San Diego FC enjoyed a monumental 2-0 win over LA Galaxy in the team’s first-ever game in Major League Soccer.

A spectacular effort by forward Anders Dreyer was at the forefront with a brace in the match.

While Dreyer and the attack were huge positives from this match, one of the best components of the border city side was the midfield. Anibal Godoy, Jeppe Tverskov, and Luca de la Torre lined up for Mikey Varas in this match.

Godoy and Tverskov really provided defensive stability to this team, while de la Torre served a more creative role. Godoy was a huge acquisition during this transfer window, as he has been one of the best defensive midfielders in MLS for the past decade.

The 35-year-old is still a pillar of the Panama national team that he captains. Godoy has an imposing physical presence that can challenge any other player in MLS. His passing ability was also showcased against the Galaxy as he completed 64 out of 68 passes.

All the talk is going to be about Anders Dreyer but what a fantastic effort by veteran Anibal Godoy. 94% pass accuracy and really helped recovering the ball. Was the player that covered the most ground. Really added stability to this team.

@cedjayphotos @EVT_News pic.twitter.com/zurJvU0yQq

— Francisco Velasco (@FranciscoEfV) February 24, 2025

The Panamanian international was also the player that covered the most ground in the match, as he was all over the pitch. Several times throughout the game, the veteran midfielder was in between the backline or helped the transition from the defense to the attack. Godoy did receive a yellow card in what looked like a soft call that might have been called because of the position of the ball, close to San Diego’s net.

Also helping with this transition from the backline to the forwards, was team captain Jeppe Tverskov. The Danish player seems to be a perfect choice as team captain as his leadership and communication skills with his teammates is very present.

Tverskov had 90-percent pass accuracy on the day and also really helped recover the sphere when needed. The 31-year-old midfielder works perfectly with Godoy and really has a great long pass that can be useful throughout the season.

Luca de la Torre is clearly the more technical and offensive midfielder in this setup. The San Diego native was far and away the best player in the first half and really generated a ton of offensive play throughout the game.

The USMNT international only played 63 minutes against the Galaxy but really showcased his talent in that time. There is no doubt that de la Torre has the ability to provide several assists for Hirving Lozano and the attack going forward. There were questions and concerns heading into this season opener, but the midfield never really seemed to be a concern, and it is very clear why.

The balance and talent in this midfield is among the best in Major League soccer and really has the potential to be very special. While the backline may potentially suffer from counter-attacking play, the midfield has the defensive ability to help stabilize this.

San Diego really looked sharp in this season opener and will now try to repeat this effort at home against St. Louis City.

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.