Matildas defeat Zambia in crazy 11-goal thriller to keep Olympic hopes alive

The victory keeps Australia's chances of progressing through the group in Paris alive, but they were given an almighty scare by Zambia.

Being 4-2 up at half-time and then 5-2 ahead in the second half, it looked for certain that world no.64 Zambia would pick up the greatest of upsets in Nice, however Australia would claim a crucial three points in the end following an opening game loss to Germany just days ago.

It was a crazy first half with six goals scored - including a hat-trick to Zambia's in-form captain Barbra Banda - and a goal inside 60 seconds. Alanna Kennedy and Hayley Raso kept the Matildas going with goals of their own.

Then in the second half, Zambia scored again - with Racheal Kundananji nabbing her second - before the Matildas mounted a comeback.

Heyman made an immediate impact off the substitute bench, doing the hard work in forcing an own goal from Zambia, before Matildas captain Steph Catley would score a double - a free kick and a penalty.

Then in the 90^th minute, Heyman showed just why she's the most in-form Australian striker right now with the winner to hand Tony Gustavsson's team a 6-5 victory.

Here's how the game unfolded...

Australia were shell-shocked inside the first 40 seconds of the match, when Zambia's in-form captain Banda embarrassed Mackenzie Arnold to score a sensational goal from a great distance.

At 1-0 down, the Matildas already looked rattled by a team 52 places below them in the world rankings, but it didn't take long for Gustavsson's team to strike back into action.

It was a set piece situation which led to the equaliser. The ball was whipped in by captain Catley onto the head of Kennedy - who was unmarked in the box - who scored to restore parity at 1-1. It was a rapid start to the match.

Shortly after, Clare Hunt should have put the Matildas in the lead with a point-blank chance after a great bit of work to set her up by Katrina Gorry, but she put her shot wide when it looked easier to score following the second phase after a dead ball situation.

But just when you thought the script was written, Zambia flipped it back in their favour to restore their lead midway through the first half via Kundananji, and Australia were behind for a second time

The attacking flyer burst through the Matildas midfield and defence, and placed a left-footed shot right into the bottom corner and out of reach of Arnold to see Zambia go 2-1 up.

The Matildas simply had no answer for the opposition's strikers Kundananji and Banda.

Banda struck a third goal for the Zambians in the 33^rd minute to make it 3-1 to put them in the box seat for a first win on the Olympic stage.

Arnold came to punch from a free kick, but didn't clear her lines at all, and Banda made no mistake to finish from just inside the penalty area with an empty net.

But straight away, Australia had their second when Raso got on the end of a Kyra Cooney-Cross corner to cut the deficit back to 3-2.

There was nowhere to hide for the Matildas, with set pieces being their undoing once more as we have already seen so often this tournament. Banda scored her third after Australia failed to clear their lines in first half stoppage time.

Six goals in the first half and Zambia were looking on track for not only one of the great Olympic upsets, but one of the biggest upsets in the history of female football.

Mary Fowler looked to start the Matildas off to a flyer in the second half, with a cross-turned-shot from the touchline hitting the crossbar just after the restart.

But another set piece was Australia's undoing, and Zambia remarkably went 5-2 up with thanks to a header from a free kick from Kundananji for her double.

This goal was the catalyst for a number of substitutions for Australia - including Michelle Heyman - and it made an immediate impact, with the Matildas scoring via an own goal and making the score 5-3. Heyman was the last Australian player to touch the ball, however a shanked clearance from the defender into the Zambia goalkeeper Nhambo Musole would be the final touch.

It seemed as soon as Zambia would score, so would the Matildas in a game where defending was non-existent.

Caitlin Foord looked to have scored a fourth for Australia to bring them right back into the contest, but VAR ruled that Heyman fouled the goalkeeper Musole in the lead up and the goal was denied.

Matildas captain Catley scored via a free kick and put Australia right back into the game at 5-4. It was a horrific error from Musole, with the ball simply slipping through her fingers.

With 25 minutes to go, there was no way of knowing which way this game would go.

Australia would be given a golden chance to draw level after VAR adjudged that Foord was fouled inside the box, with Catley stepping up to score and bring the game level at the remarkable score line of 5-5. With over 10 minutes to go, Australia looked to go on and win it.

With the game going into stoppage time, it was Heyman's time to shine. She placed a right-footed shot into the bottom corner to secure a famous win for the Matildas, 6-5.

The victory means the Matildas was crucial to their chances of progressing from the group, whether that is via automatic qualification or from third spot.

The Matildas' final group game will be perhaps their toughest test, up against the USA on Thursday, August 1 at 3am (AEST).