Guardian Australia has whittled down hundreds of reader nominations and tapped into our best sporting minds to compile this shortlist of 50 of the greatest Australian sporting moments.
This shortlist of 50 moments was whittled down from hundreds of reader nominations and compiled by a brains trust of Guardian Australia’s best sporting minds. The top 10 was revealed today, with Vine and Kerr's moments making the top 10 – with the final round of voting open until tomorrow night.
Cortnee Vine slots the winning penalty in the Matildas' epic Women's World Cup shootout against France
It was the penalty shootout that stopped the nation, Australia and France went goalless across 120 minutes and then produced the longest shootout in World Cup history as both teams took 10 attempts to decide the winner. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold was crucial to keeping the Matildas’ hopes alive, with three penalty saves, but it was substitute Cortnee Vine who stepped forward to become the hero with an assured sudden-death strike that fired the hosts into the semi-finals.
Sam Kerr scores a spectacular goal against England in the Women's World Cup semi-final
An injury had limited the involvement of the Matildas captain, Sam Kerr, at her home World Cup. Yet when she picked up the ball in the semi-finals at the halfway line and drove at the English defence, the nation held its breath in anticipation. The ensuing goal – looping into the net from long-range – levelled the scores and made the country believe they could win the whole thing. The goal would later go on to be nominated for Goal of the Tournament as well as earning Kerr a first-ever Puskas Award nomination.
