San Diego FC faced off against Minnesota United on Monday night. The match was played on a Monday because the San Diego State University Football Team had played on Saturday night. Sunday was used to help recover what was left of the pitch for Monday’s match. The matchup against the Loons pitted San Diego FC against a team that was their complete opposite. Minnesota United is a low-possession team that waits for counters and set pieces to score. There were moments when San Diego looked like the better defensive team, needing only a quick strike to take the lead for good.

A Defensive Match Early On

As the match kicked off, there were fairly obvious signs that an American Football game had been played just a couple of days prior. Yard lines were faded but still visible from San Diego State’s home match against San Jose on Saturday. There were also signs of wear and tear on the field. This created a pretty even playing field, as both teams had to contend with the used-up pitch.

Minnesota, with possession first, decided to kick the ball out of play, and the game was underway at Snapdragon Stadium. It was again noted that Minnesota clearly did not want the ball. San Diego had to find ways to penetrate Minnesota’s five-man backline. In the first half, San Diego FC focused on finding the best way to attack. San Diego mostly kept possession on the right side, but they would move the ball back to the left to check for open lanes. Minnesota had their pockets covered. For the Loons, if they received a free kick on their side of the field, their goalkeeper, Dayne St. Clair, would often take the kick as a set-piece opportunity. Minnesota had other set-piece opportunities in San Diego’s half of the pitch, but the defense thwarted them away.

Neither side posed much of a scoring threat. In the 45th minute, Joaquín Pereyra had a shot on goal that skipped straight into the arms and chest of Pablo Sisniega. As the half closed, San Diego dominated possession at 79%, with six total shots but zero shots on target. While San Diego completed 91% of their passes, Minnesota struggled with a 65% completion rate in the first half. San Diego’s home-field advantage might have been the poor field conditions.

Second Half Strike

Being tied 0-0 at the half was not an entirely bad thing for San Diego. As noted in the Minnesota Preview, the Loons are susceptible to late goals, having conceded 12 times in the final 15 minutes of matches. Conversely, San Diego had outscored their opponents by 20 goals in the second half of matches. San Diego was still confident about winning the match.

As the second half began, Minnesota started as the aggressor. Head Coach Eric Ramsey received a yellow card for some sort of physical contact with San Diego’s head coach, Mikey Varas. A minute later, Minnesota was on the attack. A pass from midfield found Robin Lod, who carried it into the penalty area, cut back in front of Manu Duah, and got a shot off that went behind goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega. Ian Pilcher slid towards the goal line to block the shot, and Manu Duah kicked the ball away. The last-minute save was astonishing to watch. The 22-year-old rookie, Ian Pilcher, came in to save the day.

A couple of minutes later, Pilcher was again involved in a one-on-one battle with Pereyra on the far side. Pereyra took a hard touch, allowing Pilcher to box him out and send the ball out of play for a goal kick. This was an incredible effort by the rookie in a big match.

There was one more threat when Kelvin Yeboah ran behind San Diego’s back line in the 64th minute. Yeboah received a pass from Lod from midfield. As Yeboah tried to gain control and run behind the defense, he was met by Pablo Sisniega in the penalty area. Sisniega executed a very clean tackle, going for the ball.

As time approached the 70th minute, only 20 minutes were left in regulation. With Minnesota not pressing and meeting San Diego only halfway, San Diego was easily able to bring the ball over to Minnesota’s side of the pitch in the 72nd minute. With no pressure, Jeppe Tverskov was able to go through his progressions in the midfield. Passes were exchanged with Aníbal Godoy and Ian Pilcher on the right side, until Tverskov finally yelled for someone to make a run toward the penalty area. When Tverskov received the ball back, he sent a pass over the heads of every defender near the penalty area to Corey Baird. Baird caught up to the ball as it was heading out of play and delivered a great back-heel pass that put the ball back in play. Anders Dreyer came in from behind and unleashed a rocket of a shot. The shot went right to the hands of Dayne St. Clair but had enough velocity to send the ball into the back of the net for a goal. That was Dreyer’s fourth postseason goal and 23rd goal in Major League Soccer. For Corey Baird, this marked his third straight match with an assist.

