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Posted: 2023-07-20 19:31:06

This was not supposed to be Steph Catley's night. 

She had been practising penalty kicks during the Matildas' pre-tournament camp over the past few weeks, but she never thought, deep down, that she would have to actually take one. 

Especially not now. In front of 75,000 people. In the opening game of her home Women's World Cup. At the venue that will host the final. With the scores still locked at 0-0.

But here she was, placing the ball neatly into the grass of Stadium Australia, trying not to look up at the 120m video screen off to the right that beamed her face across the entire footballing world.

A soccer player wearing yellow and green shoots the ball at a goalkeeper during a game

Catley stepped into the void left by the injured Sam Kerr, scoring the game's winning goal against Republic of Ireland. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)

It was an odd image given the player that many expected should have been there instead.

This was, for so many reasons, meant to be Sam Kerr's night. Sam Kerr's game. Sam Kerr's moment. She was the player whose goal celebration features in her very own Nike ad. She was the player whose face has been splashed across newspapers and websites previewing the tournament. She was the player whose name has been hot-pressed onto the backs of thousands of yellow jerseys pouring into the stands to watch her live up to the occasion that had been gradually swelling around her.

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