2. Age is Just a Number

Australia has had plenty of star players below the age of 20 such as Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord and currently Ellie Carpenter. That list may be getting longer thanks to the likes of 16 year-old Mary Fowler and 17 year-old Kyra Cooney-Cross.

Along with Hamilton, both Fowler and Cooney-Cross were the only ones to net a goal in the game. Not to mention both of the goals were world class.

Fowler showed just how composed she is by not only winning the penalty kick for Adelaide but also being the one to step up to the spot to take the penalty. Then in her run at the ball she stutter stepped and buried the ball with ease into the corner of the goal.

Fowler is one of the top players for the Young Matildas and she showed tonight that she can translate her play over to the W-League, where she just made her career debut..

Not to be outdone, Cooney-Cross, one of Fowler’s teammates on the Young Matildas made sure to have a notable performance as well. Coming on in the 59th minute Cooney-Cross showed she can be a super sub.

As the final minutes of stoppage were ticking away Western Sydney was awarded a dangerous free kick and Cooney-Cross made the most of the opportunity. From a spot typically used to lob a ball in for a teammate which it looked like she was trying to do it, but then the ball glided untouched into the back of the net. 

Whether it was supposed to be a cross or not Cooney-Cross and her Wanderers teammates are happy with the result.

If the other under 20 year olds around the league play like Fowler and Cooney-Cross did tonight this will easily be the most exciting W-League season to date.