A dramatic 95th minute headed winner from Italy's Barbara Bonansea clinched a 2-1 FIFA Women's World Cup Finals win over Australia on June 9 in front of 15,380 fans at the Stade du Hainaut in Valenciennes. A match frequently punctuated by the whistle-happy tune of Honduras referee Melissa Borjas saw the Matildas threaten early, with Sam Kerr heading Steph Catley's delicious whipped cross narrowly over the bar in the third minute. Italy's response saw Ilaria Mauro draw a smothered save from Lydia Williams before Manuela Giugliano sent Bonansea dashing through from half-way through the Matildas' offside trap. The striker was clipped by the retreating figure of Catley as she got to the edge of the penalty area, but retained her balance enough to squeeze the ball under the approaching figure of Williams and open the scoring … But Italian celebrations were cut short by a raised flag - offside. Cue the Video Assistant Referee, which took what seemed an eternity to confirm the accuracy of the decision, the footage showing that Bonansea's outstretched left arm, at the start of her run, was all that stood between her and the opening goal. A highly controversial call, to put it mildly. Australia heeded the warning, and after Alice Guagni had lashed a twenty-five yarder past Williams' right-hand post, the Matildas took charge of proceedings. Catley's nineteenth minute free-kick was cleared to Van Egmond, who drilled the ball back into the danger zone, where Caitlin Foord flicked it on, only for Hayley Raso to just fail to direct the ball on target. Their next attack proved more fruitful, as Italian captain Sara Gama felled her Matildas counterpart in the penalty area. Referee Borjas didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot, so after picking herself up and dusting herself down, the spotlight fell on Kerr. She fired the spot-kick goalwards, only for Laura Guiliani to plunge to her right and save it. But the ball rebounded to the prolific markswoman, who made no mistake with the reprieve - 1-0 Australia half-way through the first half. And they kept on coming. Ellie Carpenter's driving run from deep was supported by Kerr's corresponding off-the-ball run into the penalty area. The fullback supplied her captain with the ball, but Gama blocked her cross, with Foord and Chloe Logarzo  lurking behind her poised to double the Matildas' lead. The corner which resulted saw Catley pick out Van Egmond, who hit the crossbar with a twenty-five yard chip - a real let-off for the Italians, who may well not have recovered had they conceded a second goal at this stage of the game. Instead, they came back into the contest, Bonansea and Valentina Cernoia combining on the half-hour to present a volleyed chance to Cristiana Girelli. Her stabbed effort struck Williams flush in the face at close quarters, and the 'keeper needed treatment before continuing. Six minutes later, Giugliano and Aurora Galli combined neatly, but the resulting pass, intended for Bonansea, was cut out by Carpenter, who was involved in the Matildas' counter-attack seconds later, released down the right by Foord on receipt of Van Egmond's pass. The fullback played the ball on further for Raso, whose cross picked out Logarzo. Her header was turned away by Giuliani low to her left, while another header from the attacking midfielder, on receipt of a Carpenter cross on the stroke of half-time, flew over the crossbar. The Matildas were first to threaten in the second spell, with Giuliani denying Foord following a Van Egmond-inspired build-up down the right in which Carpenter also featured.

But a horrible error by veteran defender Clare Polkinghorne in the 56th minute gifted the Italians an equaliser. Bonansea swooping on the blunder before easing past Alanna Kennedy, only to slip on shooting. But her effort passed through the legs of the retreating figure of Van Egmond and rolled past the diving figure of Williams into the net by the far post - 1-1. Australia responded by introducing the talented but temperamental Lisa De Vanna to the fray, and she instantly got stuck into the action, linking with Foord two minutes after coming on. The latter's low cross was fumbled by Giuliani, who was helped out by a covering defender on this occasion. Cue a spell of tremendous Italian pressure, with Australia forced to scramble a low cross from Bonansea to safety before surviving penalty appeals arising from the resulting corner striking De Vanna on the arm. The Matildas responded with a slick counter-attack, only for Kerr to spurn a glorious chance when lifting Raso's cross over the bar from six yards. The offside flag - such a prominent feature in this at times tempestuous affair - spared her blushes. The stop-start nature of the contest wasn't aided by a string of substitutions over the course of the next ten minutes or so, but it all added to the drama of a grandstand finish, which you just knew was going to have a climax which would be glorious for some, heartbreaking for others. Italy weren't aiding their cause by falling into the Matildas' offside trap almost every time they pressed for goal. They avoided it in the 79th minute, however, with Bonansea and Cernoia combining to play in Girelli. Her low cross ricocheted goalwards off Kennedy, only for Williams to prevent the own goal. Two minutes later, the Italians thought they had won it after Cernoia picked out substitute Daniela Sabatino. She shot past Williams, only to see her effort hit the post. But the newcomer reacted quickly to rifle home the rebound from a tight angle, only to have her celebrations cut short by a by now familiar sight - a raised offside flag … Back came Australia, De Vanna heading a Kerr cross past the near post before a shot by the latter, on receipt of a pass from substitute Katrina Gorry, was blocked to safety by Gama, who had a solid game given her early booking. Giuliani then punched a Van Egmond free-kick clear, followed soon after by a cross from Polkinghorne as the Matildas piled on the pressure in search of a late winner. But the Italians hadn't given up on being the team to claim all three points from this match, and in the fifth minute of stoppage time, they got their wish. Cernoia delivered a corner deep to the far post, for which Williams initially came then hesitated upon seeing the ball's flight was going beyond the heart of the goalmouth. Indeed, it arced beyond most players, but not Bonansea, who rose to direct a downward header below the scrambling goalkeeper and between Polkinghorne and the post to the undisguised delight of her Italian team-mates. Australia were stunned. But there was still time for them to mount one last attack, from which they earned a corner. This was hoofed clear, and the final sound of the far-too-often-heard whistle of referee Borjas was the signal for Italian jubilation and Australian devastation, with Matildas players pondering upon what might have been as their opponents celebrated wildly in front of them. Australia:     Williams; Carpenter, Polkinghorne, Kennedy, Catley; Yallop (Kellond-Knight, 83), Van Egmond, Logarzo (De Vanna, 60 (booked, 76)); Raso (Gorry, 69), Kerr, Foord Italy:          Giuliani; Bergamaschi (Giacinti, 77), Gama (booked, 21), Linari, Guagni; Galli (Bartoli, 46), Giugliano, Cernoia (booked, 69); Mauro (Sabatino, 58), Girelli (booked, 63), Bonansea Referee:     Melissa Borjas (Honduras)