Since August 29, San Diego FC has not secured a victory in Major League Soccer.
With only five games left and their playoff chances dwindling, Saturday’s match in Carson presents an opportunity to break that streak while gaining points against a rival team.
SDFC (8-12-9, 33 points) is set to face the LA Galaxy at 7:30 p.m. at Dignity Health Sports Park. Positioned 12th in the Western Conference, San Diego is trailing ninth-place Colorado by five points. Meanwhile, the Galaxy (10-11-9, 39 points) hold the eighth spot, which is the first of the two wild-card positions.
A win would trim San Diego’s gap with the Galaxy from six points to three, with SDFC having one fewer game played. Conversely, a defeat would make their path to the postseason even more challenging.
Wednesday’s 3-3 draw against Houston at Snapdragon Stadium showcased the team’s recurring blend of promise and disappointment. Anders Dreyer scored from the penalty spot in the 20th minute, followed by Cédric Bakambu doubling the advantage just two minutes later. However, by the 37th minute, Houston had netted three unanswered goals, seizing control of the match.
Gabriel Pirani salvaged a point in the 86th minute by tapping in a rebound after a corner kick, yet his late equalizer couldn’t erase the damage from the brief 13-minute defensive lapse.
“The mountain we’re climbing just got a little bit steeper,” coach Mikey Varas reflected afterward. “But we’re still in this thing. Now we need to regroup and find some consistency.”
Consistency has proven elusive for the team. San Diego has shown flashes of good soccer but has struggled to maintain it long enough to secure wins.
In their last six league matches, they faced losses against San Jose, Philadelphia, and the New York Red Bulls, with draws against Inter Miami, Austin, and Houston. Five of these six matches saw SDFC conceding three or more goals.
Captain Jeppe Tverskov highlighted lapses in intensity that permitted opponents to exploit defensive openings. Against Houston, he noted that SDFC lost grip on a match they initially controlled and spent the remainder of the night attempting to recover.
“A point here and there isn’t going to cut it for us anymore,” Tverskov stated. “So, we need to keep our heads up and focus on securing three points.”
Fortunately for San Diego, the Galaxy have historically been a welcome opponent.
San Diego has emerged victorious in all three encounters against the Galaxy since entering MLS, starting with a 2-0 triumph in their inaugural match in Carson on February 23, 2025. SDFC followed up with a 2-1 home win that May and a 3-1 victory at Snapdragon Stadium on August 29—marking their last win before the current seven-match winless streak in the league.
Dreyer contributed assists on all three goals in the August matchup, scored by Elias Achouri, Kieran Sargeant, and Amahl Pellegrino. San Diego successfully maintained its lead despite Tverskov’s ejection in the second half. The Galaxy managed to score once through Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, San Diego’s first designated player, who had recently joined L.A. on loan.
However, Saturday’s encounter will not see an on-field reunion. Lozano is sidelined due to a thigh injury, along with Galaxy forward Kyōgo Furuhashi. San Diego lists defender Osvald Søe as its only unavailable player.
Nonetheless, the Galaxy remain a formidable offensive threat. Marco Reus scored his eighth goal of the season and assisted in Wednesday’s 2-0 home win over Portland, marking seven goal contributions over the past seven matches. His free kick led to Justin Haak’s header in the second half, while Robert Taylor assisted on Reus’ goal.
This victory was a crucial response following Sunday’s 6-2 defeat at St. Louis. Although the Galaxy have had defensive challenges, Wednesday’s clean sheet provided a sense of stability ahead of another critical Western Conference clash.
San Diego boasts the offensive prowess to exploit the Galaxy’s weaknesses. Dreyer and Marcus Ingvartsen each have 12 league goals, while Bakambu has netted three times in six matches since joining SDFC, scoring in consecutive games. Pirani’s goal against Houston highlighted the team’s attacking potential, despite ongoing defensive issues undermining it.
Wednesday’s frustrations led to disciplinary repercussions as MLS imposed fines on SDFC, as well as Varas, Pirani, and performance scientist Carson O’Coyne for violating the league’s Mass Confrontation Policy after the Houston match. The Dynamo’s coach Ben Olsen, midfielder Duane Holmes, and defender Lucas Halter were also fined, but no suspensions were announced.
For Varas, the key focus remains transforming promising phases into complete performances.
San Diego FC has demonstrated its capability to defeat the Galaxy. Now, it must prove it can clinch a win again before its remaining chances slip away.
