Record penalty shoot-outs and football fever hits Australia - what you missed in World Cup quarter-finals
Just four sides remain in the search forWomen's World Cup glory Down Under.
Australia and England joined Spain and Sweden in the semi-finals with victories over France and Colombia on Saturday.
The Lionesses followed the blueprint set out by the first two quarter-finals, winning their match 2-1, but it was more complicated for the co-hosts, who needed penalties to edge past Les Bleues.
Both games packed in plenty of action, so here’s what you might have missed.
Global game
Football has always been the global game, but the 2023 Women’s World Cup is proving that in spades.
This year’s edition is the first to involve 32 teams, meaning World Cup debuts for the likes of Ireland, Vietnam and Philippines.
Nations such as Morocco, Colombia and Jamaica all reached the knockout stages to signal that perhaps the centres of power in women’s football are shifting.
If any stat underlines the rapid spread of the women’s game across the world, it is the diversity of England’s opponents Down Under.
A semi-final encounter against Australia means the Lionesses will face a nation from every single continent during their campaign.
England took on China, Haiti and Denmark in the group stage, covering Asia, North America and Europe, while knockout victories over Nigeria and Colombia mean they have also faced opponents from Africa and South America.
And a semi-final clash with Australia means they will also face a side from Oceania; if England are to lift the trophy, they will have truly taken on the world.
Penalty shoot-out records
If the penalty shoot-out between Australia and France felt like it went on forever, it would be with good reason.
The 20 spot kicks that were required to split the two sides broke a new record for the longest penalty shoot-out
Read on football.london
