Sunday marked an emotional day for American attacker Catarina Macario.
In her first appearance since the 2021-22 season, Macario scored on her Chelsea debut in a 4-0 WSL victory over Leicester City. Macario had been sidelined due to a torn ACL that she suffered following her move from French side Lyon to English giants Chelsea.
Macario came off the bench and played the final 18 minutes for Emma Hayes’ squad, capping off a dominant performance at Leicester. The Blues are now top of the WSL table on goal difference, edging Manchester City to first place for the current moment.
After a three-season collegiate career at Stanford University, Macario joined Lyon and made her debut in 2020. She scored 28 goals in 44 appearances for Lyon before making the switch to Chelsea.
However, Macario’s torn ACL forced her to miss the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Macario has eight goals in 17 career caps for the U.S. women’s national team.
“She hasn’t played for more than 600 days. She came to Chelsea and wasn’t in a fit state to play until now,” said Hayes. “We’ve had to do a lot of work with her off the pitch so for her to get this moment I’m so immensely proud of her and the team behind the team who have put the hours into her.
“She’s a super footballer and just what we need coming into the run-in,” Hayes added. “Of course she has to get a bit more match fit but she played her part.”
Chelsea will certainly welcome Macario’s production back into the fold as it travels to Manchester City in the FA WSL Cup semifinals this week.
I am happy that she is back and can POTENTIALLY be fit for the Olympics. However, one goal as a garbage time sub in a 4-0 rout does not a comeback make. The USWNT has a disturbing way of just gifting injured players their positions back without making them prove that they are fit and that they are better than all the other players who are striving for a call up. The Olympic roster is only 18 players, with very short rest breaks, and has the toughest opponents. Any player that makes the team needs to be fully fit and able to go 120 minutes, otherwise they are a liability.
Getting her back for the Olympics is huge! (Master of the Obvious)
while I 1,000% agree, we have to keep in mind that she has to continue to build her fitness, rhythm and the big one is not having an injury set back in order to be considered for the Olympics. Emma Hayes being the coach will be a big benefit in that cause as well! Finally, and more importantly, the amount of young attacking talent that is now in the pool will also make it difficult to consider Macario as shoe in for the Olympics. This is the list of attackers she’d have to beat out to get on that roster…..
Trinity Rodman
Sophia Smith
Jaeden Shaw
Mal Swanson
Midge Purce
Alyssa Thompson
Lynn Williams(a little older at 30 y/o but playing well)
Alex Morgan(legend, but falling off for me)
Great problems to have in the pool, but Catarina has the ability to make this roster if she keeps progressing from her recovery for sure