For Michael Collodi, Saturday night’s match between FC Dallas and Toronto FC in Frisco, Texas is not just a season opener but a new chapter in his career.
Dallas’ new goalie earned his shot when last year’s starter, Maarten Paes, went back home to the Netherlands to play for Ajax. Collodi played well when an injury sidelined Paes last year, logging three clean sheets and conceding just eight goals in nine matches.
Not even the acquisition of another MLS starter, Montreal’s Jonathan Sirois, in the offseason could dislodge Collodi from the starting job.
“I have a huge opportunity this year to come in and play a good amount of games,” Collodi said. “It’s the job I’ve wanted to do with this club for a long time. The most important thing is staying level-headed.”
Dallas went 11-12-11 last year, good for 44 points and seventh place in the Western table. It was eliminated from the playoffs in a two-match sweep by Vancouver. The club is hoping to improve on a weak 6-8-3 home record.
Offensively, Dallas will rely on returnee Petar Musa, who pumped in 18 goals last year and added six assists.
Meanwhile, Toronto is looking to bounce back from a rough 2025 that saw it post a 6-14-14 record, finishing 12th in the Eastern table with 32 points and missing the postseason. The rebuild for 2026 started last summer when the team acquired star midfielder Djordje Mihailovic, then accelerated in the offseason when it landed Walker Zimmerman from Nashville to shore up the defense.
Zimmerman hopes to help Toronto make the playoffs for the first time since 2020, as well as burnish his considerable legacy.
“You want a club that’s ambitious, willing to spend and willing to try to do everything they can to win,” he said. “Toronto checked that box. I think the only way to go is up, based on where they have finished the last two, three years.”
Toronto hasn’t won in Dallas in 11 previous chances, going 0-8-3. This will be the first time the teams have played in Texas since 2022.
–Field Level Media
