Matthew Catavolo has a bevy of experience, including 16 games in the professional ranks and time with the Canadian national teams, and he’s grateful for where his soccer skill has taken him and eager to share his experiences with his Fort Wayne FC teammates.
“It’s something I’ll never forget, being able to represent my country at the U-17 and U-20 levels. It was honor and an amazing experience,” said Catavolo, a 22-year-old forward who hails from Montreal. “I’ll never forget those moments and I can share those experiences with the guys and help my teammates move in the right direction, which is to win and to compete.”
Fort Wayne FC began its USL League Two season with a 2-0 victory Saturday over the Dayton Dutch Lions in West Carrollton, Ohio, and will take to the pitch 7 p.m. Friday against Lexington SC in Lexington, Kentucky.
Lexington also won its first match of the season Saturday, 2-1 over Kings Hammer FC Columbus.
“I’m very happy with our first game,” Catavolo said. “Obviously, we’re all fairly new to each other – news teammates, new staff – and it was a short period of time (to get familiar). But getting those three points was a great feeling.
“Every week, we’re improving our identity and we’re starting to see the pieces of the puzzle being put together. I’m happy with how the first few weeks have gone and this will be a huge game. We want to get the three points and grow our identity and build on what we worked on this week.”
Fort Wayne FC, which won the Valley Division in 2023 and 2024, got goals against Dayton from Mamadou Diarra and Caio Oliveira.
Catavolo played 36 matches between 2023 and 2024 for Toronto FC II in MLS Next Pro and scored a goal. He has 16 games of pro experience from 2022 in the Canadian Premier League with Valour FC.
And in six matches for Canada’s U-20 team, he scored three times.
“It’s always been about my technical abilities and my calmness on the ball, and my offensive contributions,” he said. “That’s what I want to bring to this team. Our identity is one where we like to have the ball and we work well together, and I want to help the team be successful.”
Fort Wayne FC will play its first home match of the USL League Two season 7 p.m. Wednesday at Bishop D’Arcy Stadium against Kings Hammer FC Columbus. It will be Report Card Night and students with an ‘A’ or equivalent grade on their report card will get in free with a paid adult ticket day of match.
On May 31, Fort Wayne FC hosts Kings Hammer FC Cincinnati for Mental Health Awareness and Healthcare Workers Night. With ID or proper credentials, Healthcare and Mental Health Professionals can take advantage of a Buy One, Get One Free offer on tickets on the day of the match.
In the latest USL League Two Power Rankings, Fort Wayne FC moved up three spots to No. 8.
About Fort Wayne FC
Fort Wayne FC, founded in 2019, is currently a pre-professional club in USL League Two’s Valley Division in the Central Conference. The club won Valley Division championships in 2023 and 2024. Fort Wayne FC is moving to the professional ranks of USL League One in 2026 at a new state-of-the-art stadium. www.fortwaynefc.com
About United Soccer League
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. This structure includes four men’s leagues: the newly announced, top-tier professional Division I league, the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The women’s pathway includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country’s leading pre-professional women’s league. The USL also oversees USL Academy, a progressive talent development platform, and USL Youth, a premier national youth platform.