After the goal, the match was essentially over. Minnesota is not a major scoring threat when down by a goal. They would have had to try different tactics, which is not in their DNA. San Diego, up by a goal, looked like a team that wanted a second goal to seal the match. San Diego prevailed with a 1-0 victory in front of a sold-out crowd. San Diego had only one shot on target the entire match, and it was the only one that mattered in the end. San Diego advances to the Western Conference Final on Saturday night against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The winner of that match will advance to the MLS Cup Final.

Vancouver Whitecaps Preview

The Vancouver Whitecaps have never been in this position. Since entering the league in 2011, the Whitecaps have made the playoffs eight times. Their best finish was the conference semifinals, which they hadn’t achieved since 2017.

How did Vancouver get to this position? First, Vancouver had to get past FC Dallas in Round 1. Vancouver beat Dallas 3-0 in the first match and tied the second, ultimately winning in penalties. Their next matchup was against LAFC. The Whitecaps managed to secure a 2-0 first-half lead. In the second half, Heung-min Son scored a goal in the 60th minute and scored on a free-kick goal for a brace in stoppage time. This match went into extra time. Vancouver had to play with only 10 men due to Triston Blackmon’s second yellow card, resulting in a red card. Thomas Müller came out of the match at the start of extra time, possibly due to fatigue or an injury. Another player came off the field due to injury, forcing the Whitecaps to play with another man down since they had no substitutions left. The odds were against Vancouver, but they somehow managed to survive extra time unscathed. The match headed into penalties, which Vancouver won 4-3 to advance to the Western Conference Final.

Vancouver is a team very similar to San Diego. This season, Vancouver ranked sixth in possession with 53.4%, was tied for third in goals with 65, and was third in expected goals (xG) with 63.1. San Diego, by comparison, was ranked first with 60.8% of possession, was fourth in goals with 64, and was 11th in xG with 54.4. On the other side of the ball, Vancouver is second in fewest goals allowed with 38, while San Diego is fifth with 41. Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka had the fourth-lowest Goals Allowed per 90 minutes (GA90) with 1.12. San Diego just played against one of the best in this category, Dayne St. Clair, who had a GA90 of 1.00. In the passing game, Vancouver is quite accurate with their long passes, completing 62.3%, making them second best. San Diego is third on that list at 60.7%. The difference between these two teams is the way they score goals. Vancouver relies more on set pieces, where they were tied for third with 15 goals scored. San Diego, however, scores more on a counterattack, stretching the field in transition.

The key piece for Vancouver’s recent success has been the addition of Thomas Müller. Müller is a Bundesliga legend who played his entire career with Bayern Munich, where he scored over 230 goals. Müller also earned 130 caps with Germany. The 36 year-old has won the Bundesliga 13 times with Bayern Munich, is a two-time Champions League winner, and won the World Cup in 2014 with Germany. Müller is an attacking midfielder with a great ability to score goals like a striker. Since being acquired in the summer transfer window, Müller has appeared in 10 matches and has scored 8 goals with 3 assists. Vancouver has a record of 6-5-1 since acquiring Müller.

San Diego has played Vancouver twice this season with mixed results. The first match was a 5-3 San Diego win, mostly due to Milan Iloski’s four goals in that match. The Whitecaps were missing some key players like Brian White and Sebastian Berhalter due to the Gold Cup. The second match was a 1-1 draw at home. San Diego was missing a key piece in their backline, as Chris McVey was out for that match. Manu Duah scored an unfortunate own goal for Vancouver. San Diego managed to get one back with a late goal, Ian Pilcher’s first-ever goal. Vancouver had open chances to make it 2-1 but failed to successfully score a second goal. San Diego did not see Thomas Müller in either match, as the second match happened before the transfer window. This will be the first time the German national plays in San Diego.

