All eyes will be on Mary Fowler ahead of the Matildasâ Womenâs World Cup clash with Nigeria after the young gun suffered a knock at training.
Fowler is due to line up alongside Caitlin Foord in attack against Nigeria as Australia manoeuvres through life without injured skipper Sam Kerr.
Tuesdayâs training was closed to media but host broadcasters Optus Sport was originally due to interview Fowler.
But it was instead told by Football Australia that Fowler had suffered a knock late in the session and required a precautionary assessment.
FA later allayed fears over Fowlerâs condition, saying she was âall goodâ.
But there will clearly be a watch on the 20-year-old in Wednesday morningâs final session before Thursdayâs game at Suncorp Stadium.
Tweet from @TheMatildas
Star forward Foord, meanwhile, insisted Kerrâs calf injury, suffered a day out from the opening 1-0 win over Ireland, wonât derail her entire campaign.
âSheâs just doing everything possible to be in the best condition for when she does step back on the pitch,â Foord told Optus Sport.
âSheâll definitely be back this tournament.â
As the only team in Group B with three points from its opening game, Australia can seal progression to the knockout stages with victory over Nigeria, which has one point.
If Canada (one point) and Ireland (zero points) draw in Perth on Wednesday night, a win would lock in top spot for the Matildas before their third group game.
The Matildas last played Nigeria at the 2015 Womenâs World Cup.
On that day, in Winnipeg, Canada, Kyah Simon scored both goals in a 2-0 group-stage win.
Kerr provided an assist for the second goal and copped an elbow to the face off the ball from Ugo Njoku that drew a three-game retrospective ban.
âA tough, tough game, I remember,â midfielder Katrina Gorry said.
âI watched them play Canada and theyâre even more powerful than they were then.
âTheyâve got so much speed but a lot of class across the field. (Theyâre) technically very good.
âIf youâre not on your defensive game, theyâll exploit you and with the pace they have, itâs pretty scary.â
Tameka Yallop has recovered from a corked thigh to press her selection case.
âItâll be a very different game from 2015, but they still have all those qualities that they had before,â she said.
âThereâs a little bit of unpredictability to them, which does make it a little bit difficult. But at the same time weâve trained for that as well in our prep.
âItâs just about being focused in every moment against them.â
Ireland sat back and defended deep against Australia.
After drawing 0-0 with Canada first up, Nigeria may need to open up to chase three points.
That would suit Australia fine.
âItâs going to be another second-ball game and hitting them on transition. They obviously put a lot of numbers forward,â Gorry said.
âSo if we can try and hit them on transition, I think weâll give them a tough time.â
-AAP
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