Fowler and Luik ruled out of Matildas’ World Cup clash with Nigeria
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Mary Fowler has been ruled out of Australia’s second World Cup match against Nigeria, leaving Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson bereft of attackers.
Fowler and Aivi Luik – who is also ruled out of Thursday night’s match at Suncorp Stadium – both sustained mild concussions in separate incidents at training on Tuesday, Football Australia has announced.
Mary Fowler will not play Nigeria on Thursday night.Credit: Getty
Fowler had been due to start alongside Caitlin Foord in attack, just as she did when she made her World Cup debut in last week’s 1-0 win over Ireland, in the absence of injured striker and captain Sam Kerr.
But the 20-year-old was pulled from an interview with host broadcasters Optus Sport on Tuesday, having picked up what FA described as a knock.
At that point FA said she was fine, only taken for a precautionary assessment. However, the governing body dropped the news that she and Luik had been scratched on Wednesday just as media arrived to view the start of the team’s final training session before the match.
Without both Kerr and Fowler, and with Kyah Simon still recovering from the ACL injury she sustained in October, the Matildas have only Foord as a recognised and available striker.
It is the worst possible scenario for Gustavsson and means his gamble on selecting Simon, based on her potential to play off the bench later in the tournament, has backfired.
His options now include starting Foord up front with Emily van Egmond or Tameka Yallop, who has recovered from a corked thigh suffered in the Matildas’ final friendly against France, or even Alex Chidiac.
In an unfortunate piece of symbolism, Fowler, Kerr and Simon all walked solo laps of the Perry Park field as the team warmed up for training, before Fowler started some light running.
FA says both Fowler and veteran defender Luik are recovered but unable to play because of concussion protocols.
FA’s protocols stipulate that players must sit out for six days post-concussion, meaning Fowler and Luik would be cleared for the Canada match on July 31 in Melbourne, provided both adhere to return-to-play regulations.
Australia are the only nation in group B with three points, and three more on Thursday will guarantee them a ticket to the round of 16.
Furthermore, if Canada and Ireland – with one and zero points respectively – draw on Wednesday night in Perth, a win can seal top spot heading into next week’s final fixture with Canada.
In more positive news, Alanna Kennedy joined the main group in training on Wednesday after her load was managed for a couple of days following her first two international matches in several months.
It makes it unclear whether Kennedy or Clare Polkinghorne will start in central defence next to Clare Hunt.
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