Village to Victory: Mary Fowler's Matildas Adventure Inspires Kira Kira
By Thomas Airey
The Matildas, already Australia’s favourite team in sports long before the FIFA Women’s World Cup, are smashing every record there is for crowd attendance, television ratings and merchandise sales on their historic run in the tournament.
The nationwide interest is unprecedented but thanks to one forward’s starring role in the success it has been equalled in a village in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
A massive banner suspended over one of their streets reads ‘Kira Kira Village, the home of Koita Maiyago, Mary Boio Fowler’.
That means girl from our tribe – Fowler was born in Cairns but her mother Nido is from there and that’s where she met her husband, Mary’s Irish father Kevin.
Kira Kira has been draped in green and gold to support the Matildas, with hundreds gathering around TVs outside to watch each game wearing shirts and hats with Fowler’s number 11 printed on.
Her uncle Nabura Geita explained to the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier that his village was mainly into volleyball and cricket.
“Because of Mary we are now switching our focus to soccer,” he laughed.
“Our small grandchildren cried for us to go and buy soccer balls... just because of the impact of Mary, they are all sold out.”
Last month Fowler told the Sydney Morning Herald she is keen to get back to the country she hasn’t been to since she was a child, ideally to hold some football clinics.
“I get so much love and support from people that I don’t even know,” she said.
“I would love to just be able to give something back to all of you.”
But first, the small matter of a World Cup semifinal against European champions England in front of 80,000 people at Sydney’s Stadium Australia tonight.
Fowler has started in all but one of the Matildas matches so far, missing their only Group B loss against Nigeria due to a concussion.
With superstar striker Sam Kerr playing limited minutes due to a lingering injury, she has made herself a crucial part of Australia’s attacking quartet alongside Caitlin Foord, Hayley Raso and Emily van Egmond.
The 20-year-old’s best performance yet came in the dramatic penalty shootout win over France in the quarterfinal on Saturday.
Her fantastic ball control in tight spaces was on full display and she would have scored her second goal of the tournament but for a freakish clearance off the line from Élisa De Almeida.
But Fowler knows England’s quality as opponents better than most – she plays her club football in the English Women’s Super League for Manchester City alongside over 25 per cent of the Lionesses squad, with just three of their players based at clubs outside England.
In fact Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly, who will both almost certainly play tonight, are the two players that have kept Fowler from getting more playtime for City since she joined them from French club Montpellier a year ago.
The Matildas are clear underdogs but did beat England 2-0 in their last matchup in London back in April.
Fowler started alongside Kerr in that game and with Australia’s captain creeping closer to full fitness, history could repeat in front of 80,000 screaming Matildas fans in Sydney, and hundreds more crowded around TVs in Kira Kira.
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