Uncapped youngster Mary Fowler has been added to the Westfield Matildas’ 2018 Tournament of Nations squad.
Fowler, 15, recently starred at the 2018 AFF Women’s Championship in Indonesia, scoring an impressive ten goals in six matches.
READ: ‘She has the rarest ability in Australian football’
SQUAD: Westfield Matildas squad named for Tournament of Nations defence
Fowler netted a brace in Australia’s first match of the tournament against Malaysia, and added to her tally with a further strike against Timor-Leste in Australia’s second game.
The Bankstown City Lions player scored a stunning five goals against Cambodia in Australia’s third fixture, before rounding out her personal tally in the tournament with a double in the 2018 AFF Women’s Championship Final – a match the Westfield Young Matildas narrowly lost to Thailand’s senior women’s side (3-2).
“Mary (Fowler) has been brought in because Caitlin (Foord) won’t be able to contribute in terms of game time,” Stajcic said.
“With Caitlin [who has been recovering from an injury sustained in the Westfield W-League 2018 Finals Series], it will be a great to reintegrate her into the squad, but there’s also an opportunity to give another player an opportunity to come in.
“Over the last six or seven months we’ve been tracking Mary and she’s shown the ability to find the back of the net. Both with her left and right foot, in and around the penalty box, Mary’s ability to find space in tight areas is the best I’ve seen for a young player her age.
“The tournament will be a great opportunity for her to have a taste of what the next level is like,” concluded Stajcic.
The Westfield Matildas will assemble in Kansas on Monday, 23 July 2018 and will open their campaign against Brazil on Thursday, 26 July (local time) at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City.
The team will then travel to East Hartford, Connecticut to tackle the United States at Pratt & Whitney Stadium on Sunday, 29 July (local time), before rounding out their campaign against Japan at Toyota Park in Illinois on Thursday, 2 August (local time).
All three of the Westfield Matildas’ matches at the 2018 Tournament of Nations will be broadcast LIVE and EXCLUSIVE in Australia on FOX SPORTS.
U.S. Soccer plans to host the Tournament of Nations every summer during years that do not feature a FIFA Women’s World Cup or Olympic Games, meaning the next edition would be staged in 2021.
The draw for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held on Saturday, 8 December 2018 (local time) at Boulogne-Billancourt in France.
Westfield Matildas 21-player squad for the 2018 Tournament of Nations
Name |
Current Club, Country |
A-International Caps (Goals) |
Mackenzie ARNOLD (Gk) |
Arna-Bjørnar Fotball, Norway |
19 (0) |
Tameka BUTT |
Klepp IL, Norway |
68 (9) |
Ellie CARPENTER |
Portland Thorns, USA |
21 (1) |
Steph CATLEY |
Seattle Reign, USA |
67 (2) |
Alex CHIDIAC |
Atletico Madrid, Spain |
10 (1) |
Larissa CRUMMER |
Unattached |
20 (4) |
Lisa DE VANNA |
South Melbourne FC, Australia |
137 (45) |
Caitlin FOORD |
Portland Thorns, USA |
60 (11) |
Mary FOWLER |
Bankstown City FC, Australia |
0 (0) |
Emily GIELNIK |
Brisbane Roar FC, Australia |
18 (4) |
Katrina GORRY |
Utah Royals, USA |
68 (14) |
Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT |
Hammarby IF, Sweden |
95 (1) |
Alanna KENNEDY |
Orlando Pride, USA |
69 (5) |
Samantha KERR |
Chicago Red Stars, USA |
67 (24) |
Chloe LOGARZO |
Blacktown Spartans FC, Australia |
30 (4) |
Clare POLKINGHORNE |
Houston Dash, USA |
105 (8) |
Hayley RASO |
Portland Thorns, USA |
25 (2) |
Amy SAYER |
North Shore Mariners FC, Australia |
0 (0) |
Kyah SIMON |
Houston Dash FC, USA |
83 (22) |
Emily VAN EGMOND |
Orlando Pride, USA |
75 (15) |
Lydia WILLIAMS (Gk) |
Seattle Reign FC, USA |
69 (0) |
2018 Tournament of Nations – Westfield Matildas Match Schedule
Brazil v Westfield Matildas
Date: Thursday, 26 July 2018 (local)
Venue: Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
Kick-off: 3.15pm (local) (6.15am AEST – Friday, 27 July 2018)
Broadcast: LIVE in Australia on FOX SPORTS
USA v Westfield Matildas
Date: Sunday, 29 July 2018 (local)
Venue: Pratt & Whitney Stadium, East Hartford, Connecticut
Kick-off: 7pm (local) (9am AEST – Monday, 30 July 2018)
Broadcast: LIVE in Australia on FOX SPORTS
Westfield Matildas v Japan
Date: Thursday, 2 August 2018 (local)
Venue: Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois
Kick-off: 4.45pm (local) (7.45am AEST – Friday, 3 August 2018)
Broadcast: LIVE in Australia on FOX SPORTS