Matildas fever gripped HC, Sydney, Australia and the globe during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Here are our favourite memories from a remarkable competition.
Kendi – I was at a 60th birthday party when that nation-stopping shootout happened. Fifty people in absolute silence, glued to a TV screen while the sausage rolls went cold. Half the people had never watched a game before the World Cup started, but here we all were, on the bandwagon, holding our breath. When Cortnee Vine sealed it for the Aussies the atmosphere in that suburban loungeroom was off the scale.
Sue – It’s gotta be the steely calm of Mackenzie Arnold, the Matildas star goalkeeper. They way she handled that 7-6 penalty shootout versus France to get the Tillies through to the semi-finals was inspiring.
Alex – I’ve been playing soccer since I was a kid, so the whole energy around the World Cup and the entire country getting behind the Tillies was amazing and something I’ll never forget. I was lucky enough to go to the first game with some of my teammates, and we watched nearly every game together, talking tactics and moves we can try at training. It must’ve worked as we’ve made our grand final after a nail-biting penalty shootout! That’s us celebrating in the pic above!
Karen – The shootout against France was great sporting theatre as dramatic as it gets. But who does not love a spectacular goal? When my 6’3”, 17yo boy, a pretty handy left boot himself, leapt out of his seat cheering Sam Kerr’s wonderful strike to score against England, you knew this was us against the Poms. It being viewed as international sport not “women’s sport” says it all.
Shereen – The Matilda’s vs France game, especially the penalty shootout, was a night I’ll never forget. I was at a pub in Newtown with hundreds of others sitting on the edge of our seats and captivated by the heart-stopping, nail-biting play. What a win, go Tillies!