Waking up to the news of Mary Fowler’s early exit from Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester United earlier this week, after the forward’s right knee gave way while she stretched out to receive a pass, Australian football clung to the club’s interim coach Nick Cushing’s initial reaction of “not fearing the worst.” Surely, with the world increasingly at the 22-year-old’s feet, the footballing gods could not be so cruel as to cut her down now, right? Not with a Women’s Asian Cup on home soil on the horizon? But Australian and Mancunian fears have since been realised, with confirmation the attacker has ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament.
Setting aside the ramifications for club and country, it’s a significant personal blow for Fowler. The road back from an ACL injury is a long one, filled with lonely rehabilitation sessions spent in the trainers’ room, away from the pitch and teammates. Yet Fowler must now head down that path just as she was rising to a new, world-class level.
