Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario will make their long-awaited returns to the United States women’s national team after missing an extended period due to knee injuries.
Swanson’s last USWNT game was April 8, 2023, against the Republic of Ireland. During that game she suffered a gruesome torn patella tendon.
Macario returns after nearly two years with her previous national team appearance being a friendly vs. Uzbekistan on April 12, 2022. She tore her ACL that summer with her previous club Lyon.
Seeing these two stars back on the roster is sure to make USWNT fans excited.
USWNT SheBelieves Cup roster 2024
Our 23 headed to Atlanta and Columbus
SheBelieves Cup, presented by @Visa pic.twitter.com/IGcy2xLszE— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) March 26, 2024
Having Swanson back will be a major boost. Despite only playing for about three months, she was still the team’s top scorer in 2023 with seven goals in six appearances. The 25-year-old was electric in last year’s SheBelieves Cup scoring in all three games.
Macario’s return only adds to the insane amount of firepower the USWNT will have in attack. She’s been impressing under Emma Hayes with Chelsea as a super-sub option off the bench. Macario has two goals and two assists in her last five appearances with the Blues.
Other surprises in the USWNT SheBelieves Cup roster include the first-time call ups for 16-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes and 21-year-old center back Eva Gaetino. Both players compete for clubs in Europe — Yohannes with Ajax and Gaetino at PSG — and Gaetino scored in the Women’s Champions League this month.
EVA GAETINO SCORES IN HER VERY FIRST @UWCL MATCH
The 21-year-old American was playing at Notre Dame Unitversity in South Bend, IN just three months ago— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) March 20, 2024
@AjaxVrouwen's 16-year-old star Lily Yohannes receives her first call-up to @USWNT #UWCL pic.twitter.com/bFReKCjBHU
— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) March 26, 2024
The SheBelieves Cup will be the final two games of interim head coach Twila Kilgore being in charge before Hayes arrives. Kilgore said that the new names on the roster will provide opportunities for the youngsters.
“The W Gold Cup provided a lot of players with needed experiences and presented us with different adversities we had to overcome together. We will take all these experiences with us into SheBelieves and beyond. Of course, we’re thrilled to welcome back Mal and Cat and continue to incorporate some less experienced players into the mix,” Kilgore said.
The 23-player SheBelieves Cup roster contains 19 players that competed in the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this year.
Rose Lavelle (injured), Lynn Williams (injured), Midge Purce (injured) and Becky Sauerbrunn are the four players who were on the Gold Cup roster but not called up for the SheBelieves Cup.
The USWNT will face Japan in the SheBelieves Cup semifinal on April 6 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Brazil and Canada will play in the other semifinal.
Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio, will host the third-place match and final on April 9.
