Sam Kerr stars as the Matildas beat Great Britain to make their first ever Olympics semi final 

The Matildas have booked a place in the Olympics semi-finals after a pulsating 4-3 comeback win over Great Britain.

Trailing 3-2 late in the second half, superstar striker Sam Kerr equalised in the 89th minute to send the contest into extra time.

Young gun Mary Fowler then found the back of the net with a deflected effort, before Kerr iced the game with a clinical header. 

Great Britain striker Ellen White finished with a hat-trick, but it wasn’t enough as the Matildas moved through to the semi-finals, where they will face Sweden. 

Goalkeeper Teagan Micah had the game of her life, producing a clinical save from the penalty spot to deny Caroline Weir in extra time.

Alanna Kennedy opened the scoring in the first half following a bullet header from a pinpoint Steph Catley corner. 

Speaking moments after the final whistle, captain Kerr paid tribute to her teammates.

‘I actually can’t explain how proud I am to be part of this team and to lead this team out,’ she said.

‘Every day they surprise me. We’ve been through so much as a team. I haven’t seen some of these girls for nearly two years and we come out here and beat teams who have played together for so long.

‘I’m so proud of everyone. It is a team effort.’

Kerr went on thank the legion of fans back home for their unwavering support.

‘We feel the love from home. We are doing everything to make you guys proud. I hope you guys felt it today and we feel your love from afar. Let’s go the mighty Aussies.’

Before tonight’s triumph, the Matildas have twice reached the quarter-final stage at the Olympics, in Athens 2004 and Rio 2016.

They were defeated on both occasions: 2-1 to Sweden in Athens, and then 7-6 to hosts Brazil five years ago on penalties.