Thursday, 25 April 2019:
 | | MARY FOWLER of Australia takes a shot at goal during the International match between the Young Matildas and Thailand at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney, Australia. | |
|
Australia's best young talent will have a chance to stake their claim for a spot in the Matildas' World Cup squad this week.
The Young Matildas, Australia's under-19 national women's football team, is in Myanmar playing qualifiers to get to the Asian Championships later this year.
But for a few, the bright lights of the World Cup in France will be driving their performances - and front and centre of that queue is Mary Fowler.
The ambitious 16-year-old has set her sights on a hatful of goals against Nepal, Myanmar and Uzbekistan.
Earlier this month she called it "an important tournament to show I am a goalscorer".
"Last time I went into a young Matildas camp I came out golden boot and that's exactly what I plan on doing this time," Fowler said.
To Matildas coach Ante Milicic, it was music to his ears.
"Gee you like hearing a 16-year-old talk like that," he told AAP.
"You get the feeling she can back it up as well."
In Myanmar, Fowler will be joined by several outside shots to make the 23-woman squad for June's World Cup.
They include Princess Ibini, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Amy Sayer, who have all been training under assistant Gary van Egmond in Sydney in the "Future Matildas" squad.
That group has been boosted by the attendance of senior internationals over the last month that have chosen not to take up USA or Europe-based club contracts at the conclusion of the W-League in February.
But it's Fowler that most eyes will be drawn to after returning to international action under Milicic in this month's 5-3 loss to world champions USA.
"For her age, she's very mature. She offers something different," Milicic said.
"In camp she had a smile on her face.
"It was exciting she was around the group and it was nice to get to work with her.
"I've seen a fair bit on the laptop and I've heard a fair bit but until you get a player in your training sessions you don't truly know.
"She didn't look overawed."
The Young Matildas, coached by van Egmond in Myanmar, play Nepal on Friday, the hosts on Sunday and Uzbekistan on Tuesday, all at Mandalay's Mandalarthiri Stadium.
"We're watching Mary and there's a couple of other girls that we are monitoring too in that age group," Milicic said.
