The growing army of Matildas in English soccer have enjoyed vastly differing fortunes on Women's FA Cup fourth-round day with Katrina Gorry tasting defeat on her West Ham debut and Charli Grant triumphing in a remarkable first match for Tottenham.
Mary Fowler got on the scoresheet for Manchester City in Sunday's (Monday AEDT) matches with Liverpool's Teagan Micah, Arsenal's Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross and Leicester's Remy Siemsen and Courtney Nevin all playing their parts in helping their sides reached the last-16.
Gorry, the tough, diminutive midfielder who's been snapped up by struggling West Ham to help their Women's Super League relegation fight, was nearly at the heart of a Cup sensation when the Hammers were 20 minutes away from knocking holders Chelsea out of the competition.
At Chelsea's Kingsmeadow home, there were plenty of banners of support for their missing hero Sam Kerr, who was recovering from Thursday's surgery to repair her anterior cruciate ligament.
And without the striker who's fired them to victory in the last three FA Cup finals, they were toothless for a long period, with debutant Gorry helping keep the English champions at bay after French international Viviane Asseyi had given the Hammers a shock 18th minute lead.
The goal had been set up by West Ham's other Matilda, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, who got an unlikely assist for her long, hoofed ball over the top that Asseyi expertly latched on to.
But Arnold's work was far from over as she was forced to make several good saves in West Ham's rearguard action, with Chelsea eventually breaking through with a 70th minute goal from substitute, US international Mia Fishel, before Erin Cuthbert and Sjoeke Nusken both scored in extra-time to give the Blues a 3-1 win.
Tottenham's Grant, who like Gorry came to London from Swedish club Vittsjo GIK, was thrust straight into the team for what looked a straightforward home tie with Sheffield United - but it proved anything but as the second division outfit were still protecting a 2-0 lead with 20 minutes left.
They were still a goal down with 10 minutes left after Beth England had pulled one back, but her second from the penalty spot got them level before Morocco international Rosella Ayane earned the 3-2 victory in the sixth minute of added time.
Fowler, who lost her place in Man City's starting line-up late in 2023, only got 23 minutes off the bench as they dominated their tie at Durham but it was enough time for her to shine, with her goal in the 87th minute, as she cut inside the box and clipped home a neat right-foot finish, exemplifying her quality in the 4-0 win.
Micah kept a clean sheet as Liverpool, down to 10 women after the sending off of Ceri Holland, won 1-0 at fellow WSL side Bristol City while Siemsen and Nevin came off the bench to help Leicester to a 4-0 win at Derby.
Arsenal cruised against Championship opponents Watford, winning 5-1, but Foord didn't join in the goal fest as teammates Alessia Russo, Lia Walti, Stina Blackstenius, Amanda Ilestedt and Frida Maanum all helped themselves.
