FRISCO, Texas ā Slowly but surely, Mauro Diaz is making his presence felt again for FC Dallas.
FCDās best playmaker over the past few years has only played a handful of minutes in MLS this year, coming off the bench in four straight matches dating back to a May 28 scoreless draw against Texas Derby rival Houston.
That could be changing as soon as this Fridayās rematch at the Dynamo (9 pm ET | UniMas, Facebook.com in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada), with the Argentine logging a full 90 for the first time since suffering a torn Achilles last October in the teamās US Open Cup win last Wednesday.
āHeās ready,ā head coach Oscar Pareja told MLSsoccer.com. āWeāre trying to control the load and trying to get him fit the best way possible. But at this point, I feel like Mauroās ready to compete if we want him in the XI. Heās ready to start.ā
After last Wednesdayās Open Cup win over Tulsa, Pareja said he felt Diaz got stronger as the game went on. Diaz, via translator, said he struggled to find his footing at times, and that the heat started to play a factor late, but that he too felt stronger later in the match.
His teammates are beginning to take notice too, which is a welcome addition to a club that has statistically mediocre in scoring this season ā 22 goals in 15 games, tied for 11th in MLS.
āI think he started to shake off the rust,ā fellow midfielder Kellyn Acosta told MLSsoccer.com. āHeās still got the vision and the touch, but he needed to just fine tune some things. But itās definitely coming. In practices, I see the little magician is back.
āWe still have a lot of games to go, and I know heās excited to be back with the group,ā he continued. āHe spent a long time out. Each and every game, the minutes he gets, I can see on his face that heās really excited to be back out there.ā
Acosta has played in two of the MLS games Diaz has appeared in this season, including in his return to the pitch late last month. He said when Diaz came in, even logging just eight minutes of action, the entire dynamic of the team changed.
āHe makes us a more dangerous team,ā Acosta said. āHeās a player that a lot of teams definitely have to worry about. Heās a guy if you give him an inch of space, heāll kill you. It showed a lot last year. He can find a pass behind the cracks. Heās definitely a special player, and I think when heās on the field, weāre a more offensive and dangerous team. When the ballās at his feet, a lot of good things happen.ā
Added Pareja: āMauro is a very good player, and he has been for the past three years. He knows what we want. He knows what the playersā movements are too. I have said this before, Mauro turns on the lights for us in the spaces for the field where we need it.ā
Outside of fitness, one of Diazās biggest adjustments could be adjusting to some of the teamās newer additions that didnāt share the pitch with him in October, including Roland Lamah and Cristian Colman.
But Pareja isnāt worried and is confident his ālittle magicianā will adapt just fine.
āWe know that heās gelling, heās feeling more comfortable, and the players are getting used to him again,ā Pareja said. āSo weāre progressing.ā