Winners find ways to win. Anders Dreyer told the media after the game that when Chucky equalized to make the game 2-2, SDFC knew they were going to win that game.

A winning mentality doesn’t just show up — it’s built, day by day. It’s a mindset that has to be talked about, believed in, and embraced by every player in the locker room. The coaching staff has to drive it home until it becomes second nature. For San Diego, an expansion club still finding its identity, that belief took root quickly. Halfway through the season, it’s clear — they’ve bought in.

As always, let’s get into it!

Brutal Conditions

As mentioned in the preview for this game, San Diego knew they would not take a struggling FC Dallas team lightly. The scorching Texas heat was an unforgiving opponent last Saturday. With on-field temperatures pushing past the 100-degree mark, the sweltering conditions set the tone early. The match kicked off at a crawl, with both sides clearly pacing themselves — long sprints were rare, and every movement seemed calculated. Survival, not speed, was the name of the game under the brutal summer conditions.

Duah’s Short Start & His Future

Manu Duah got the long-awaited start with many fans eager to see the former number one draft pick make his MLS debut after an intriguing performance against Club America in a friendly just a few weeks ago. His duties called for the center-mid position, which pushed Jeppe Tverskov to the left and saw Onni Valakari start on the right. Unfortunately, Duah’s appearance lasted only 45 minutes, as he was subbed off at halftime after making a crucial mistake that led to Petar Musa’s equalizer.

The 🫎 is heating up 🔥‼️ pic.twitter.com/XqHYrngWFX

— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) June 29, 2025

As expected, Duah played cautiously. The young midfielder moved around the field with intent, finding open spaces and making himself available as an outlet for the defense. He showed composure on the ball, often passing it back while under pressure instead of trying to force a pass or take on multiple defenders—a common trait of a first-year, young player. In the 43rd minute, however, Duah made a terrible mistake.

While under pressure by two FC Dallas players in the midfield, Duah panicked, sending in a backward pass into his own box without picking his head up to look first. The ball fell to Petar Musa, who easily took a touch to the right side to get past Ian Pilcher and place a curling shot into the back of the net from a short distance.

Emphasizing Team Unity and Growth

Head coach Mikey Varas defended his young player. “Manu had one big mistake, this happens in life, he’s the type of player that tries things, he’s a young player, he probably played a little too far outside of what is required of him, but he also made a lot of really good plays. I think it’s a net positive for him because at the end of the day, he’s got a long career ahead of him,” he said.

“We believe in him. He’s going to learn so much from this, and you saw everybody had his back when that happened. He’s not the only one that made mistakes today, and the most important thing was that the team was together in every single moment, and we found a way. We found a way to win,” emphasized Varas.

It’s true. Duah is a young player, and surely he will learn from this. He probably shouldn’t have even started, but Varas didn’t have many options due to a lengthy injury list and two starting midfielders still out on international duty. Duah will look forward to improving and capitalizing on his next chances.

Breaking Down a Defensive Lapse

San Diego FC dominated possession, outpossessing FC Dallas 63%-37%. They also controlled the field, reflected in the possession map below.

Despite these statistics, Dallas made it a close game, predominantly taking advantage of San Diego’s mistakes from bad passes.

The perfect counterattack leads to Da Boy’s first of the season. pic.twitter.com/s4udMLhpnE

— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) June 29, 2025

Taking a look at the second FC Dallas goal that put them in front, you can see three clear mistakes: 1. Ian Pilcher makes a bad pass that is easily intercepted by Petar Musa. 2. Jeppe Tverskov and Anders Dreyer both defend Musa, and no one picks up Acosta as he finds plenty of space in between the lines.

3. Notice Shaq Moore’s run into the box, as no one from SDFC notices or picks him up. He delivers a low cross into what is already a chaotic scene in the box, and it’s anyone’s luck at that point.

No, San Diego are not perfect. Yes, they will continue to get better defensively, especially when they get Paddy McNair back, who has been instrumental in the back. Anibal Godoy also contributes on defense, and he should be back in the starting lineup this weekend.

Chucky’s Return

If anyone ever wondered how much impact Hirving Lozano has on the San Diego FC team, last Saturday provided a great example. Coming on in the 70th minute, Chucky gave an instant spark to the pace of the game.

Lozano came on with energy, dribbling into the middle of the field in his signature style. He found Milan Iloski on the right side of the field and continued his run into the box. Iloski slotted in a low cross that Chucky finished with a slide into the net.

Chucky back?

CHUCKY BACK pic.twitter.com/qLBh6cB0HN

— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) June 29, 2025

The Spark That Was Needed

That was the spark that San Diego needed, according to Anders Dreyer. SDFC were visibly motivated, passing into the final third and pressing high. Tomas Angel, who came on for Manu Duah in the 45th minute, would get on the end of a pass from Dreyer in the 96th minute and rifle a shot into the top left corner of the net for the eventual game-winner.

Anders Dreyer and Tomas Angel were amongst seven FC Dallas players in the box, yet they somehow found space. Dreyer, cool under pressure, took just a heartbeat to control the ball and threaded a perfect pass into the danger zone. Ángel, with a clever step back to lose his marker, turned that pass into a clinical finish.

Dallas will undoubtedly be upset about this defensive lapse, but let’s give credit where it’s due – Dreyer getting his league-leading 13th assist and Angel netting his third goal.

San Diego FC Eyes Top Spot in MLS After Perfect Road Trip

San Diego’s win in Dallas capped off a flawless three-game road trip — three matches, three victories. Since hitting a rough patch in April with three straight losses, SDFC has flipped the script, going 8-1-1 over their last ten and climbing to the top of the Western Conference. Much of that success can be attributed to the aforementioned ‘winning mentality’. Just listen to Anders Dreyer in his post-match interview.

Anders, y’all. pic.twitter.com/0Q4FejiRBH

— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) June 29, 2025

They are in second place in the Supporters’ Shield standings, which is awarded to the team with the best overall record in the league. With a win over Houston on Saturday, SDFC will have the chance to be first in both tables, depending on Philadelphia’s result.

For the first time, fans at Snapdragon Stadium will get to welcome a first-place team onto the pitch under the Saturday night lights. Expect a crowd ready to erupt.

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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.