Weekend Watch List: Matildas create history at World Cup, Sri Lankan snake story, Ronaldo’s bittersweet night and Magnus Carlsen’s antics

Our selection of the best clips from the world of sport from the week gone by, featuring notable incidents from the cricket field, tennis tracks and football stadiums around the world.

(Clockwise from left): Crowd celebrates Australian Women's team's penalty shootout win; Cristiano Ronaldo leaves on a golf cart after getting injured; Magnus Carlsen talks with R Praggnanandhaa; a snake enters the field during a Lankan Premier League match. (Twitter)

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The Australian women’s team also nicknamed the Matildas, created history on Saturday when they reached the semifinals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time ever after defeating France in a marathon penalty shootout.

The shootout, the longest in World Cup history, saw Australia’s Cortnee Vine calmly converting her side’s 10th penalty to give them a 7-6 win in the shootout after the quarterfinal match finished 0-0 after regulation and extra time.

The celebration after the win eclipsed the field and spread all across the country which saw fans hooked by the drama. Clips went viral on social media showing fans catching the action by the hundreds at public screenings in Australia.

Some of these stadium scenes from around the country when #Matildas won: MCG (Thread) #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/kdo7kbaIs4

— Tyson Whelan (@tyson_whelan) August 12, 2023

There was also a clip showed a row of passengers on a flight tuning into the shootout action on the tiny screens in front of their seats and they erupted in joy as soon as the Australians wrapped up the win.

That moment for women’s sport ❤️⚽️👑🦘 pic.twitter.com/vCgv9m4vxM

— Jacqueline Felgate (@Jacquifelgate) August 12, 2023

Sri Lankan snake spooks

Now, we turn our attention to the Lankan Premier League, where in a match between B-Love Kandy and Jaffna Kings, a snake got into the field. Sri Lankan player Isuru Udana was fielding when the snake slithered past him. The player got startled and then walked away and even sat down on his hunches a few feet away from it as the reptile continued on its merry way.

Earlier, the camera had also caught a snake which was seen slithering behind the LED boards near the boundary ropes.

Snake in LPL…!!!!

A lucky escape for Udana. pic.twitter.com/R3Gg2yxVkh

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 13, 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo’s bittersweet night

Cristiano Ronaldo was left in tears while being taken off due to an injury suffered during the Arab Club Champions Cup 2023 final between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. Ronaldo, who scored a brace to help Al-Nassr beat Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s Al Hilal, suffered an injury and was stretchered off during the second half of extra time and had to be carried off on a golf cart.

Cristiano Ronaldo left the pitch injured. pic.twitter.com/zWFY6To4wp

— Mikael Madridista (@MikaelMadridsta) August 12, 2023

Talisca’s antics ‘flagged’

Sticking to the Arab Club Champions Cup 2023 final, a brawl erupted between Al Nassr and Al Hilal players after Anderson Talsica tried to plant a flag on the field after his team’s victory. The Brazilian ran into the field with Al Nassr’s yellow-and-blue coloured flag and was on his way to plant it in the centre of the field but he was stopped by an Al Hilal player.

Al Hilal players tried to stop Talisca from setting an Al-Nassr flag in the middle of the pitch after conquering the Arab Champions Cup 🏳️ pic.twitter.com/g1JiyNuWYL

— MARCA in English (@MARCAinENGLISH) August 12, 2023

The situation escalated when both players engaged in a tug of war with the flag before the other members of both teams got involved and the situation turned messy.

Magnus Carlsen’s moments during the FIDE World Cup

In the middle of his own tiebreaker with Vincent Keymer, Magnus Carlsen walked up to Indian GM R Praggnanandhaa to congratulate him for beating Hikaru Nakamura and qualifying for the last 16 of the FIDE World Cup.

Magnus Carlsen congratulates 18-year-old Indian sensation Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa for knocking out Hikaru Nakamura. pic.twitter.com/LCMG95S77K

— Olimpiu Di Luppi (@olimpiuurcan) August 11, 2023

Earlier in Game 1, Carlsen showed up for match against Vincent Keymer with just three seconds left.

Alcaraz tweener receives standing ovation

All the angles of one of the SHOTS OF THE YEAR?! 😍@carlosalcaraz #NBO23 pic.twitter.com/ifPsXiKjIR

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 12, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz pulled off one of the shots of the year against Tommy Paul in the Canada Open. In the match, Paul hit a lob that the Wimbledon champions chased down before pulling off an outstanding shot from between his legs much to the delight of the crowd.