San Diego FC delivered a crushing 4-0 defeat to the Portland Timbers in a decisive Game 3 of the playoffs. This was a true do-or-die contest on Sunday night, with the victor earning the right to advance to the Western Conference Semifinal against Minnesota United. SDFC was determined to secure a win in regulation, having been forced into penalties and ultimately defeated after Portland’s late equalizer in Game 2.

SDFC’s starting lineup featured only one change: goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega started in place of CJ Dos Santos, who was recovering from a head injury sustained in Game 2. Star player Chucky Lozano remained absent from the starting XI for the fourth straight match, despite having scored and played 75 minutes in Game 2. For the Portland Timbers, Jimmer Fory returned from a one-game suspension. The match started with immediate aggression from Portland, highlighted by four fouls called in just three minutes. San Diego’s tactical response to this physicality was swift and focused: they answered with goals.

First Half: Valakari Ignites the Attack

The build-up to the first goal began after a throw-in from Portland’s Finn Surman. After Manu Duah and Zuparic battled for a header, Luca Bombino settled the ball and quickly passed it to Onni Valakari, who then found Amahl Pellegrino. When Pellegrino’s subsequent pass was blocked, Valakari recovered the ball and drove toward the penalty area. He delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Anders Dreyer, who kicked the ball on the volley to score San Diego’s first goal. The pass was well timed, with Valakari’s pass being right on the money of Dreyer’s feet, and Dreyer’s positioning was incredible.

The second goal began moments later when Luca Bombino dispossessed Kristoffer Velde. The ball moved through a series of passes to the midfield then back to the goalkeeper, forward to Manu Duah, and then to Onni Valakari. Valakari quickly played a one-two with Anders Dreyer before dribbling uncontested into Portland’s area. Valakari threaded the ball into the penalty area for a running Amahl Pellegrino, whose header was saved by a diving goalkeeper Pantemis. The rebound, however, fell straight to Pellegrino’s feet, and he immediately shot and scored SDFC’s second goal. Valakari’s perfect placement of the ball was once again credited. This marked Valakari’s first time this season with multiple assists in one match, and his first assist since decision day on October 18. The score was 2-0 in the 19th minute.

In the 27th minute, Portland mounted a serious attempt to cut the lead, resulting in a crucial defensive sequence. A poor pass by Chris McVey led to a turnover, allowing David Costa to control the ball and pass it to Antony. Antony controlled the ball inside the penalty area and passed it centrally, where Fory headed it. The shot was deflected off Chris McVey’s chest and headed toward the goal line, only for Sisniega to stop it with his knee cap as he slid back. McVey then cleared the ball away, keeping the score at 2-0. First-half statistics showed San Diego dominating with 63% possession, 10 total shots (three on target), and an improved 82% passing completion. Portland had 37% possession and eight total shots (three on target).

Sealing the Victory with Two Braces

San Diego’s start to the second half was initially shaky due to Portland’s aggressive pressure, but the team quickly regained control in the 53rd minute. Following a foul on Valakari, the ball was played to Jeppe Tverskov. After a sequence of passes, Dreyer dummied the ball to let it run through to Tverskov, who dribbled uncontested toward the box. Tverskov passed to Dreyer, who quickly slotted it to Corey Baird, and Baird delivered a cross to Amahl Pellegrino, who volleyed the shot into the net. This was Pellegrino’s second goal of the match and his second brace of the season. Pellegrino’s excellent form continues, with nine goal contributions in the last six matches.

With the score at 3-0, Portland’s chance of a comeback became minimal. In the 70th minute, San Diego made offensive substitutions, bringing in Marcus Ingvartsen for Corey Baird and Chucky Lozano for Amahl Pellegrino. This clearly signaled that SDFC was still looking to score, even with the match well in hand. The final goal came in the 78th minute. After a throw-in, Tverskov kicked the ball forward. Though Marcus Ingvartsen was held up by Zuparic, Lozano received the ball behind him and dribbled just outside the penalty area. Lozano delivered a pass through the box to Anders Dreyer, who quickly tapped it in for his second goal of the night. This was Dreyer’s second goal of the night and his sixth multi-goal game of the season. Just a minute later, in the 80th minute, Portland’s Juan Mosquera received a red card. This final expulsion confirmed to every Timbers fan that their season was over.

