Matildas gamble on Mary Fowler’s fitness as Women’s Asian Cup squad named | OneFootball

The Matildas have backed Mary Fowler to return to fitness for the Women’s Asian Cup despite the star attacker playing just 15 minutes since returning from a serious knee injury.

Australia head coach Joe Montemurro selected Fowler among 26 players for the tournament on home soil despite her falling well short of the three 90-minute matches he said in November that he hoped she would have played before the squad was named.

But the Matildas were not prepared to roll the dice with luckless defender Charli Grant who has not played since injuring her knee in November. Veteran midfielder Tameka Yallop also misses out due to a hamstring injury.

Captain Sam Kerr will lead the squad at her fifth Asian Cup after being part of the side that lifted the trophy in her first continental campaign in 2010, while eight Matildas will make their tournament debut. Stalwarts Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord, Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry, Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy are included in the squad that will kick off the Asian Cup against Philippines in Perth on 1 March.

“Selecting a squad is never easy, but it is a privilege to bring together players who truly represent the identity and spirit of the Matildas,” Montemurro said. “We have selected a strong mix of experienced leaders who understand what it means to wear the green and gold, alongside younger players who have earned their opportunity and will play a vital role in our future.”

Fowler has been selected in the hope that even while semi-fit she can add creative flair and build into the tournament as she continues her comeback from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last April.

The 23-year-old made a late cameo in a centre-forward role in Manchester City’s 5-1 win over reigning Women’s Super League champions Chelsea on 1 February. But she has not returned to the pitch since then due to what club coach Andrée Jeglertz described as a “knock”.

Fowler has not played for the Matildas since starring in two friendly matches against South Korea last April – just days before she tore an ACL when lining up for her club in a FA Women’s Cup semi-final.

Grant’s omission from the Asian Cup squad due to a knee injury picked up in training with her club Tottenham continues a horror run for the versatile full-back. She also missed out on selection for the Paris Olympics where the Matildas failed to reach the knockout stages.

The 24-year-old is a popular member of the playing group and was praised for her impact when stepping in for Carpenter while the star defender was on the sidelines with an ACL injury during the lead in to the 2023 Women’s World Cup. But Grant was again on the outer once Carpenter was fit enough to return to the starting XI, and as a back up only played two minutes across the tournament on home soil.

Midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross has been named in the squad despite playing limited minutes since revealing last month that her mother has been diagnosed with a rare, incurable cancer. But there was no place for World Cup quarter-final penalty shootout hero Cortnee Vine as she rebuilds her club career with North Carolina Courage in the United States after taking time away from the game.

“Hosting a major home tournament is an honour we do not take lightly. The team is ready, focused and determined to make the nation proud, and we look forward to sharing this moment with fans across the country,” Montemurro said.

Australia also face Iran on Gold Coast on 5 March and end their group stage with a meeting against familiar foes South Korea in Sydney on 8 March.

Matildas 2026 Asian Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Mackenzie Arnold, Teagan Micah, Chloe Lincoln; Defenders: Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter, Alanna Kennedy, Clare Hunt, Winonah Heatley, Courtney Nevin, Charlize Rule; Midfielders: Mary Fowler, Katrina Gorry, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Emily van Egmond, Clare Wheeler, Amy Sayer, Alex Chidiac; Forwards: Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord, Hayley Raso, Holly McNamara, Michelle Heyman, Cortnee Vine, Remy Siemsen, Kaitlyn Torpey, Kahli Johnson.

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