San Diego FC had a promising start to its 2025 MLS postseason campaign with a 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers in the first of a three-game series. SDFC secured home-field advantage in this first round of the playoffs and benefited from that with a win at Snapdragon Stadium.

A sold-out crowd of over 30 thousand spectators filled the Mission Valley Fortress and generated an electric atmosphere. While these conditions may have helped the home side, SDFC has been a relentlessly powerful opponent away from home.

San Diego finished the 2025 MLS regular season as the best road team in the league with 37 points. The Southern California team only lost four games on the road this season and finished the year with a massive 10-game undefeated streak away from home.

#SDFC players greeting fans after the match. San Diego defeats Portland 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs.@EVT_News pic.twitter.com/MDYdjFUhnQ

— Francisco Velasco (@FranciscoEfV) October 27, 2025

San Diego’s last regular-season game was an astonishing 4-0 win against the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. Amahl Pellegrino and Andres Dreyer scored two goals each in that match to seal the Western Conference title.

Dreyer had another significant performance in the first playoff game against the Timbers, scoring one of the two goals that led to the win. Team captain Jeppe Tverskov and Anibal Godoy were also vital in that playoff victory, really taking command of the midfield.

San Diego was clearly the better team at Snapdragon Stadium, but it also squandered several goal-scoring opportunities. Being clinical in front of the net has proven to be an inconsistent field for SDFC this season, and that must improve in this playoff run.

Timbers’ fullback Jimer Fory picked up a red card in the last game and will consequently be unavailable for this second bout. Hirving Lozano had a disciplinary issue that has since been resolved and will be available for this match.

“He’ll be traveling to Portland and will be coming off the bench for us”, said manager Mikey Varas on Lozano. The team has not looked bad without “Chucky”, but his offensive prowess cannot be underestimated for this league. Lozano’s speed and skill on the wings have the potential to benefit any team in Major League Soccer and will certainly be useful off the bench.

San Diego has the next playoff round in sight and now only has to repeat the result it pulled off in the last game of the regular season. Portland has only won one of its last seven games and does not look like it will make it past Mikey Varas’ team.

If a third game is necessary after this matchup, SDFC will return to Snapdragon Stadium on November 9.

Francisco Velasco

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.