Looking Ahead to the Semifinal

San Diego FC’s season continues as they advance to the Western Conference Semifinal against Minnesota United, with the single-elimination match scheduled for November 24 at Snapdragon Stadium. The international break will allow some players to compete for their countries, while others will have a chance to recover and study film of Minnesota United. SDFC had mixed results against the Loons this season, taking a 4-2 win in St. Paul but a 1-3 loss at Snapdragon Stadium in a match where Dayne St Claire had the match of his life. The Loons’ recent form is tricky to say if it is due to good play or good luck, as they were outscored 7-5 in regulation in their three playoff matches against the Seattle Sounders but won two of those matches at home due to penalties. Coach Mikey Varas and the team will have plenty of time to plan for this big match at home. But for now, San Diego is riding high on the success of their first-year expansion team having another match to look forward to. The tremendous support from the fans on a Sunday night showed that this city has always been a great soccer town.

San Diego FC traveled to Portland, Oregon, for the second time in two weeks, to face off against the Portland Timbers in a crucial playoff match. This contest carried more weight than their previous encounter on October 18th. A loss meant elimination for Portland, while a win would send San Diego to the Western Conference Semifinal. SDFC quickly found out they were facing a different Timbers club with a higher intensity level.

First Half: Portland’s Press, Injury, and SDFC’s Response

Portland immediately exhibited a high-pressing style. This intensity created early pressure, notably when Manu Duah’s attempt to pass the ball around Kristoffer Velde was blocked, resulting in a turnover and a shot on target from David Ayala that was saved by goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos. Velde later had another shot that went off the far side post.

The pressure paid off in the 18th minute when Portland took the lead. Following a series of passes and a long kick from goalkeeper James Pantemis , Antony used his speed to catch the ball, fight off Chris McVey , and delivered a pass to Kristoffer Velde. Velde shot the ball with authority into the back of the net, marking his second consecutive game with a goal and Antony’s second consecutive assist.

Portland’s continued aggression led to a severe injury seconds after the restart. Velde sent a pass into the penalty area , where Kevin Kelsey, running toward the ball, accidentally kicked CJ Dos Santos right in the face. Dos Santos was knocked out cold and needed a stretcher to leave the pitch. The team later updated that Dos Santos suffered a fractured cheekbone. Pablo Sisniega came on to replace Dos Santos. Due to the head injury and concussion protocol, both teams received an extra substitution over the 5-limit. The match tempo subsequently slowed, favoring SDFC.

San Diego took advantage of some sloppy play by Portland, intercepting passes and dispossessing players , to find their equalizer late in stoppage time. After recovering a long pass from the Timbers, the ball moved through Ian Pilcher, Manu Duah, Anibal Godoy, Anders Dreyer, and Corey Baird. Baird cut back inside and delivered a pass to Amahl Pellegrino. Pellegrino’s shot went toward the upper right corner of the goal, knotting the match at 1-1. This was Baird’s first assist with San Diego and Pellegrino’s 4th goal in 4 matches. The first half concluded with SDFC having 64% possession compared to Portland’s 36% , and a slight edge in expected goals (xG) at 0.51 to Portland’s 0.47. The match was highly physical, with Portland accumulating 14 fouls compared to San Diego’s 4.

Second Half: Lozano’s Lead and Late Collapse

Chucky Lozano came on at the start of the second half for Corey Baird, making his return to the pitch since the first half at Houston back on October 4th. SDFC took the lead shortly after: Franco Negri passed the ball into the penalty area to Anders Dreyer, whose shot was blocked by the goalkeeper but ricocheted back to Chucky Lozano, who scored the goal. Lozano celebrated by kissing the badge multiple times. San Diego held a 2-1 lead with 40 minutes left.

