Ellen White scores stunning hat-trick but Great Britain crash out of Olympics women’s football with defeat to Australia

Ellen White’s hat-trick wasn’t enough to see Great Britain through to the semi-finals of the Olympics women’s football as they crashed out of the tournament with a 4-3 defeat to Australia.

After Alanna Kennedy gave the Aussies the lead, GB hit back thanks to two quickfire White strikes. The quarter-final went to extra-time as Sam Kerr equalised in the dying minutes.

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GB were moments away from the semis

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But Australia had other ideas

Hege Riise’s side were then given a penalty in the early moments of extra-time but Caroline Weir’s effort was well saved by Teagan Micah.

That knocked the stuffing out of GB as Australia raced to a 4-2 lead thanks to goals from Mary Fowler and Kerr.

White completed her hat-trick in the second half of extra-time with a well-taken header but GB’s Olympic dreams were shattered as they failed to find the equaliser.

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White can hold her head up high, scoring six goals at these Olympics

Great Britain started well and Keira Walsh crashed a shot against the post with Teagan Micah beaten but, against the run of play, Australia took the lead after 35 minutes.

Demi Stokes conceded a corner and when Arsenal’s Stephanie Catley whipped the ball in Alanna Kennedy beat Leah Williamson to head in from six yards.

But White was again Team GB’s hero when she levelled after 57 minutes.

The Manchester City striker latched on to Lauren Hemp’s cross and glanced a fine header across Micah from eight yards.

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White has been deadly in front of goal throughout the tournament

Australia nearly regained the lead three minutes later when Steph Houghton turned the ball onto her own bar from close range.

But GB went ahead when Australia failed to clear a throw-in and White reacted quickest in the box, firing first-time into the corner despite Micah getting a touch.

Hemp almost added a third with an audacious long-range lob which had Micah scrambling, but it floated just wide.

Instead, in the 89th minute GB hesitated fatally when the ball dropped to Kerr in the area. Nobody closed down the Chelsea forward, who had all the time in the world to steady herself before firing past Ellie Roebuck from 12 yards.

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Chelsea star Kerr ensured there would be another 30 minutes to play

In extra-time Micah did well to tip Walsh’s deflected drive over the crossbar, and from the corner pushed White’s close-range effort wide.

GB were gifted the chance to take the lead again nine minutes into extra-time when Nikita Parris fell under a challenge from her former Lyon team-mate Ellie Carpenter.

Weir stepped up to take the penalty but Micah saved her weak effort, diving to her left.

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Great Britain conceded twice shortly after squandering the chance to go 3-2 up

Moments later GB were stunned when Australia went ahead, a long-range shot from Fowler taking a deflection off Lucy Bronze and flying into the top corner.

Kerr made it 4-2 inside the first minute of the second half, rising above Houghton to head in off the underside of the crossbar.

White pulled one back with another header for her sixth goal of the Games with five minutes remaining, but they could not force an equaliser.