San Diego FC will begin one of the most important stretches of the season this Saturday, April 26, against Real Salt Lake.

This game marks the first of six home games at Snapdragon Stadium from April 26 to May 31.

SDFC will play eight games in this run, and only two will be away from home. San Diego is undefeated at the Mission Valley Fortress so far, with two wins and two draws in four games.

SDFC has struggled on the road recently, with two consecutive losses. It is coming off a 3-0 defeat against Charlotte FC. This last game was clearly the worst San Diego has looked all season, with sloppy defending and an ineffective shift from the frontline.

Mikey Varas Made some drastic changes to the starting 11 with Andres Reyes making his SDFC debut and Christopher McVey playing at left-back. Both Luca de la Torre and Anibal Godoy were also left off the starting lineup, which was a dumbfounding change to the squad.

After the match, Varas did not mention fitness or injuries as the reason for the drastic changes. The SDFC boss emphasized that he believes in expanding the squad and giving everyone an opportunity.

These changes clearly cost San Diego the game, and even more than that, the team did not even put up a competitive effort. Andres Reyes had a disastrous debut for the club, receiving a red card and conceding a penalty. The Colombian defender will subsequently not be available to play in this match against Real Salt Lake.

SDFC is still busy in the transfer market and recently acquired fullback Oscar Verhoeven on loan from the San Jose Earthquakes. Mikey Varas has clearly been unsatisfied with the left-back position, and it would not be surprising to see Verhoeven feature in the squad soon.

While there may be some upside to experimenting with the lineup, it is clear that drastic changes are not the answer for SDFC at the moment.

Real Salt Lake has only won one game in its last five games played and is also on a two-game losing streak. The team from Utah is coming off a 1-0 loss against Toronto and also had a sending off in the match, with Diego Luna receiving a red card. However, the red card was rescinded, and Luna will be available for this match.

Luna has been RSL’s best player this season, with three goals, and his presence will be important for the visitors. The Sunnyvale, California native has been the only player to score more than a goal for Salt Lake and is consistently on the USMNT radar.

San Diego is the heavy favorite in this match, with the home-field advantage and having already beaten RSL 3-1 in Utah. With the recent results and the San Diego Padres playing at home, it will be very interesting to see the attendance at Snapdragon Stadium this Saturday.

Where to watch

The San Diego FC vs. Real Salt Lake match, which will be played this Saturday, April 26 (4:30 p.m. PST), will stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.

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.