As the half progressed, SDFC began to play defensively , shifting to a five-man backline and focusing on defending their lead. The team made substitutions, bringing in Paddy McNair for Ian Pilcher and Luca De La Torre and Marcus Ingvartsen for Anibal Godoy and Pellegrino. San Diego’s lack of aggression was apparent in the final minutes; during a corner kick in the 90th minute, they elected to take the ball short with no one in the penalty area.

Eight minutes of stoppage time were announced, and Portland pressed for the equalizer. In the final seconds of stoppage time , Ariel Lassiter kicked the ball into the penalty area, where he found Gage Guerra, who scored the final goal of the match in regulation. Guerra, Portland’s final substitute , was able to get in front of Luca De La Torre and win the aerial duel to tie the score.

The Penalty Shootout

The penalty shootout, held directly in front of the fervent Timbers Army, was a dramatic and ultimately heartbreaking conclusion for SDFC. Despite substitute goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega’s heroics—diving to block shots from Cristhian Paredes and Omir Fernandez—San Diego’s offensive production from the spot faltered. After Anders Dreyer and Chucky Lozano successfully converted their initial kicks, SDFC followed with three straight misses from Onni Valakari, Marcus Ingvartsen, and Jeppe Tverskov. The Portland Timbers, with successful kicks from Felipe Mora, Kristoffer Velde, and Antony, secured the 3-2 victory in the shootout, leveling the Best-of-3 series and forcing the decisive Game 3 back in San Diego this Sunday night.

MLS Game 3 Elimination Matches

San Diego is not the only team playing in a Game 3 elimination game. Game 3 in Round 1 will start this Friday with the match between Charlotte FC vs New York City FC. Three more elimination games will all play on Saturday: Minnesota United vs Seattle Sounders, FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew, and Inter Miami vs Nashville. Finally, the series between San Diego FC vs Portland Timbers will kick off Sunday as the last match in Round 1.

San Diego FC (SDFC) went on the road and remained unbeaten through nine matches. This victory over the Houston Dynamo was a memorable one, as San Diego finally secured the most wins and points for an expansion team in MLS history.

The last time SDFC faced Houston, the total score was seven goals, with the Dynamo sealing a victory by scoring the final two goals late in the match. This time, it was San Diego’s turn to deliver late-game heroics, scoring three goals very late in the match for a 4-2 victory.

First Half Action: Houston Strikes First

To start the match, SDFC’s ball movement was excellent. The ball flowed effectively from the backline to the midfield and into the final third—the kind of style SDFC aims to play every game. SDFC’s plan was working until the 14th minute when Houston decided to high press and put pressure on goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos near his own goal. Dos Santos passed the ball wide to the near side to Aiden Harangi, who was also under pressure. Harangi passed it short to Anders Dreyer, who got the ball away quickly, but it was intercepted by Junior Urso. Urso dribbled the ball to the center of the field and passed it wide to Griffin Dorsey. As Dorsey received the ball, he was fouled by Franco Negri just a few yards outside the penalty area, resulting in a free kick.

On the free kick, Ondrej Lingr kicked the ball toward the goal, where it was deflected off of Chris McVey’s head. The ball went back to Dorsey in the central area of the pitch. Dorsey then sent a pass centrally into the penalty area, where it was deflected again, this time by Anibal Godoy’s head. The ball traveled toward the far-side post, where Lingr retrieved it and kicked it toward the six-yard box. Felipe Vieira was able to slide and kick the ball into the back of the net for the opening goal.

For SDFC, that goal was a breakdown in coverage, as Houston overloaded the far post with more players than San Diego had on that side. This was Vieira’s fourth goal of the season. By the end of the half, San Diego FC had 69% possession and 11 shots (two on target). Houston had 31% possession and seven shots (two on target). SDFC had six corner kicks, with the final one ending after a short pass to Manu Duah with Duah sending a pass wide and out of play. The first half ended with Houston leading 1-0.

