- Kerr is recovering from acl's tear
- Has not returned to football
- Fowler will be Matildas's main attack weapon
The Matildas expect Mary Fowler to replicate her red club shape in the Shebelieves Cup in the middle of the work season of the star attacker at Manchester City.
Fowler has six goals and six assists in the Super League Women this season, along with an orthopedic device in the League Cup and two goals in the Champions League.
He has brilliantly combined with Bunny Shaw and Vivianne Medema to reap the rewards to take a break from Matildas's duties in November and December last year.
Fowler, 22, returns to the team for Japan Games on Friday AEDT in Houston, then the United States and Colombia next week.
Well, I just hope we do the same for us, 'said the interim coach Tom Sermanni.
'I mean, we want to be an attacking team, an aggressive team, a team that advances.
The Matildas will face Japan with Mary Fowler as her main attack weapon in the front line
Fowler has been sensational for Manchester City and Matildas hope he will continue
'Like Manchester City, we have some really Pcy and powerful strikers in our team.
'So we have a team that, in some way, Mary will fit very well and can show the same way he has shown for Man City.
'It's great to have her back in the team, and so far he has had two really shocking training days. So I'm looking forward to seeing her.
Sermanni has marked by elaborating a “very strong team” against Japan, but plans to ensure that all your team gets game time and is well rotated.
“First, obviously, when you get to a tournament like this, it is everyone's goal to try to win the tournament,” he said.
'Second, for us, the actions are important. It is really important that we assume good performances to keep the team in the future and maintain the high confidence in the team.
'And the third thing is … we brought some younger and inexperienced players to this tournament. You are looking for a chance against the opposition of real quality.
Japan is under a new leadership: Danish coach Nils Nielsen, who has hired former Matildas young coach Leah Blayney, as his assistant.
The Matildas are still missing Sam Kerr (left) while recovering from an ACL break that saw her all 2024
Sermanni, who took Australia to the title of the 2010 Women's Cup, believes that local rivals are the perfect preparation before the home tournament next year.
“If I look at my own experience that goes back historically, when we moved to Asia and we had an Asian cup a year after moving to Asia, and we played Japan, China and South Korea to approximately one year after the tournament,” he said.
'It was extremely valuable, because it gives the players experience in playing against the upper level of teams in Asia, and gives you an idea of what you will need to do next year to try to overcome those teams.
“So it's extremely valuable.”