San Diego FC defeat New York Red Bulls 6-0 for first and only preseason win
Credit: SDFC
San Diego FC played its third and final preseason match ahead of the 2025 MLS regular season this Saturday, February 15. SDFC faced New York Red Bulls at the Empire Polo Fields in Coachella, CA.
San Diego had lost its two previous games against New York City (3-1) and Portland Timbers (3-0). Mikey Varas started arguably his best 11 for this final match.
This was the starting 11: CJ dos Santos, Jasper Loffelsend, Christopher Mcvey, Paddy McNair, Franco Negri, Jeppe Tverskov, Anibal Godoy, Luca De La Torre, Anders Dreyer, Marcus Invartsen, Hirving Lozano.
This seems more like a possible lineup for the season-opener against LA Galaxy in Carson, Calif. on February 23.
CHUCKY LOZANO ON THE BREAK
BOYS ARE BUZZIN pic.twitter.com/8RKKWhs3Ox
— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) February 15, 2025
The first goal of the match came early for San Diego with a calm and composed finish by Anders Dreyer inside of the penalty area. Hirving Lozano assisted the Danish player with a perfect pass into the box.
Lozano kept the momentum going with a goal in the 16th minute as he had a one-on-one opportunity with the opposing goalkeeper that he was not going to miss. In the 39th minute, Luca De La Torre scored a very similar one to the one that “Chucky” scored via a calm and precise finish on a one-on-one breakaway.
LOOK AT THIS TOUCH BY LDLT
San Diego’s own, if you will. pic.twitter.com/vtnJr1If5s
— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) February 15, 2025
SDFC was comfortably winning 3-0 at the half and went on to score three more goals in the second half. Anders Dreyer netted his second goal of the match to make it 4-0 with a very precise shot from the penalty half-circle.
Hirving Lozano then continued his impressive offensive display with another assist in SDFC’s fifth goal of the game. The Mexican international passed the ball to Marcus Ingvartsen, who finished the scoring opportunity with ease inside of the penalty area.
San Diego never turned down the energy or the aggressiveness in this match and were able to earn a penalty near the final whistle. Emmanuel Boateng took the penalty to perfection to seal the 6-0 scoreline in the valley.
After losing the first two games, this was exactly the type of match that San Diego needed to close out the preseason. The next step for SDFC is full preparation for the opening match against MLS Champions’ LA Galaxy away from home.
This has the potential to be a very tough opener for an expansion team like San Diego FC along with the expectations that a San Diego-Los Angeles rivalry brings. This is by far the best SDFC has ever looked and in many ways it was thanks to the lineup that was set for the day. The quick tempo of Lozano, Dreyer and Ingvartsen in the attack really added a lot of dynamism to Varas’ frontline.
It will be interesting to see if Mikey Varas decides to go for this exact starting 11 for the season opener against the Galaxy.
Francisco, 28, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego FC, San Diego Wave. I have covered Liga MX, MLS, Mexico National Team, USWNT, Copa América and European clubs like Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund.