Erin Cuthbert could not hide her emotion after making her long-awaited return to action in Scotland's 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic in the first leg of their Women's World Cup round-one play-off.
The Chelsea captain, who has not featured for her club this season due to a knee injury, came off the bench in Pardubice to help Scotland secure a commanding lead ahead of Tuesday's second leg in Paisley. The result leaves Scotland in a strong position, with Sweden likely waiting in the next round for whichever side advances.
Scotland's victory was built on a moment of brilliance from captain Caroline Weir, who opened the scoring with a spectacular strike. Fellow substitute Claire Emslie then sealed the win with a well-taken finish, rounding off a productive night for the visitors.
For Cuthbert, though, the significance of the match went beyond the scoreline. At 28, she has endured a difficult few months on the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury that sidelined her for the start of the campaign. Her introduction as a substitute marked her first appearance of the season at any level, and she described the moment as deeply emotional.
"It's so good," Cuthbert told BBC Scotland. "It's been such a long summer. It's always great to come on and play for my country again - I'll never take it for granted when I get a serious injury."
The midfielder detailed the mental and physical toll of her recovery, explaining how doubts crept in as she worked her way back to fitness. "I'm just glad to get back on a football pitch," she said. "The relief, the amount of self-doubt that you have, the amount of stress - am I going to be back to the same level, how am I going to perform, is my knee going to be alright? All those things run through your head."
Cuthbert also gave insight into just how severe the setback was in the immediate aftermath of her injury. "It was a bad one," she explained. "I was in crutches and a brace for the best part of a month. I lost a fair amount of muscle and over the summer I was trying to rebuild all of that again."
Reflecting on the entire process, she added, "It's been a really, really hard journey."
Her return comes at a crucial time for Scotland, who now have one foot in the next stage of World Cup qualifying. A positive result in Paisley would complete the job against the Czech Republic and set up a mouth-watering tie against Sweden, one of the strongest sides in European women's football.
With Weir providing the spark and Emslie adding composure in front of goal, Scotland's attacking options look well-balanced heading into the second leg. Cuthbert's return adds further depth and experience to a squad aiming to reach the World Cup for just the second time in the nation's history.
The home leg in Paisley is expected to draw a strong crowd as Scotland look to build on their first-leg advantage. Should they progress, the tie against Sweden would represent a significant test, but one that the squad will approach with renewed confidence following their performance in the Czech Republic.
For Cuthbert personally, simply being back on the pitch represents a major milestone after months of uncertainty, and her manager and teammates will hope her return marks the beginning of a strong run of form as the team pushes toward a place in the global tournament.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.