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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Macario returns to field after 21 months</li><li>Suffered ACL tear in summer of 2022 </li><li>Marks Chelsea debut with a goal </li></ul>

VIDEO: Catarina Macario marks long-awaited Chelsea debut with superb goal as USWNT star returns to pitch after 21 months out injured to help Emma Hayes' side romp to crucial WSL victory at Leicester

The 24-year-old had not played since June 2022, after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while on the pitch for her previous team, Lyon. Macario joined Chelsea last summer and finally played her first game for Emma Hayes' team against Leicester City on Sunday, coming on as a second-half substitute. The USWNT star scored Chelsea's fourth goal of the evening to mark her debut in style, making a smart run into the box before producing a cool low finish to round off a 4-0 victory.

WHAT HAPPENED?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A fine finish from Catarina Macário 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChelseaFCW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BarclaysWSL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BarclaysWSL</a> <a href="https://t.co/IAGznQ1uIf">pic.twitter.com/IAGznQ1uIf</a>— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarclaysWSL/status/1764375583511691685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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WATCH THE CLIP

The Blues easily rolled over Leicester on the night, with Mayra Ramirez, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Nathalie Bjorn also getting on the scoresheet. The win took Chelsea back up to the top spot in the Women's Super League table equal on points with Manchester City.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Emma Hayes will hope that Macario can go on and become the main striker for Chelsea with Sam Kerr out for the remainder of the season due to her own ACL tear, but she will likely need a few more games to get back up to speed. Chelsea will next be in action when they take on Manchester City on March 7 in the semi-finals of the Women's League Cup.

WHAT NEXT FOR MACARIO?

VIDEO: Catarina Macario marks long-awaited Chelsea debut with superb goal as USWNT star returns to pitch after 21 months out injured to help Emma Hayes' side romp to crucial WSL victory at Leicester | Goal.com

USWNT star Catarina Macario made her long-awaited debut for Chelsea and marked her comeback from injury with a well-worked goal.

VIDEO: Catarina Macario marks long-awaited Chelsea debut with superb goal as USWNT star returns to pitch after 21 months out injured to help Emma Hayes&apos; side romp to crucial WSL victory at Leicester