Second Half: A Late-Game Surge

The second half began with two substitutions for SDFC: Amahal Pellegrino came on for Chucky Lozano, and Ian Pilcher subbed in for Franco Negri. Pellegrino’s presence was immediately felt. In the 48th minute, a Houston corner kick was headed out toward the near side. Godoy retrieved the ball and passed it to Pellegrino. Pellegrino passed the ball across the pitch to Anders Dreyer, who dribbled it into Houston’s half. Dreyer then passed the ball to Harangi, who was running toward the penalty area. Harangi passed the ball into the six-yard box to Pellegrino, who was pushed by a defender and went down right on the line. No foul was called initially, but after a VAR review, SDFC was awarded a penalty kick. Anders Dreyer took the penalty, shooting the ball with intent to the goalkeeper’s left, past the diving Jonathan Bond, to level the score at one.

The Late Goals

With the score tied and less than 15 minutes remaining in regulation, there was hope for SDFC. On the Chromainacs podcast this week, we had noted that in seven of Houston’s last 10 matches, they had conceded four times in the final 15 minutes of regulation plus stoppage time. San Diego FC had plenty of time to score and win. A crucial substitution occurred in the 84th minute when Luca De La Torre came in for Anibal Godoy. A minute later, the ball went back to Dos Santos, who passed it to Ian Pilcher. Pilcher dribbled a few yards, passed to De La Torre, who then passed back to Onni Valakari. Valakari passed the ball centrally at midfield to Dreyer, who then sent it out to Willy Kumado on the far side. Kumado passed the ball centrally into the penalty area, where Pellegrino kneed it out to De La Torre, who kicked it into the back of the net for SDFC’s second goal. That was Pellegrino’s first assist with San Diego and De La Torre’s fifth goal of the season.

The lead was short-lived. In the 87th minute, Chris McVey mishandled a pass and was dispossessed by Lawerence Ennali. Sergio Santos retrieved the ball, dribbled into the penalty area, got a shot off, and scored Houston’s second goal, leveling the score at two. This was the second time in the match that poor play by McVey led to an opponent’s shot, with Ennali also having taken the ball away in the 62nd minute. Houston remained aggressive in their pursuit of a third goal, needing more than a point to stay alive in their playoff race. However, after a goal kick, Houston faced a high press from San Diego. Alex Mighten deflected a pass, which ended up with Luca De La Torre inside the Houston penalty area. De La Torre passed the ball back to Anders Dreyer. With the keeper coming toward him, Dreyer passed the ball to his left to Pellegrino, who was also inside the box. Pellegrino remained patient before making the correct choice: passing the ball back to Dreyer, who was running toward the goal and was able to take the shot and score. This was a brace for Anders Dreyer, bringing his season totals to 17 goals and 33 goal contributions. It was also Dreyer’s fourth brace of the season and Pellegrino’s second assist of the match.

Just for good measure, San Diego ended the match with one more goal. After a goal kick by Dos Santos, the ball was headed around midfield until Jeppe Tverskov gained possession. Tverskov kicked the ball to Pellegrino, who was heading toward the penalty area with a defender on him. Pellegrino beat the defender, took a shot to the goalkeeper’s left, and put the ball in the net for the final goal. Pellegrino, who came in at halftime, contributed three goals in the half. He had 13 touches in the attacking third and led the team with five touches in the penalty area. Having Pellegrino come off the bench might be the ideal rotation for San Diego FC moving forward.

Record-Breaking Season

With the win, San Diego has 18 wins and 60 points, both records for any first-year MLS team. Earning more than 60 points in any season is a significant achievement. For comparison, in 2023, St. Louis topped the conference with 17 wins and 56 points, and in 2021, the Colorado Rapids led the conference with 61 points. This season, it will take more than 60 points to keep the top spot in the Western Conference. With one match remaining, San Diego could potentially end the season with 63 points.

Speaking of the final match, it won’t happen for another two weeks as San Diego will take a break while International play resumes. This is a great time to rest players. Five players have been called up for international play: Anders Dreyer, Anibal Godoy, Paddy McNair, Chucky Lozano, and David Vasquez. Additionally, Duran Ferree, Pedro Soma, and Luca Bombino are already playing in the U20 World Cup and may miss the final match against the Portland Timbers.