San Diego FC looks to bounce back against FC Dallas after break
Credit: SDFC
San Diego FC suffered a 1-0 loss against the Colorado Rapids away from home in their first game back after the World Cup. Now the team looks to bounce back at Snapdragon Stadium against FC Dallas this Saturday, July 25.
The game at Colorado was a possession battle as SDFC did not control possession like in most games. San Diego finished with 48-percent possession and really struggled offensively with just two shots on target in the match.
The Azul and Chrome side had no shots in the first half and must be more productive in the final third going forward. Mikey Varas did not really make any surprising changes to the starting 11. However, Ian Murphy did make his debut for San Diego FC, receiving 20 minutes off the bench.
The Southern California side has made some recent acquisitions, adding Elias Achouri, Dagur Thorhalsson, and Marcus Alstrup.
It is unclear if any of these new players will be available for this match, as it will be interesting to see what starting 11 Mikey Varas goes for.
San Diego is on a three-game winless streak and has only won one of its last 14 games in all competitions. Varas’ squad is currently 13th on the Western Conference table, just three points ahead of Kansas City in last place.
FC Dallas is currently fifth on the Western Conference table, just six points behind Vancouver in first. The Texas-based team has only lost one of its last six games and is coming off a 2-2 draw against Portland away from home.
Petar Musa and Patrickson Delgado scored the goals for Dallas in that match, and Musa will be a key player to watch in this match. Musa leads the team with 13 goals and scored for Croatia against England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Musa is tied with Hugo Cuypers for most goals in the MLS currently and will need to be marked closely at Snapdragon Stadium.
Varas’ game plan seemed to be different at Colorado, and he will need to continue to adjust, trying to get out of this rough stretch. The new signings, especially Elias Achouri, also have the potential to make a significant impact on this team.
There are still plenty of fans upset with the current state of the club, and it will be interesting to see the attendance for this match. Attendance has fluctuated drastically throughout the season as it is unclear how significant the turnout will be on Saturday night.
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.