If John Aloisi’s penalty kick for the Socceroos in 2005 sent a nation into rapture, Sam Kerr’s World Cup spot kick on Sunday at Nice turned millions of Australian stomachs.

Even though the shootout was just kicking off, it felt like the moment the Matidas’ tournament ended after a 1-1 extra-time tussle with Norway.

Kerr looked prepared and focused as she stepped up to the kick, aiming to cancel out Caroline Graham Hansen’s opener.

However, she speared her effort wide, immediately spinning and retreating from the contest.

“What can you do?” the captain said afterwards.

“I’ve been trusted to take it, and I was confident in taking it, and I just skewed it.

The girls have already gotten around me. I feel like I let the team down, but they’ve been quick to cut that out.

“I’ll grow from this and become a stronger person mentally.”

Tweet from @OptusSport

The burial rites were issued five penalties later as Australia slumped to a 4-1 shootout loss to Norway.

Emily Gielnik had Australia’s second penalty effort saved by Ingrid Hjelmsed, a 39-year-old shot stopper who performed admirably for Norway.

The penalty shootout exit comes after the Matildas lost to Brazil in similar fashion at the 2016 Olympics.

Sam Kerr’s shot flies wide in the penalty shootout against Norway. Photo: Getty 

Then, it was Alanna Kennedy to suffer the heartbreak of missing the key penalty.

On Sunday morning, Kennedy’s dismissal in extra time halted the Matildas’ momentum – in fact they were lucky to even get to the shootout.

The defender whacked the refereeing standards while telling Optus Sport of her devastation, saying “to be out so early with such a good team, we’re all just upset and heartbroken”.

“I’m not surprised (by the red card). The refereeing has been questionable the whole tournament,” she said.

“There needs to be more clarity for everyone. It’s the way it goes, you have to play the whistle.”

Kerr said she didn’t want to blame the referee, instead looking inward.

“Any time you don’t win the World Cup, you’ve underachieved. We’re obviously really, really disappointed and feel like we’ve let ourselves down,” she said.

“We felt really confident in our team … always stuck together and it sucks to go out on a penalty shootout.”

She reached out to the many Matildas fans, old and new, travelling and at home, to thank them for their support.

“We feel so lucky that we have so many fans that want to follow us around the world,” she said.

“To everyone at home who has been getting up early and watching us, sending messages through, it’s been unreal.

“Hopefully, although we lost tonight, we did you proud.”

-with AAP