After the USA's 2-0 SheBelieves Cup win over Colombia in Houston, Texas, on Thursday night, Cat Macario opened up about her emotional return to playing and scoring for the U.S. women's national team.
The Chelsea forward scored her first goal for her country since April 2022 on what was just her second start and third appearance for the USA since an ACL injury in the summer of 2022. She was called into two 2024 USWNT camps before missing the Olympics with an injury flare-up.
"Most importantly, I'm just happy to be playing and, you know, I'm just thrilled to have gotten the goal," Macario told media in the mixed zone after the Colombia match. "It does feel like it's been a while, but, yeah, I mean, hopefully, it won't be as long until the next one."
Macario opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when she finished off a beautifully worked team goal from close range. When Lily Yohannes spotted space in behind the Colombia backline, she played a lofted through ball for Yazmeen Ryan to run onto and cross the ball first time for Macario to smash home.
"I just saw a big gap, and it's like, okay, this is my job, playing tonight, which had been a while since I played. So, yeah, she played a tremendous ball, and I just knew that I had to be there," Macario said of the goal.
Cat's 𝑠𝑜 back 💥#USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/8Og2QOE8qv
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 21, 2025
The 25-year-old impressed in her well-rounded 64-minute comeback before being subbed off for Lynn Biyendolo. As Macario left the pitch, she shared an embrace with USA head coach Emma Hayes, who was previously head coach of Chelsea when Macario signed for the club in 2023.
"She [Hayes] really knows what I went through the past few years, the past few months, so she knows how hard I've worked to come back. She knows all the frustrations, all the heartbreaks that I've endured. And yeah, she's been there through everything...her trust in me means a lot," Macario said.
Hayes also noted her special connection with Macario when speaking to the media, and lauded the forward's overall performance levels as well as the emotional component of her return against Colombia.
"Because of how long she'd been out and how hard it had been for her, and also because I thought she played well. I thought she held the ball up so well and linked play exceptionally well...I think she's she's got an instinct in and around the goal, which was demonstrated with the goal," Hayes told the media in Houston.
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 21, 2025
"I said it to her when she came off. I said, everybody is super happy, super proud, and I'm sure everybody back at Chelsea is too."
Beyond just the special moment between head coach and player just after the hour, Macario was mobbed by teammates showing their support during and after the Colombia win.
Next up, Macario and the USWNT will head to Glendale, Arizona, for the second match against Australia at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup on Sunday, February 23. Hayes will likely rotate much of the side before the final round of matches on Wednesday, February 26.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cat Macario Reflects on Her Return to Goalscoring with USWNT.
