Even after a disappointing scoreless draw against rival Houston Sunday, FC Dallas fans found a reason to smile as midfielder Mauro Diaz made his first appearance for the club ever since his Achilles tear against Seattle in the 2016 MLS season.

Diaz came on in the 81st minute for Roland Lamah to a huge ovation from the Toyota Stadium crowd and played 10 minutes. As he was preparing to be subbed on, chants of “Mauro Diaz” erupted throughout the stadium.

“To come back to the field after seven months of being out is bittersweet,” Diaz said. “ We were looking for a win and we didn’t get it. But, I think after everything, we got a point. I’m very happy because nobody likes to be out of the field for so long. So it’s time to look forward. This is a happy moment for me and I’m going to continue to grow from here.”

For many Dallas fans, the arrival of Diaz is a sign of hope. The team is currently slumping and look lacking in attack, not being able to put things together without Diaz. There have been spurts of scoring, such as the Salt Lake game, but the creativity seemed to be lacking. Diaz provides that creativity, providing 13 assists last season.

“More than confident [to play Diaz] and happy to see him,” head coach Oscar Pareja said. “Somehow he lifted the spirits in a game that was not easy to get into. When I saw him in the field, it brought great memories for every player. We were all hoping for something marvelous to happen and we were about to get it.”

This means Dallas will most likely switch to their 4-2-3-1 that they run with Diaz, which Pareja usually calls a ‘4-2-4’, pushing the wingers, Diaz, and the forward up the field. The team tried the formation against San Jose but looked uncomfortable before switching back to the 4-4-2 that the team began the season with. Now, the team will need to get accompanied to the 4-2-3-1.

After the game, amidst all the struggles, Pareja says the sight of Diaz playing was a victory for him and the team tonight.

“We are so delighted to see him back on the field,” Pareja said. “I’ll take that tonight, it relieves my heart to see him dress again and around the team and be around the ball.”

Diaz is ready to get back into things for the club and wants to help the team from dropping more points in the future.

“Here and there, this last match, we’re not getting the points we want,” Diaz said. “The season is long and it’s barely starting. So, it’s better to get these results now and not later on when it’ll be a decisive point.

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3rd Degree is an independent FC Dallas blog. Founded in 1997, 3rd Degree has been in partnership with the Dallas Morning News since 2012. You can follow us on Twitter @3rdDegreeNet.