Toronto FC vs. FC Dallas: 3 takeaways

FRISCO, TEXAS – A new season and a new beginning for Toronto FC.

Saturday's 2026 MLS regular season opener offered TFC a clean slate, a chance to begin a new campaign on the right foot after recording just six wins last year. But the Reds didn't take advantage of the opportunity presented to them as they came out on the wrong end of a 3-2 loss away to FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium.

Coach Robin Fraser wasn't thrilled with the officiating, believing Dallas' opening goal should have been waived off for a foul in the buildup. He also felt Toronto should have earned a penalty deep into injury time when Walker Zimmerman was hauled down inside the 18-yard box.

"I thought a couple of the goals were worth questioning. ... But at the end of the day, we still have to look at ourselves and what we did to put ourselves in this situation," Fraser said.

Here are my three major takeaways from Saturday's match. 

Toronto FC opens 2026 season with road loss in Texas

TFC suffered through defensive lapses in Saturday’s road loss to FC Dallas in their MLS curtain raiser.

TFC REPUBLICJohn Molinaro

Sloppy defending on the day by Toronto FC

As a two-time MLS defender of the year during his playing days, Robin Fraser prided himself in how he was able mold Toronto FC into a team that was hard to break down during his first year in charge. 

TFC had one of the league's best defensive records last year and hadn't conceded more than two goals in a game since a 3-1 loss away to New York City FC on July 3, 2025, a stretch of 14 consecutive matches. 

That run came to a screeching halt on Saturday thanks to some very sloppy defending by the Reds, who conceded a pair of first-half goals that were entirely avoidable.  

Dallas jumped out in front after only nine minutes when Alonso Coello and Kobe Franklin collided with each other while trying to make a clearance inside their penalty area. Toronto then couldn't clear it and the ball was eventually teed up for Petar Musa whose deflected attempt from 12 yards out through traffic beat Luka Gavran.    

The hosts retook the lead in the 38th minute after centre backs Walker Zimmerman and Kosi Thompson couldn't make a play on Logan Farrington when he went up to win a high ball from Musa just outside of the 18-yard area. Farrington then worked his way into the box and expertly sidestepped both TFC defenders before slipping a shot past a helpless Gavran into the bottom right corner.  

On Dallas' winning goal in the 74th minute, TFC couldn't clear away the danger as the hosts continued to recycle the ball. Farrington wasn't properly closed down by Franklin inside the 18-yard box, allowing the Dallas forward to deliver a dangerous cross into the heart of the penalty area. Musa was able to create enough space for himself while being surrounded by three Toronto players to connect on a header that beat Gavran just inside the near post. 

"The disappointing part is that I just didn't think we defended well early on and it set the tone and it led to us being under pressure and chasing the game," Fraser said. 

Captain Jonathan Osorio added: "I think there's a little bit of mixed feelings because there's a lot of positives to take out of the game. But unfortunately, I think a little bit of sloppy collective defending today cost us the game. And that's something that I think we've prided ourselves on starting from the end of last year and going into pre-season. We've been a really good defensive team. So, today we're a little bit let down." 

TFC show grit in twice coming back from a goal down 

Despite the poor defensive showing from the Reds, there were positives to take away from Saturday's road loss, most notably the way they twice fought back from a goal down to claw their way back into the game. 

Petar Musa's opening goal was a bit of a sucker punch, temporarily flooring Toronto. But Robin Fraser's side quickly picked itself off the canvas and equalized just six minutes later. Jonathan Osorio caught Dallas' flat footed with a perfect through ball for Djordje Mihailovic who took two quick touches before beating goalkeeper Michael Collodi with a low shot from inside the box.  

"We lose the ball [and] we kind of counter press and [Derrick Etienne Jr] wins the ball back and it ends up coming to me. While the ball is rolling to me, I take a look up and Djordje is making a great run and I see an opening. So, it's about trying to get the ball to him as quickly as possible so the defender can't intercept it. And I make the pass, and Djordje honestly makes a brilliant first touch and a goal. It was a great play by Djordje," Osorio offered. 

Toronto notched a second equalizer in the 67th minute when substitute Dániel Sallói took a feed from Richie Laryea (who shifted into midfield) and then made a probing run down the middle before unleashing a powerful low shot from 20 yards out that produced a save from Dallas goalkeeper Michael Collodi. Etienne Jr was quick to pounce on the rebound and rather than force it home he chipped it over Collodi at the near post. 

A third leveller never came but it wasn't for a lack of trying from TFC who were swarming all over Dallas for the final 10 minutes of regulation and seven plus minutes of injury time while they defended with a back five. 

"Our response to those goals going down and the feeling and the calmness within the group I thought was really good; something that we've been missing for a long time at this club. We kept believing that we could get ourselves back in the game. And honestly, we fought all the way to the end, and I thought we were close. We were close to getting ourselves at least a point out of it. A couple things go our way, [and] we come out with a draw, which I think felt like at the end of everything we probably deserved that," Osorio said. 

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Man of the match: Derrick Etienne Jr

Derrick Etienne Jr was identified by TFC Republic earlier this week as one of five players who have to step up in a big way this season for Toronto FC after he registered just three appearances in 25 MLS games in 2025. 

Robin Fraser was dealing with a rash of injuries in Dallas which forced him to use some of his players slightly out of their natural positions. Etienne Jr was one of them, pushed forward to lead the line up front. 

He accepted the challenge by putting in a man-of-the-match effort in what was one of his best showings for Toronto since being traded to the club in 2024. 

It was Etienne's heads up play to win back the ball that led to Djordje Mihailovic's opening goal for Toronto. He then kept his cool in notching his first goal of the season to level the score in the second half with a composed finish after being first to a rebound while under pressure from goalkeeper Michael Collodi and a Dallas defender deep inside the box. 

Etienne Jr finished the game with a team-high two shots on target, while also making two key passes – the final pass leading to a shot that does not directly result in a goal. 

"It certainly didn't surprise me that he played well. I thought that he's carrying a ton of momentum right now, coming off a pretty solid pre-season and I thought it was difficult early for him just in that we didn't build as quite as well in the very beginning as we obviously did toward the end," Fraser said. 

"It's difficult for one nine to be up against three centre backs, but I thought overall it was a decent performance, and he worked hard and he gave us some good things." 

Osorio was also impressed with his teammates' work rate on the night. 

"Derrick is a team player, a very unselfish player, he does a lot of dirty work for us wherever he plays. In the striker position, he helps us out a lot. Defensively, we maybe ask a little bit too much of him, but honestly, he was great today," TFC's captain offered. 

(Top photo by Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

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