CARSON, Calif. — In an impressive start to their Major League Soccer journey, San Diego FC secured a 2-0 victory against the reigning MLS Cup champions, LA Galaxy, on Sunday. The standout performer for San Diego was Anders Dreyer, who netted both goals in the match.
Dreyer opened the scoring in the 52nd minute, capitalizing on a costly mistake from Galaxy’s defender, Emiro Garces. After receiving a pass from goalkeeper Novak Micovic, Garces lost his footing in the penalty area, leading to a scramble for the ball. Dreyer seized the opportunity as Lozano delivered a precise assist, allowing Dreyer to place a left-footed shot past Micovic.
The match was finalized by Dreyer’s second goal during a breakaway in stoppage time, securing a significant win for the club in its MLS debut. The shutout was credited to goalkeeper CJ dos Santos, who made three crucial saves throughout the match.
San Diego FC became the 10th team to join MLS since 2017, marking a historical moment as they became only the third team to triumph in their inaugural match, following in the footsteps of Los Angeles FC in 2018 and St. Louis City in 2023.
The Galaxy, on the other hand, had a challenging day with their best opportunity presented by Miguel Berry, whose close-range attempt in the 79th minute was effectively thwarted by dos Santos. This match marked the Galaxy’s first defeat at Dignity Health Park since the conclusion of the 2023 season. They played without key players, including forward Joseph Paintsil due to a quadriceps injury and midfielder Riqui Puig, who is sidelined with a knee issue and won’t return until early summer.
Galaxy’s Micovic managed to make four saves during the match in a valiant effort to hold off San Diego’s attacks. San Diego FC will welcome its fans for its first home game on Saturday against St. Louis. MLS commissioner Don Garber expressed satisfaction with the turnout, noting a good number of fans journeyed north to support their team, as San Diego supporters filled four sections in the upper deck.
“Achieving many things takes time. Bringing San Diego into the league has been a long-term objective,” Garber remarked before the game. “As we build our league, we have to keep reminding ourselves about being new; it’s better to do things correctly rather than quickly. We want to ensure that when things progress, they are functioning seamlessly.”
