The Matildas have beaten France 7-6 in a dramatic sudden-death penalty shootout in Brisbane, with Mackenzie Arnold and Cortnee Vine the heroes. 

Australian keeper Arnold saved three French spot kicks — all while missing one of her own — in a 20-penalty spectacular that had all 49,461 fans in Brisbane Stadium on tenterhooks.

Australia's tenth-choice penalty taker Vine slotted the deciding kick to send the Matildas into the World Cup semifinals for the first time in their history.

Arnold saved from Selma Bacha first up then — after Caitlin Foord, Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler all scored — saved from Ève Périsset to give herself the chance to put Australia through.

She smashed her kick against the post though, extending an enthralling spot kick contest.

Katrina Gorry, Tameka Yallop and Ellie Carpenter all scored to match France.

Arnold then saved from Kenza Dali but VAR saw, correctly, that she was off her line and ordered a retake.

Dali had a second chance, but she could not take it and Arnold, after looking at the referee for confirmation, raised her arms.

Hunt was given responsibility for the winning penalty, but was denied by a stunning one-handed save by late substitute keeper Solène Durand, who also denied Steph Catley earlier in the shootout.

That left 19-year-old Vicki Bècho to go for France, with her spot kick slamming against the base of the post.

Up stepped Vine to slam the kick home and send an emotionally exhausted Brisbane Stadium into delirium.

In front of a TV audience of millions, the Matildas seemed weighed by the buzz of expectation that had built around the country in the opening exchanges of the match.

France fired the first warning shot inside the opening ten minutes, Kadidiatou Diani muscling past Alanna Kennedy — who appeared to pull back the Frenchwoman — before firing just wide across the face of goal.

France should have opened the scoring not long after that chance though, with Maëlle Lakrar somehow hitting the ball over from five-yards out and the goal at her mercy after Eugénie Le Sommer's shot flew into her path.

The Matildas looking nervy at the back and restricted going forward by some impressive French pressing in midfield, but were still able to cause some issues.

France continued to press, with Le Sommer allowed to run from nigh-on half way before firing a deflected shot towards goal that Arnold did well to palm away diving to her right.

Arnold again denied Lakrar as Australia struggled to clear their lines from a corner. 

But the longer the game remained at 0-0, the more Australia was able to build into the match, and the Matildas soon came to dominate themselves either side of half time. 

Australia's best chance came shortly before the break after more confusion at the back.

Hayley Raso raced to the byline to turn the ball into the box, causing confusion between keeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin and Sakina Karchaoui to allow Emily van Egmond to nip in and find Mary Fowler in the penalty area.

Fowler had the goal at her mercy, but centreback Élisa de Almeida flew back to turn the ball away for a corner off her thigh.

Australia had another chance soon after, with the excellent Fowler racing onto a Katrina Gorry through ball, but she was this time denied by a brave smother from Peyraud-Magnin.

That stop aside, the 31-year-old Juventus goalkeeper appeared to be France's main weak point, and in the second half almost gifted Fowler another glorious chance, passing a clearing ball straight to the young livewire, who twisted and turned and saw her shot deflected behind. 

With Australia on top, Tony Gustavsson opted to throw his ace into the game, introducing Sam Kerr in the 55th minute to a huge ovation.

Her impact was immediate, racing down the left before setting up Raso with a curling effort that Peyraud-Magnin palmed behind.

The Matildas continued to press and were shooting at will during a dominant period, with Fowler earning yet another excellent chance that she shot straight at Peyraud-Magnin on the hour mark as Australia dominated with 68 per cent possession in the opening 15 minutes of the second term.

However, once that furious flurry settled — France gradually regained their early control with a series of corners.

One of those led to Clare Hunt handling in the box, but Diani's shot was from point-blank range and the officiating team simply did not want to know of any France protests as regular time elapsed and extra time loomed.

The Matildas were looking increasingly leggy as the 90 minutes ran out, having used just 17 different players over the course of the tournament compared to France's 21, but both teams were cagey in the first period of extra time until the Matildas earned a huge slice of luck.