Australia, the top qualifiers after winning all three group games, appeared set to exit the tournament before the medal games after last-placed China led 14-13 with just 58 seconds left in regulation time.

A Holly Lincoln-Smith backhand flick saved the Stingers, forcing extra time.

After an additional three minutes each way, scores were again locked at 16-all, so a penalty shoot-out was required to break the deadlock.

Australia again appeared doomed when Rowie Webster missed with the first penalty of the tie-breaker.

But Australian goalkeeper Alicia McCormack performed some heroics, making two saves, and Rippon nailed home Australia’s fifth penalty to clinch a heart-stopping victory.

Appearing in her 307th international game and last Olympic campaign, Rippon also scored a crucial goal in extra time and said afterwards she never doubted that the Stingers would find a way to win.

‘‘I’d like to win the other games by a little but more than that, so it doesn’t age me so much,’’ Rippon said with a beaming smile.

‘‘I don’t let myself think like that [about losing].‘‘I back my teammates in 100 per cent.’’

Rippon had to step up to the penalty spot because three of Australia’s players, including skipper Kate Gynther, were sidelined because of exclusions.

‘‘Penalties are not my forte,’’ Rippon said.

‘‘But we’ve been working on that and preparing for every situation.

‘‘For me, I was probably the most comfortable I’ve ever been taking a penalty, and it was all because of the work we’ve been putting in for every scenario.’’

Asked if the win gave Australia the belief they would go on to win the gold medal, Rippon replied: ‘‘Absolutely. This team definitely is here to try to win gold.’’

Rippon heaped praise on McCormack, who showed nerves of steel under intense pressure.

‘‘We just know that she’s a fantastic goalie and she steps up whenever we need her,’’ Rippon said.

McCormack said she enjoyed the excitement of a penalty shoot-out and did not feel nervous.

‘‘I was just begging for him [coach Greg McFadden] to put me in there today,’’ McCormack said.

‘‘I study the shooters all the time.‘‘For me it’s an anticipation thing . . . I don’t get nervous with penalties.

‘‘I’ve been nervous all morning. Quarter-final day is horrible.

‘‘You’re either into the play-offs or you’re out with nothing, so this day is worse than any other day, I reckon.

‘‘But once the penalties came around, I just get excited.’’

McFadden said his players had ‘‘hearts like Phar Lap’’.

‘‘The girls just hung in there, done it tough, and came through,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ve been practising penalty shoot-outs since September.

‘‘Three of the girls who had to take them weren’t in our list to take them.

‘‘And they stepped up ... even in extra time we were just defending, defending, defending.

‘‘The girls were just fantastic.’’

The win kept Australia unbeaten after four games.

They will play the winner of the quarter-final between the United States and Italy in the semi.