For Catarina Macario, the euphoria she felt makes the moment hard to remember.
Seventeen-year-old Lily Yohannes had just floated the ball to fellow striker Yazmeen Ryan, who only needed a simple touch to put the ball exactly where Macario knew she needed to be. In one swift motion, Macario shot the ball past Colombia’s goalkeeper, finding the back of the net like she’d done countless times before. This time, though, was special.
The five-second sequence was the initial spark the U.S. women’s national team needed to go on and defeat Colombia 2-0 in their opening game of the SheBelieves Cup on Thursday night. The electric evening in Houston ultimately brought to fruition what head coach Emma Hayes and the national team had been working towards for months.
For Macario, this was also a moment she’d been working towards for years.
“I’m just happy to be out there playing again, to be honest,” Macario said. “It’s such a joy to be able to score, as well. But, most importantly, I’m just happy to be playing.”
Macario’s goal was the first time she scored for the national team in three years — she had struggled to recover from a nagging knee injury that kept her sidelined.
Since June 2022, when she suffered an ACL injury while playing with her former club Lyon, Macario has fought to return to the pitch with the national team. The gruelling injury robbed her of the chance to compete in the 2023 World Cup. She then missed the Summer Olympics in 2024, when “minor knee irritation” kept her out of that competition.
Hayes, who shares a special bond with Macario, said she “felt pride” watching the striker return to the pitch in goal-scoring form.
Her goal “was probably the first time in the half that we attacked the box quickly, and she was in the right place at the right time,” Hayes said. “She’s got an instinct in and around the goal, which was demonstrated with the goal.”
Macario and Hayes’ professional relationship predates their time together on the national team. Hayes recruited Macario to join Chelsea in 2023.
“She really knows what I went through the past few years, the past few months,” Macario said. “She knows how hard I’ve worked to come back to the pitch. She knows all the frustrations, all the heartbreaks that I’ve endured. She’s been there through everything.
“She’s been someone that’s been really supportive through everything and wants to make sure that I can stay on the pitch and be able to contribute to the national team,” she continued. “Her support, her trust it means a lot.”
Macario’s return to the pitch is, of course, a significant milestone. The team’s overall performance against Colombia is also another, as Hayes continues to emphasize player development and experimenting with their roster.
The sequence between Yohannes, Ryan and Macario was the first time the trio had played together in a competitive setting. Despite their limited experiences during practice, their chemistry offered a promising glimpse into the possibilities that lay ahead for the national team and its growing player pipeline.
“That’s what I was most proud of tonight,” Hayes said. “The team kept really good structure, considering they haven’t played together before. What I’ve learned from coaching is, the better structured your teams are, especially at the higher level, the better they feel about expressing themselves within it – but you have to give them that foundation.”
That foundation appears to be bubbling.
Macario’s goal in the 33rd minute came just as the U.S. was finding its footing on the pitch against Colombia. This momentum continued into the second half, punctuated by Ally Sentnor scoring the team’s second goal in the 60th minute. This marked her first international goal, off an assist by Tara McKeown, who also enjoyed her national team debut that night.
“I felt it was really important goal to really help us finish off the game,” said captain Emily Sonnett, who was honored for her 100th cap ahead of the game. “But I think that just really speaks to the younger players who are coming in, coming off the bench, but also how deep the pool is right now.”
When Sentnor scored from outside the box, universal joy was evident on the players’ faces. The stadium erupted, as players embraced the 21-year-old. Macario’s smile was so wide it was as if she had just scored another goal, too.
“That’s such a big moment,” Macario said. “Whenever anyone scores the first goal for the national team, that’s unforgettable.”
Macario exited the match four minutes later, where an emotional Hayes embraced her for her own unforgettable moment.
Hayes recalled telling her: “Everybody is super happy, super proud, and I’m sure everybody back in Chelsea is too.”
(Top photo: Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
