After a disastrous Olympics campaign with the Matildas, Mary Fowler has finally showcased her skills in Paris with a superb performance in the Women’s Champions League.
The 21-year-old Aussie’s Manchester City side brushed off the unexpected absence of one of their star players to demolish Paris FC 5-0 in the French capital on Wednesday night.
Fowler got in on the goal bonanza herself shortly after halftime, slotting the ball home following a shocking goalkeeping error handed her a golden opportunity to find the back of the net.
Her goal in the easy first-leg win in second-round qualifying will almost certainly mean she and City get to play in the main stage of the WCL, as next week’s second leg at home appears now merely a formality.
But progressing looks a lot more difficult for her Matildas’ teammates at Arsenal, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord, who featured in a 1-0 first-leg defeat at Swedish side Hacken.
The gifted Fowler endured a shocking Olympics in Marseille and Nice along with her international teammates and the 21-year-old is looking to rebound strongly for her powerful club, who just missed out to Chelsea on the English title on the last day of the season.
She got her chance to start up front after City’s superstar Jamaican striker Khadija Shaw failed to obtain a visa to travel for the first leg, reportedly due to a late application.
The WSL’s top scorer last season wasn’t missed, though, as new signing from Arsenal, Vivianne Miedema, often regarded as the WSL’s best ever player, netted on debut and Jess Park scored twice in City’s cakewalk.
Mary Fowler got her name on the scoresheet as Manchester City thrashed Paris FC in the Women’s Champions League
Fowler (pictured with fellow footballer Esme Morgan) had a disappointing Olympics with the Matildas last month – but has now finally showed the French what she’s capable of
Fowler got in on the scoresheet herself, gifted the simplest of tap-ins for their third once she robbed dithering goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and slid the ball home into an empty net.
Chloe Kelly was City’s other scorer with Paris FC’s Australian international midfielder Sarah Hunter probably glad to be left on the subs bench during the hammering. Alanna Kennedy did, though, see five minutes of late action off the City bench.
Arsenal slipped to a frustrating loss in Sweden, thwarted by solid defending and then pipped by a 77th minute goal from Tabitha Tindell.
It meant delight for the side fort whom another Matilda Aivi Luik plies her trade, but the 39-year-old was not playing on Wednesday as she continues to protest her innocence after being banned for three months for a doping violation.
There wasn’t much joy for her international teammates either with Foord failing to get on the scoresheet just a fortnight after netting four against Rangers in the first round of qualifying.
