vine’s time arrives as emerging Matildas star proves she belongs

In the middle of Suncorp Stadium, at the bottom of a pile of bodies, at the centre of a moment that will live on in Australian sporting history forever.

That’s where and when Cortnee Vine finally felt like she belonged.

Cortnee Vine celebrates scoring the winning penalty.Credit: Reuters

The young-ish gun who scored the penalty that put the Matildas into Wednesday night’s World Cup semi-final against England has, for much of her career, wrestled with imposter syndrome. A nagging sense that she’s not meant to be here. A voice inside her head, telling her she’d be found out one day.

Not today. Surely not any more.

“I mean, I don’t know. You have your ups and downs,” Vine said.

“That’s just a life thing – you feel like you belong, you feel like you don’t. Obviously, right now I feel like I do.”

Australia celebrate their side’s victory in the penalty shoot out.Credit: Getty

Vine is one of the few players in Australia’s 23-strong squad who still plays in the A-League, for Sydney FC. She started the first two matches; she was OK. Nothing special. Didn’t set the world on fire.

When Tony Gustavsson tweaked his line-up to facilitate Caitlin Foord’s move back to the left wing, she was dropped to the bench to make way.

It was the sort of demotion that could dent any player’s confidence, let alone one who has so openly talked about struggling with her own footballing self-esteem. And yet the 25-year-old, Australia’s 10th penalty taker, approached this assignment with such perfect clarity.

When she came on for Hayley Raso in the 104th minute, it seemed like her fresh legs would help the Matildas capitalise on a stretched and tiring French defence. She probably should have scored towards the end of the first half of extra time when she met Foord’s cross to her, but prodded it just wide of the near post.

‘I thought I was in a whirlwind. I didn’t know what was going on. And then I was like, “What just happened?” ’

Cortnee Vine

She knew she’d be the second-last player called upon for a penalty in the shootout. Yet as the momentum swung both ways with all those Mackenzie Arnold saves, the misses from both sides, and even that Kenza Dali retake, Vine kept her cool.

When she walked towards the spot and put the ball down – after Vicki Becho hit the post, which gave her the opportunity to win it for Australia – the crowd was going ballistic, but she heard nothing.

“I just knew where I was gonna put my pen,” she said.

“I feel like in those moments, you just need to be confident in what you’ve practiced. And in that moment, I feel like Macca 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 us a spot in the semi-final.

Sam Kerr leads the Matildas out to celebrate Cortnee Vine’s winning kick.Credit: Getty

“To be honest, Macca made it better for me by saving that penalty before. It felt like even though there was a lot of pressure, there wasn’t as much because of that save. And in that moment, again, I just thought in my head ... let’s just hit it. And we did it.

“I was willing to do whatever the team wanted me to do. Tony picked me as 10th, so I stood up. I have not scored a game-winning penalty kick, and to think it’s my first one, for a semi-final ... I don’t know what to say.”

There’s not much to say. Like everyone else, Vine’s head was spinning out of control as she tried to recount what happened next.

“Everyone jumped on me first,” she said.

“I was shaking my head – I thought I was in a whirlwind. I didn’t know what was going on. And then I was like, ‘What just happened?’

“I had a lot of people come up and say, ‘you did it, we’re so proud of you!’ There were a few swear words in there.”

As for what happens now, as the Matildas look ahead to a semi-final against England at Stadium Australia?

Again – perfect clarity.

“We have to prepare now mentally and physically,” Vine said.

“They’ve done a fantastic job throughout this whole tournament and managing everyone, each individual loads and what that player needs to do to be flying for the next game, and I’m sure that will be the exact same.

“Everyone’s going to be focusing on that from the get-go – doing ice baths and recovery.”

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.