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Watch: USWNT’s Catarina Macario Abuses Italian Defender To Clinch Spot In UWCL Semis

Last week, Juventus sent shockwaves through Europe with a stunning upset of Lyon in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League quarterfinal. On Thursday, order was restored in the WoSo world thanks to Catarina Macario turning her Italian defender inside out. 

Macario scored what proved to be the quarterfinal-clinching goal as Lyon edged Juventus 3-1 on the night, 4-3 on aggregate, on Thursday in Lyon. The seven-time European champions overturned a 2-1 defeat last week — in part because of an ill-advised red card — to reach the semifinals where they’ll face French rival PSG. The other semifinal sees defending European champion Barcelona take on Wolfsburg. 

Lyon quickly took the lead on aggregate Thursday night with first-half goals from Ada Hegerberg and Melvine Malard two minutes apart. Macario added a third to give the French club some insurance, and it turned into an important goal when Andrea Stašková pulled one back for the visitors with six minutes left. 

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Macario’s strike was the best of the night. Delphine Cascarino whipped in a low cross from the right wing into the Brazilian-American’s path. With one deft touch and impressive strength, the 22-year-old obliterated the attempted defense of Sara Gama, the 33-year-old captain of both Juventus and the Italian national team. It was Macario’s fourth goal of the tournament, tops for her team and tied for sixth best overall. 

Catarina Macario Goal vs Juventus

USWNT fans are so glad she’s representing the U.S. instead of Brazil with the displays she’s put forth in the UWCL this season, including a vital goal in the first leg, not to mention fine goal scoring with her national team.

The midfielder was clearly hungry for goals and nearly found the back of the net moments earlier.

Macario wasn’t the only American out there for Lyon. Lindsey Horan played the full 90 in midfield, a positive sign as she’s been slowly worked into the Lyon lineup since joining on loan from Portland. 

Horan sprung Cascarino for her assist on Macario’s goal and also set up her side’s second goal with an excellent cross to pick out Malard.

Lyon’s first goal was from no other than Ada Hegerberg. The Norwegian striker who recently announced her return to the national team scored for the 57th time in 57 UWCL matches to increase her tally as the all-time scoring leader in the competition.

Lyon needed all three goals because Stašková made it a little nervy for the home side in the 84th minute. She was first to a corner kick to pull Juve within one on aggregate, as Wendie Renard’s defending was even worse than Walker Zimmerman on Costa Rica’s second goal on Wednesday night. (For two defenders who usually dominate in the air, you expect more from Renard and Zimmerman.)

The goal was merely a consolation in the end as Joe Montemurro’s side exits the UWCL in the same round as his former club, Arsenal. The Gunners conceded early to former Arsenal player Jill Roord and late to a Leah Williamson own goal as Wolfsburg won 2-0 on Thursday night, 3-1 on aggregate. 

Lyon vs. Juventus Highlights (2022 UWCL Second Leg)

Wolfsburg will take on Barcelona in two semifinal legs in late April after Barça beat rival Real Madrid 5-2, 8-3 on aggregate on Wednesday. That match was played before a record crowd of 91,553 at the Camp Nou.

The other semifinal will garner most of the attention, two French heavyweights going at it for a third straight year. It was PSG last season that ended Lyon’s five-year streak of winning the UWCL in the quarterfinals 2-2 on away goals. The year before, Lyon edged PSG 1-0 in a single-leg semifinal.

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