After 392 days on the sideline, City star Holly McNamara made an emotional return to the pitch in City’s 4-2 win over Canberra United on Sunday.
The 21-year-old made her return in the 72nd minute, and wasted no time showcasing her quality.
Following the match, McNamara reflected on what it meant to step back on the pitch alongside her teammates.
“I’m just so happy. That was so much fun to be back out there,” McNamara said.
“I was just so excited, you couldn’t wipe a smile off my face.
“You miss everything. The contact, even yelling at people, laughing with people, yelling at the ref, just doing everything.
“You just miss all the little things and then it builds into actually getting to touch the ball again. So it feels nice.”
In the 93rd minute, the youngster went inches away from marking her return with her name on the scoresheet. After latching onto Lourdes Bosch’s through ball, she struck the upright, before Leticia McKenna pounced to find the back of the net and secure the three points.
The selfless striker was full of praise for her teammate following the game.
“I’m so glad Teesh [Leticia McKenna] was there, she deserves that goal,” she said.
“Her performances over the past three to four games have been unreal, world-class, so she deserved that goal more than anybody.”
In an emotional post-match huddle, McNamara thanked her teammates for their ongoing support.
She spoke briefly on what it’s meant to her: “I wouldn’t be playing if it wasn’t for them.”
“Even those first few weeks of being injured, they were in my ear, ‘You can do it. You can come back stronger’, whereas you think the whole world is ending.
“I can’t thank everybody enough. This is down to them.”
The ladder leaders take on Adelaide United in South Australia on Friday night, before returning home to host Wellington Phoenix on Saturday 28 December. Get your tickets here.
