Matildas' ace Mary Fowler has begun the New Year as she finished 2024, in fine form as Manchester City cruised into the fifth round of the Women's FA Cup with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over Ipswich.
Fowler, fresh from being voted as one of the Women's Super League fans' nominees as player of the month for December, led the line for City, in the absence of star striker Khadija Shaw, in her first match of the year as the WSL powerhouses had a stroll against the National League South leaders on Sunday.
Fowler didn't get on the scoresheet, but teammate Vivianne Miedema marked her return from a long-term knee injury with a goal as the three-time winners were always in control from the moment player-of-the-match Jill Roord gave them a first-half lead.
ðŸ"¥ Ja pots votar a Mary Fowler!
ðŸ-³ï¸âž¡ï¸ https://t.co/JJL8XZCEkr https://t.co/vtvw6QTWL6
— Manchester City (@ManCityCatala) January 9, 2025
Laura Coombs scored her first of the season after the break before Dutch ace Miedema, the all-time leading scorer in the English women's game who's been sidelined since knee surgery in October, completed the win in the 76th minute.
It continued a good patch for the 21-year-old Fowler, who scored in City's 4-0 WSL against Leicester, and also converted a late penalty at Everton in the final league match before the Christmas and New Year break.
She was also impressive in European action, against St Polten and at Barcelona.
Ian Chadband - AAP
