Credit: Tammy Ryan/ EVT Sports
San Diego FC became the first team to qualify for the MLS playoffs after playing to a draw vs the Portland Timbers.
Now what?
That was the question that head coach Mikey Varas asked his team in the locker room after the match. The truth is, there is much left to play for in the remaining six games. Let’s dive in.
A Surprising Starting XI
SDFC Starting Lineup
In a surprising turn of events, newly signed Corey Baird got the nod for the starting center forward position. As expected, Franco Negri started in the wing-back position after both – Oscar Verhoeven and Aidan Harangi were unavailable due to injuries. Luca de la Torre returned to the starting roster after playing a partial game in San Jose due to rest. Onni Valakari replaced Anibal Godoy in the right-mid position as the veteran got a little bit of time to rest his legs.
A Few Chances, A Few Injuries
Baird showed a little bit of magic early on with a couple of cheeky touches that sent Anders Dreyer through on goal. The Escondido native is known for his hard work ethic, and he showcased that by bringing energy into the attacking third. Portland appeared to welcome San Diego’s high press — a tactic Varas had pointed out before the match.
That pressure paid off when midfielder Onni Valakari forced a turnover and immediately slipped a pass to Anders Dreyer. The league leader in goal contributions looked to add another assist, curling a cross into the box that Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano buried. Snapdragon erupted — but the celebration was cut short as the flag went up for offside, and the goal was waved off.
After Baird slipped a pass into the path of Dreyer, the Dane was in on goal and had no problem finishing his chance. The referee called it offside, and the VAR confirmed that the call was indeed correct. That brought the tally up to two goals disallowed.
In unfortunate news, Baird came off the field limping after a non-contact injury. As he headed into the locker room with an apparent hamstring injury in the 40th minute, his SDFC debut was done.
The injuries didn’t stop there. The already thin roster seemed to get a little thinner after Franco Negri came off with apparent leg cramps.
Corey Baird leaves the game with a potential hamstring injury. His debut lasted only 40 minutes. @EVT_News #sdfc pic.twitter.com/2Zo5ucBxcU
— SDFC Nation (@SDFC_Nation) August 24, 2025
A Couple of Debuts
Leo Duru makes his debut. Credit: SDFC
Corey Baird wasn’t the only one making a debut in front of a crowd of 27,810. Right-back Leo Duru, who was just signed from Blackburn Rovers, made his entrance into the game in the 58th minute to replace Negri. Duru showed composure and got involved immediately after coming in when he made a strong tackle to win a 50/50 ball. It’s not unreasonable to think that Duru will get plenty more opportunities for minutes as SDFC is currently dealing with a spell of injuries.
San Diego FC’s newest signing, Amahl Pellegrino, saw action in the 81st minute when he came on to replace Chucky Lozano. The ex-San Jose Earthquake player got a chance to alter the game when he got on the end of a through ball. His shot went off a Timber defender, and the referee called for a penalty in an apparent handball. However, a VAR check determined that the ball hit the thigh of the player instead, and it was waived off.
Now What?
Question of the Night
Which expansion team was the fastest to qualify for the playoffs? A: YOUR 2025 San Diego Football Club. pic.twitter.com/HUHbr7hSP2 — San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) August 25, 2025
Head coach Mikey Varas addressed the team after the game with a encouraging message. “They’re happy, we feel down. But that’s good. Because that means we are building something here. We’re really developing something here.”
“That point is still a point that moves us in that direction where we want to go. Now what? That’s my question to you guys. Now what? And now we go for more.”
The draw at home and a Philadelphia win saw The Union move to first overall in the Supporters’ Shield standings. As it stands now, with six games left in the regular season, San Diego is one point behind The Union for the overall best record and three points ahead of Minnesota in the Western Conference.
As much as San Diego would love to win the Supporters’ Shield, they must focus on getting the number one seed in the West and a crucial first-round bye. Not only will that give them an advantage of resting, but it will also give them time to scout the opponent and play a team whose legs are just a little more tired than theirs.
Looking Ahead
In the next two weeks, SDFC will face two top-five teams in LAFC and Minnesota. A proper test of character and focus ensues as both of the opponents mentioned are making a push to claim the highest playoff seed possible.
The main goal will be to get through the remaining regular-season games as healthy as possible. SDFC is known for its ‘next-man-up’ mentality, but realistically, there just isn’t much time to bring up the young new signings enough to be ready to start crucial games where one mistake could cost you an entire season.
Things Are Getting More Competitive
Tomas Angel watched Saturday’s game from the stands as he did not dress for the game. Varas was asked about this in the post-match press conference. “Things are getting more competitive”, Varas said. “It’s about these guys earning their spots, not only for playing time but also on the roster.”
Angel has not impressed in the recent few opportunities that he’s gotten during Marcus Ingvartsen’s injury. “They know that if they perform the right way, they’ll get their opportunity”, Varas added.
Ingvartsen was held out of the match against Portland in order to preserve his return from injury. After earning an assist and getting a goal against San Jose, Ingvartsen looks to continue to solidify his number nine position. He should get a start against LAFC on Sunday. With Baird now injured, it’s imperative that Ingvartsen stays healthy for SDFC.
Full time 0-0 but San Diego celebrates regardless as they have reached the playoffs in the inaugural season. @EVT_News #sdfc pic.twitter.com/KqGh0iqHx3
— SDFC Nation (@SDFC_Nation) August 24, 2025
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Dmitry Anisimov is a San Diego native who played soccer up to the college level when he represented the SDSU Men’s Club Soccer team. Growing up in San Diego, Dmitry is a fan of all the home teams but he specifically couldn’t wait until San Diego got an MLS team. Once that dream became reality, Dmitry married his love for writing and the game of soccer to portray a voice of the San Diego soccer community. There is a deep-rooted love of soccer culture in San Diego and Dmitry hopes to bring it to light through his pre and post-game coverage of all things San Diego FC.
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