Before Saturday night, the last time Greg Garza was on a bus leaving a stadium, his right foot wore a boot and the mood was bleak.
Having just recovered from a calf injury that kept him out of five matches, six minutes into the loss at Orlando City SC, Garza suffered a non-contact injury, hobbled toward the sideline and laid in pain. It was calf injury with another lengthy period on the sideline.
So, when Garza sat on the bus Saturday night with full health and following his first appearance since May 19, it was the brightest moment for FC Cincinnati in a night finished with a frustrating 3-1 loss.
“We use our bodies each and every day, and the last thing that comes to your mind is you’re going to get injured,” Garza said. “But you go through those times in your career and I’ve been in those times. The most important thing is finally getting on the field again and trying to build confidence within myself.”
Garza started and played an hour for Cincinnati in the loss to FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. While the result isn’t what Garza and the Orange and Blue hoped for, his return was a refreshing occasion in a season needing more positivity.
When healthy, the left back is one of FCC’s top players and a U.S. Men’s National Team member. The problem, however, is he hasn’t been healthy.
His 2019 began with a groin injury in January at USMNT camp. During the preseason, it got worse, and he wasn’t able to play until March 10 in the 1-1 draw at Atlanta United FC – his last club.
He played a few more matches before a calf injury forced him to miss most of April and early May. Another injury came in Orlando.
As FCC close out the last six matches in the regular season, for Garza, the most important thing is being healthy enough to be a weekly option for Head Coach Ron Jans. Saturday night was his first chance to showcase his talent for the new Dutch coach.
“I was very happy with Greg Garza coming back to the game,” Jans said. “We knew he couldn’t play for 90 minutes, but this is a good restart for him.”
His return couldn’t have come in a better location.
Playing the match in Frisco, Garza’s return was 25 miles from Grapevine, his hometown where he lived the first 12 years of his life.
The last time he was at Toyota Stadium was in 2015 with the U.S. for the Concacaf Gold Cup, but he was an unused substitute.
“It’s always nice playing in front of family and friends,” he said. “I took pride in that. My grandma is almost 96 years old and to actually be able to play in front of her, that’s something very special.”
