The USWNT star hadn't scored a Champions League goal since the 2022 final, but that long wait for another ended at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday
Catarina Macario's first Champions League goal in two and a half years set Chelsea on their way to a dominant 6-1 win over Twente on Wednesday night, as Sonia Bompastor's 100 percent start to life in charge of the English champions extended to a remarkable 13 wins from 13 games. With the Blues already through to the knockout rounds, the coach tried out a few different things in this fixture, including pairing Macario with Mayra Ramirez in a 4-4-2 set-up. It was a choice that produced favourable returns too, as the two ran Twente ragged in a first half that saw the visitors blown out of the water.
There were just three minutes on the clock when Macario broke the deadlock, her first European goal since helping Lyon to win the 2022 UWCL final taking the form of a cheeky half volley which looped over Twente goalkeeper Olivia Clark. There was briefly parity in this game, when Kayleigh van Dooren converted from the spot after Maika Hamano gave away a needless penalty, but it was only for two minutes, as Oriane Jean-Francois ensured Chelsea led again on the half hour mark.
From there, it was smooth sailing. Ramirez scored an outstanding goal from range, lobbing Clark after latching onto a loose ball some 35 yards out, and Erin Cuthbert burst into the box to make it 4-1 before half time. Things would settle down after the break, though only after Sjoeke Nusken headed in a fifth within minutes of the restart, with the scoring concluding late on when Eve Perisset added further gloss to a very one-sided affair.
Article continues below
GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge...