Australia forward Mary Fowler will miss the Nigeria match due to a concussion.

Australia’s Mary Fowler, a forward, won’t be able to participate in her team’s second Women’s World Cup match due to a recent concussion suffered during training. Additionally, defender Aivi Luik is also out with a similar injury. The absence of these players poses a challenge for the co-hosts, Australia, as they prepare to face Nigeria in Brisbane on July 27. A victory in this match would secure their advancement from Group B into the round of 16, following their 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland at Stadium Australia.

Fowler’s concussion comes after she played a key role in Australia’s opening win against Ireland, during which captain Sam Kerr was sidelined with a calf injury. With Kerr still unavailable for the Nigeria match, the loss of Fowler further limits Australia’s attacking options. Fowler was expected to form a potent partnership with Caitlin Foord upfront, similar to their collaboration against the Republic of Ireland.

In light of Fowler’s absence, the team’s management is considering several players to fill the void. Emily van Egmond and Alex Chidiac are among the potential replacements for Fowler, and Everton forward Clare Wheeler is also being considered as an option.

The Australian Football Association issued a statement announcing that both Fowler and Luik will be unavailable for the match against Nigeria due to the mild concussions they sustained in separate training incidents on Tuesday. Although the players have recovered, they will follow Football Australia’s concussion protocol, which mandates their exclusion from the Nigeria game.

Despite the setback, there is hope that Fowler and Luik may recover in time to participate in Australia’s final Group B fixture against Canada on Monday. The team remains optimistic about their chances and is determined to secure a spot in the next stage of the tournament.