San Diego FC kicked off its 2025 Leagues Cup campaign this Tuesday, July 29, against Pachuca at Snapdragon Stadium. This tournament, which features MLS teams facing Liga MX teams, is of high importance as it can lead to a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League.

This is the first time SDFC plays in this competition, but not the first time Snapdragon Stadium hosts a game in this tournament. Club America and Atlas faced each other in last year’s edition of the competition at the Mission Valley Fortress.

Mikey Varas decided to sideline some key players such as CJ dos Santos, Luca de la Torre, and Paddy McNair. New signings Pedro Soma and Aiden Harangi did also start this game on the bench.

San Diego FC looked like the better team in the opening minutes of the first half with a pair of squandered goalscoring opportunities. In the 13th minute, Jeppe Tverskov connected on a cross by Hirving Lozano, but the SDFC captain’s effort went just wide to the right of the net.

In the 17th minute, a shot by “Chucky” Lozano from the penalty arc smashed the post and went out of bounds to the left of the net. These missed opportunities went on to haunt San Diego as Pachuca scored the first goal of the match in the 23rd minute.

He scored with the face! 🤕😅⚽ Víctor Guzmán se encontró con el rebote de su propio tiro y @Tuzos ya lo gana por una nariz

Enjoy #LeaguesCup2025 action with #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV! 📺 pic.twitter.com/dVpVd7rKpj

— Leagues Cup (@LeaguesCup) July 30, 2025

The goal was an odd one by Victor Guzman, whose shot was deflected by San Diego’s goalkeeper, Pablo Sisniega. The ball then deflected off Guzaman’s face and somehow found the back of the net.

Sisniega ran into some more misfortune before the end of the first half, in stoppage time. The SDFC goalkeeper stopped a shot by Alexei Dominguez inside of the penalty area. However, Dominguez was able to get the ball back on the rebound and found enough time and space to pull off another shot and find the back of the net.

By the end of the first half, the visitors held a valuable 2-0 lead that San Diego was never able to overcome. Mikey Varas tried to make an impact and brought on Luca de la Torre and Paddy McNair for Ian Pilcher and Tomas Angel.

Pachuca was able to add to the lead with another impressive goal by youngster Alexei Dominguez. The 20-year-old player ripped a powerful shot from very far out that made it a 3-0 game. Dominguez struck the sphere with plenty of precision and might in what proved to be the decisive goal of the night.

The master of spectacular goals! 😎⚽️ Alexéi Domínguez sacó potente disparo imposible para Sisniega y los @Tuzos lo convierten en goleada

Enjoy #LeaguesCup2025 action with #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV! 📺 pic.twitter.com/0Rgqq9ZBVG

— Leagues Cup (@LeaguesCup) July 30, 2025

San Diego was not completely out of the game after that third goal, but found a sense of urgency much too late in the match. Varas brought on Emmnauel Boateng, Aiden Harangi and Alex Mighten for Hirving Lozano, Oscar Verhoeven and Anibal Godoy in the 72nd minute. These changes did seem to impact the match, with Boateng scoring in the 88th minute.

Aiden Harangi sent in a cross into the box that the veteran Boateng was able to get to, to make it a 3-1 game.

The game became heated towards the end of the match, with Anders Dreyer picking up a red card in stoppage time. The foul by Dreyer on Pachuca’s Elias Montiel seemed out of character and out of complete frustration by the Danish forward.

They were so close! ⚽️ Luca Bombino aparece para el segundo, pero el final del partido está cerca#LeaguesCup2025 pic.twitter.com/XfjBfyXw04

— Leagues Cup (@LeaguesCup) July 30, 2025

Luca Bombino made it a 3-2 game in stoppage time with a goal off a header from a cross by Jeppe Tverskov. However, it was in the final minute of stoppage play and far too late to try and bring the game back.

The match stayed very intense, but Pachuca was able to maintain that lead to get the valuable three points at home. Anders Dreyer’s absence will be a very notable one against Tigres in the next Leagues Cup game for San Diego.

San Diego FC will host the Mexican team at Snapdragon Stadium this Friday, July 29, in what will be a very important match.

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.