After three torrid, injury-ridden years, Catarina Macario is finally reasserting herself as a regular with the U.S. women’s national team. After returning to the setup in this year’s SheBelieves Cup, Macario was picked to start both international friendlies against Brazil and vindicated her performance with a goal and good all-around performance.
The back-to-back games served as a good test for U.S. head coach Emma Hayes and her ongoing look to improve and bed in different players, but they also suggested real promise for a new role for Macario in the side.
Several standout performances marked both matches, yet it was Macario’s display as the starting No. 9 that caught the eye. Her role as a false nine not only reflects Hayes’s ongoing tactical experimentation with the squad, but also addresses the need to find a reliable striker in Sophia Wilson’s absence during maternity leave.
