For the first time in San Diego FC’s short club history, the fans will have the chance to cheer on the number one team in the Western Division.

Saturday is shaping up to deliver a thunderous return home when SDFC takes on a struggling Houston Dynamo.

After a grueling (but successful) three-game road trip, The Frontera is ready to erupt—drums pounding, voices loud—as they welcome their club back with the full force of their passion.

Let’s break down the week: the good, the bad, and everything in between.

The good: Dreyer shines, McVey locked in

More Accolades for Anders Dreyer

Anders Dreyer continues to shine on the league’s biggest stage, earning MLS Player of the Month honors. The Danish Designated Player has become an integral part of San Diego’s attack, exceeding expectations with his consistent production.

At the midway point of the season, Dreyer leads Major League Soccer with 13 assists. He’s been directly involved in the majority of San Diego’s goals, not just as a creator but as a finisher. Perhaps his most underrated quality is his availability—Dreyer has started all 20 matches this season, a level of consistency that’s rare and invaluable.  

Leading @sandiegofc to #1 in the West ✅ Player of the Month ✅

Anders Dreyer is on fire. 👏 ✏️: https://t.co/m3kaDDkmiD pic.twitter.com/sVa2m60yFv — Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 2, 2025

Christopher McVey Contract Extension

In another positive development, San Diego FC announced a contract extension for versatile defender Christopher McVey, keeping him with the club through 2027 with an option for 2028. Like Dreyer, McVey has started all 20 matches and proven himself to be a cornerstone of the team’s success.

Head coach Mikey Varas experimented with various options in the back at the beginning of the season. San Diego FC found themselves with a good problem to have: they had multiple defenders who were more than capable of doing the job. Varas intended to find the best combination of players with the highest chemistry. A key player in that plan has always been McVey.

Since then, McVey proved himself worthy. He currently leads MLS in passes attempted (1,620) and in touches (1,796). McVey becomes the second player to receive an extension. In late May, San Diego FC re-signed starting goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos. The club’s recent success is a key factor in the decisions to lock down a core of players they can build around for the foreseeable future.  

a lot more of this… https://t.co/op8imGjoB5 pic.twitter.com/LLFe3xITzw

— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) July 2, 2025

The bad: Injury update

Unfortunately, this week has not been all good news. The club put out a statement on July 3, announcing that Andres Reyes and Alejandro Alvarado both sustained season-ending injuries.

Alvarado suffered a right knee injury in the 70th minute of San Diego’s 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on June 25 at BC Place. The injury came at the worst time for Alvarado as the young midfielder just begun to hit his stride. Alvarado made 12 appearances this season. Most of his minutes came after taking the spot of Anibal Godoy, who has been busy representing his country in the Gold Cup.

Andres Reyes battled through injuries most of the season. The highly regarded defender finally made his first start on April 19 against Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium. Reyes played only 42 minutes before being penalized with two yellow cards, which resulted in him being sent off. It’s unclear what his injury was, as the club has not disclosed many details apart from the fact that he underwent surgery last week, which will keep him out for the remainder of the season.

Back home, a chance at overall first place

Depending on the outcome of the Philadelphia game, San Diego FC has the potential to be first in the Supporters’ Shield table with a win over Houston this Saturday. Houston finds itself in 10th place in the Western Division table with a record of 6W-5T-9L. Before winning last week against a struggling St. Louis team, Houston lost three matches in a row. They’ll be looking forward to beating the number one team in the latest MLS power rankings, however hard that may be.

Houston Dynamo Predicted XI

Houston will be without winger Jack McGlynn, who is representing the United States in the Gold Cup. He’s tied for a team high five assists and netted two goals on the season. They’ll need all the help they can get from club record-signing striker, Ezequiel Ponce, who leads the team with five goals. Houston has found it hard to find the net this season. They rank 10th in goals scored, tallying 25 goals.

San Diego FC Predicted XI

SDFC will be looking to take advantage of less-than-mediocre goalkeeping from the Texas side. With the return of Chucky Lozano, Anibal Godoy, and possibly Paddy McNair, San Diego is hoping to be dangerous in front of the net. The home side currently ranks third in xG as they have been clinical in creating chances in the final third.

Keys to the Game

For Houston, capitalizing on shots on target will be a key to success. Of their 25 goals this season, a significant number have come from rebounds and second-chance efforts. Despite an inconsistent start to the year, the Dynamo rank second in MLS for generating follow-up shots that lead to scoring chances. Another area to watch will be their ability to create from wide areas—Houston currently sits fourth in the league in total crosses delivered into the box, making wing play a potential difference-maker.

San Diego FC will aim to showcase their signature attacking style in front of what’s expected to be a raucous home crowd. With key players returning to the starting XI, the club should have no shortage of firepower going forward. Anders Dreyer remains a vital piece in orchestrating the attack, while Milan Iloski—who has firmly established himself in the lineup—will look to build on his impressive form in front of goal.

The Final Word

Will San Diego FC continue their hot streak and make it five straight wins and possibly dethrone Philadelphia as the number one in the league? Or will the Houston Dynamo crash the party in their first-ever visit to Snapdragon Stadium? We’re in for a treat on Saturday as these two teams battle it out.

Don’t miss it.

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Dmitry Anisimov

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.