Patience is something Mary Fowler spoke about often during her lengthy ACL rehabilitation and it certainly seems to have paid off.
Fowler was one of five changes Matildas coach Joe Montemurro made to his starting line-up for their 4-0 blitz against Iran in tricky conditions at Cbus Stadium on Thursday night and she hardly put a boot wrong.
Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
Players had more than just rain to contend with.
As their team bus pulled into the Gold Coast stadium dozens of Iranians were staging a protest, holding up banners, Israeli, Australian and pre-revolution Iran flags.
They chanted “thank you Trump”, “Pahlavi will return” and “freedom for Iran”.
While the Iranian women’s team had bravely withheld from singing the anthem prior to their first game of the tournament they didn’t make the same gesture on Thursday night – saluting and singing – as fans booed and made thumbs down gestures from the grandstand.
The Matildas treated it as background noise, focused on the task at hand – collecting another three points in front of 22,398.
Which was vital given South Korea had beaten the Philippines 3-0 just hours earlier, with the Koreans still top of the group heading into Sunday night’s showdown in Sydney.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia’s Matildas vs Iran at Women’s Asian Cup stats and more
Montemurro had the perfect blend of experience and youth in his starting side, adding Alanna Kennedy, Fowler, Courtney Nevin, Charlize Rule and Amy Sayer to the line-up. All played a role in the reinvigorated team. Kennedy scored a brace, Sayer the first goal.
Fowler’s performance can’t be overlooked, especially given it was her first start for the national team since her ACL injury in April last year.
And while previous coaches have been perplexed at how to get the best out of the generational talent, Montemurro is not.
He has said from the start he knew exactly how he planned to use Fowler.
She was such a key part of his plan for this tournament he was prepared to name her even if she wasn’t fully match fit.
Fowler was given limited minutes in the Matildas’ opening Asian Cup match, her first game back in the green and gold.
Montemurro assured everyone Fowler was fine, it was just a matter of giving her time to settle back in and adapt to the new style of play.
Fowler proved that was something she possibly didn’t really need.
She seemed the most comfortable she has for a long time during her 60-minute stint.
Fowler was darting up and down the wing. It took her just 27 minutes to get her first goal.
It wasn’t her greatest shot ever, cleaning up a ball missed by Sam Kerr on the back post and knocking it into the net. But the relief on her face at having ticked that box was obvious.
Then just moments later Fowler played in a spectacular cross that led to the third goal of the first half – scored by Kennedy.
All up Fowler made 28 passes, one goal, two shots and three successful crosses. In the same time frame Caitlin Foord, playing on the opposite wing, managed 28 passes, one off target shot and one cross.
Montemurro had said previously Fowler could have been back playing as early as Christmas. Instead her return was delayed until just weeks out from the tournament starting.
Iran played as expected, a low blocking team with many unnecessary stoppages that made it hard for the Matildas to create much in the second half.
Hayley Raso ended the game with fears of a concussion seeing her subbed out in the final minutes.
Australia XI: Chloe Lincoln (GK), Courtney Nevin, Clare Hunt, Ellie Carpenter, Alanna Kennedy, Charlie Rule, Emily van Egmond, Amy Sayer, Mary Fowler, Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord
Discussion about this post