The Matildas have defeated the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in their World Cup opener on home soil at Stadium Australia after losing captain Sam Kerr to a calf injury.
Questions over Kerr's fitness will dominate Australia's Women's World Cup campaign after the Matildas showed how difficult life could be without their superstar skipper.
Stand-in captain Steph Catley scored her side's only goal with a second half penalty.
The injury will rule Kerr out of the Matildas' second group B game against Nigeria on July 27, with Football Australia saying she would be assessed before their final group match with Canada.
Coach Tony Gustavsson kept Kerr's injury in-house until shortly before the match and opted for Mary Fowler to fill the void up front.
But without their talismanic leader, Australia struggled for direction.
Caitlin Foord, who led the line in Kerr's absence, didn't come into the game until late in the first half when she began to drop deep.
Foord had an effort blocked and another rippled the side-netting but it felt like she was clutching at her chances.
Fowler shadowed Foord but the pair were unable to light the fuse and Ireland's deep-sitting back five snuffed out most of their openings with relative ease.
The Irish were willing to get stuck in with their captain Katie McCabe getting the better of Hayley Raso in a running battle down Australia's right.
Australia resorted to long-ball tactics and Ireland were too savvy to deal with it.
It was only when Raso was fouled in the Irish box in the 52nd minute and Catley whacked away a penalty that nerves settled.
Australia play Nigeria next week before a meeting with Canada on July 31 that will likely decide who tops the group.
Whether Kerr is there or not, will dominate headlines for the next 10 days.
Meanwhile, New Zealand achieved their first ever win in a men's or women's FIFA World Cup, defeating Norway 1-0 in Auckland.
The Football Ferns were stubborn in defence, never letting Norway settle into the contest.
Hannah Wilkinson scored five minutes after half-time when she finished off a cross from Jacqui Hand which came from the right touchline.
The massive crowd at Eden Park exploded when the ball hit the back of the net, and again when the full-time whistle blew.
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Look back at how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Thank you for joining us tonight as the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 officially kicked off!
And what an excellent result for host nations Australia and New Zealand.
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Well would you look at that.
History was made tonight with 75,784 people packing into Stadium Australia in Sydney's Olympic Park to watch the Matildas take on the Republic of Ireland.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in the crowd tonight with Sports Minister Anika Wells.
After the match, the pair congratulated the Matildas, with the PM getting a hug from captain Sam Kerr.
What an opening day.
More drama than your favourite TV show.
Need a quick catch-up? Here are the five key moments from the first matchday.
It was not a clean performance by the Matildas, but they got the win.
Coach Tony Gustavsson says he expects a better performance in Brisbane against Nigeria.
I think once you have the opening game over and you are kind of over that first one, I think all of a sudden some things, some nerves and other stuff is going to go away," he told Channel Seven.
"But this was a very unique game we had to handle completely different.
"Tactics will be different between this and the Nigeria match because they will be two completely different games.
"There were more mistakes today than we normally have."
The Matildas announced before their opener that Sam Kerr would be "unavailable for the next two matches" after injuring her calf during training yesterday.
The medical team will re-assess Kerr following the second group stage match.
Matildas star Ellie Carpenter says the fight Australia showed, especially in the final minutes against Ireland, was a promising sign.
Carpenter, who has played in many big games for club and country, told an interview with Channel Seven the opening-day win was important.
"I'm proud of the girls to come out with the three points," she said.
"We wanted to get that from the first game. It was important to get off to a good start and we are proud and fought all the way to the end and kept a clean sheet so credit to us."
Looks like things are well and truly popping off in Melbourne's Federation Square.
It was a long build-up to the opening match on home soil, Matildas captain Steph Catley says the pressure was clear in her team's opening performance.
"It's been a long build up to this game and there has obviously been a lot of anticipation, a lot of anxiety. That's natural," she told Channel Seven.
"I think you could see that in moments. We were nervy and probably didn't play as calmly as we normally do and Ireland were fantastic. They put us under pressure, played their corners really well and fair play to them.
"There were nervy moments we will look to clean up further in the tournament."
Steph Catley says losing Sam Kerr before kick-off was tough for the team.
She told Channel Seven the way kerr reacted to the disappointed was an inspiration for the Matildas.
"Heartbreak to be honest. It is one of the most difficult things you can go through as a team, one day out from the biggest tournament in our lives, probably the best player in the tournament going down," she said.
"Other teams are probably frothing, it is great for them.
"We got a lot of relief from the way she reacted and we put ourselves out there tonight and made sure we got the win for her."
Full-time! Here's a quick post-match analysis from ABC Sport journalist Samantha Lewis who is at Stadium Australia.
My single, overwhelming feeling is relief. Those final ten minutes were incredibly tense: Republic of Ireland were digging down into every inch of themselves to try and find an equaliser to Steph Catley's earlier penalty, and the Matildas were really scrambling to keep them at bay towards the end.
That was not the confident, choreographed, attacking football we've come to know the Matildas for in recent months. Did the sense of occasion get to them? Did the last-minute loss of their captain Sam Kerr cause them to panic? Did Ireland's uncompromising physicality throw them off their groove? Maybe all of the above?
In any case, a win is a win, and this was the game Australia needed to win. There has been an unfathomable amount of expectation on their shoulders, but the way they fought through all the outside noise is perhaps the greatest measure of how far they've come as a team. A fan has just flashed up on the screen with a sign saying: Built Tough. Indeed.
Next up is Nigeria: a game where they will almost certainly be missing Kerr once again, and therefore need a much clearer game-plan in terms of how they play without her. They've got a week to figure it out.
YEEEEEEEESSSSS!!!!!!!!!! - BlogLover
Given that we somehow managed to beat Ireland, can we just grab that public holiday from Albo now? - Yes?
Well done Matildas! Never a doubt…. - Mike
Wasn't pretty but a crucial first up win! - stumcin
Steph Catley's penalty is what separates the two sides.
Irishwoman Marissa Sheva is in tears. It was her foul which gave away the penalty.
Without that moment, Ireland probably walk away with a draw.
They were galant in defence.
Both sides were wasteful in attack, but that won't bother the Matildas right now.
They have got their campaign off with a win.
OH MY.
The Matildas gave away the ball and parted like the Red Sea.
Again, the Republic of Ireland could not make the final shot count.
Ireland are throwing everything at the women in gold.
They just cannot put that ball into the net.
The Irish have had seven shots in this contest, but none have been on target.
Australian defender Clare Hunt clatters into the back of Lucy Quinn.
The ref gives Ireland a freekick in a dangerous area.
And my goodness it was close. Megan Connolly fires, but it hit a Matilda for a corner.
And that corner was dangerous. Another Irish corner.
Ireland cannot convert. Australia holds on.
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