The Australian Stingers have locked in a gold or silver medal after producing one of the great upsets in Olympic history.
Up against the powerhouse US team (the three-time defending women’s water polo champions), the Aussies came from behind to force a penalty shootout and emerge victorious at La Defense Arena.
There were tense scenes in the dramatic final stages, but Stingers goalkeeper Gabi Palm handled the pressure with a clutch save that handed Australia a stunning 6-5 victory.
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Scores were tied 8-8 in regulation time and Palm became the hero after saving the shot from Maddie Musselman in the sudden-death period.
“That was the moment Australia will not forget get,” a stunned commentary team said.
“Gabriella Palm can hardly believe it herself.”
Eddie McGuire said it was an “amazing result” and a “comeback for the ages”.
“We stand up and salute the Australian Stingers. Yes,” McGuire said.
Captain Zoe Arancini’s side turned the tables on the world champs who outplayed them in a three-match series in April.
The final result was a nail-biting 14-13 triumph after the shootout.
The famous win means they’re the first Australian women’s side to reach the final since the class of 2000 won the inaugural event in Sydney.
And they’re guaranteed their first medal since winning bronze in 2012.
In the final, they’ll meet Spain, who beat the Netherlands 19-18, also winning a penalty shootout after the sides had been locked 14-all in high-scoring regulation.
After the match there were emotional, tearful scenes as the Stingers celebrated the triumph wildly in front of a packed 15,000-strong arena.
The Australians were on the back foot quickly when Musselman put the Americans ahead from a penalty after an Arancini foul, before Palm made a fine save to keep out another penalty from Jenna Flynn a minute later.
Flynn made amends to give the US a 2-0 lead with the American keeper Ashleigh Johnson pulling off early heroics, only to get beaten by Charlize Andrews’ critical strike for the Aussies nine seconds before the end of the period.
A Musselman second-period goal was immediately answered by a terrific shot by Arancini, but the Americans then took a stranglehold, with Jovanna Sekulic and a killer breakaway goal from teenager Emily Mary Ausmus seven seconds before halftime giving them a 5-2 advantage.
It looked grim until Abby Andrews turned the game on its head with an amazing third period as she scored four times for the Stingers with her left-handed rockets. A game that had looked easy meat for the champions suddenly looked precarious as they went into the final period just 7-6 up.
The Americans stretched their lead but Bronte Halligan, daughter of Kiwi NRL legend Daryl Halligan, came up big with two goals to make it 8-8 with three minutes left.
The Americans twice came close to winning it but after the near-misses amid a feverish atmosphere, it came down to penalties.
– With AAP