San Diego FC is determined to bounce back against LAFC
Sebastian Sanchez/ EVT Sports
San Diego FC has experienced several firsts to begin their inaugural season: its first win against LA Galaxy, its first goal by Anders Dreyer, its first draw against St. Louis, its first home goal by Onni Valakari, and, most recently, its first loss to Austin FC.
Following Thursday’s training session, head coach Mikey Varas, forward Tomás Ángel, and goalkeeper CJ dos Santos all shared the same message: It’s time to bounce back.
“We just continue to focus on ourselves, our process, our performance,” Varas said. “We want to have a bounce-back performance from the Austin game and continue building on the things we’ve done really well.”
“These last days have been trying to train and trying to make the mentality of how we can bounce back,” Ángel said. He also mentioned that championship-level teams know how to overcome setbacks.
“Coming back after a loss is a great opportunity for us to show a bounce-back mentality,” dos Santos said. “That’s been the mentality all week long.”
San Diego (2-1-2) is still seeking its first home win, but it won’t be easy. They’ll host Los Angeles FC (3-2-0), one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Hirving “Chucky” Lozano returned to limited training last week, and Varas said the Mexican winger should be available as a bench option against LAFC. The last time we saw him on the field was March 1, when he exited with a hamstring injury 30 minutes into the match.
All smiles from Chucky Lozano, who will return to action soon for San Diego FC @EVT_News pic.twitter.com/gvlIlHifzq
— Sebastian Sanchez (@Ssanchez_16) March 27, 2025
Andrés Reyes (lower body), who has yet to make his SDFC debut, is still unavailable. The team has previously said that he “wasn’t injured” and would be cautious with his return. Varas said the Colombian defender is “not there yet, but he’s getting closer.”
Midfielder Aníbal Godoy returned after a short stint with the Panama national team. Panama reached the Concacaf Nations League final but lost 2-1 after a penalty kick was awarded to Mexico in the 90th minute.
SDFC felt Godoy’s absence this past weekend as they struggled with defensive leadership and stability. The team conceded two goals within the first 20 minutes of the match.
EVT asked Varas what the veteran brings to the squad: “Aníbal is a player who plays with a lot of emotion, a lot of passion, and has a lot of leadership to him.”
San Diego FC felt the absence of midfielder Aníbal Godoy, who was with the Panama national team during the Concacaf Nations League, in their match against Austin FC.
I asked HC Mikey Varas what the veteran brings to the squad, @EVT_News: pic.twitter.com/erEAHyFXms
— Sebastian Sanchez (@Ssanchez_16) March 27, 2025
Defender Paddy McNair returned to the team after his time with Northern Ireland, where they played international friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden.
San Diego made uncharacteristic mistakes that significantly impacted their result against Austin. The team was missing five starters and relied on its young depth. The second goal they conceded raised alarms for the coach.
After a foul was committed, Owen Wolff wisely took a quick free kick, and Jon Gallagher got behind the San Diego backline with ease, leaving him with a one-on-one opportunity, and he delivered.
“You have to stay alert in every moment of the game,” Varas said. “The second goal, we all know, is a goal you don’t expect to happen at a first-team level, but we learn from it.”
Mikey Varas was asked about the young lineup he used this past weekend against Austin FC. He said they need to stay alert. On the second goal they conceded: “A goal we don’t expect to happen at a first-team level, but we learn from it.”#SDFC | @EVT_News pic.twitter.com/28OliOYBCU
— Sebastian Sanchez (@Ssanchez_16) March 27, 2025
Young players had the opportunity to showcase their skills on matchday five, gaining valuable early-season experience. In Sunday’s starting lineup and substitutions, ten players were under the age of 25: Anisse Saidi (16), Luca Bombino (18), Alejandro Alvarado Jr. (21), Ángel (22), William Kumado (22), Alex Mighten (22), Ian Pilcher (22), Hamady Diop (23), dos Santos (24), and Valakari (25).
dos Santos and Ángel have seen the most playing time from the young group. Ángel has seen more action with the injuries of forwards Lozano and Marcus Ingvartsen. In 208 minutes, he has completed 86% of his passes and has two assists. He’s still searching for his first goal with the club.
EVT asked Ángel how he feels about his performance thus far: “It’s been good. I’ve helped the team in the games we’ve won. I’m still pushing myself. I’m not happy with everything; I want to do more. I want more goals and more assists.”
Ángel is not satisfied and wants to contribute more to the team. He’ll face his former club on Saturday, where he appeared in five matches.
With injuries to forwards Chucky Lozano and Marcus Ingvartsen, Tomás Ángel has been a key player for San Diego FC.
I asked Ángel about how he feels about his performance thus far. He’s not satisfied and wants to contribute more to the team. @EVT_News pic.twitter.com/6DHU3LreNF
— Sebastian Sanchez (@Ssanchez_16) March 27, 2025
In the net, dos Santos has surprised many with his performance. Through five matches, he has 15 saves, two clean sheets, and has allowed just four goals.
“I’ve been enjoying competing every week,” dos Santos said. “I’ve worked really hard to get this opportunity. I’ve said in the past that I’m really grateful for the organization and for the club to give me this opportunity. No matter at what point I am at in my career, I feel like I always have something to prove.”
We’ll see how San Diego responds at Snapdragon Stadium this Saturday. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PST.
