MINNEAPOLIMEDIA SPORTS: An Unlikely Powerhouse: San Diego FC Advances to Western Final in Inaugural Season

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. — San Diego FC, the newest club in Major League Soccer, continued its fairy-tale inaugural season on Monday night, defeating Minnesota United 1-0 in a tense Western Conference semifinal at a sold-out Snapdragon Stadium. The victory sends the top-seeded expansion side to the Western Conference Final, putting them one step closer to becoming one of the most improbable MLS Cup champions in league history.

Dreyer Delivers the Decisive Blow

The match’s lone goal came in the 72nd minute from Anders Dreyer, the Danish attacking midfielder who has been the engine of San Diego's record-breaking campaign. The goal—a clinical left-footed blast from the right side of the box—came on the team’s first and only shot on target of the entire night, underscoring the high-leverage moment.

The sequence began with a determined run by veteran forward Corey Baird, who beat his defender to the end line before quickly tapping a back-heel pass into space. Midfielder Jeppe Tverskov completed the connection with a touch to Dreyer, who quickly hammered the shot past Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.

• Anders Dreyer's Impact: Dreyer, the newly crowned MLS Newcomer of the Year and a Best XI selection, finished the regular season with 19 goals and 17 assists, contributing to an absurd 59% of the team’s total goals. His playoff tally now stands at four goals and two assists in four appearances.
• Historic Assist: For Danish defensive midfielder Tverskov, the assist was his first postseason goal contribution in his fourth playoff match. Baird’s contribution marked his third assist of this postseason run, a significant personal milestone.

Loons' Defense Nearly Holds

The match was a clash of styles, with San Diego dominating possession (maintaining 71% of the ball) but struggling to break down a disciplined Minnesota United defense. The No. 4 seed Loons, coached by Eric Ramsay, focused on a deep defensive block and dangerous counterattacks, nearly frustrating the high-flying expansion side.

In fact, Minnesota created the most threatening opportunities early in the second half. In the 47th minute, Loons forward Robin Lod beat San Diego’s backup goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega only to see his shot cleared off the goal line by a miraculous sliding save from defender Ian Pilcher.

Sisniega, filling in after regular starter CJ dos Santos suffered an injury earlier in the playoffs, proved his mettle, making a total of three key saves for his second clean sheet in as many playoff starts. His most notable stop was a diving smother of a breakaway opportunity from Kelvin Yeboah midway through the second half.

For Minnesota United, which has made six trips to the postseason since 2017, the defeat marks a second consecutive exit in the conference semifinal round. Despite the disappointing end, the Loons pushed the favorites to the brink, holding them without a shot on target for the first 70 minutes.

Record-Setting Inaugural Run

San Diego FC's march to the Conference Final is already a significant footnote in MLS history. Under coach Mikey Varas, the team set a new league record for an expansion side with 19 regular-season victories and 63 points—surpassing the 2018 LAFC and 2023 St. Louis CITY SC marks.

By advancing to the Conference Final, San Diego becomes only the second expansion team in league history to reach this stage in their inaugural season, joining the 1998 Chicago Fire, who went on to win the MLS Cup that year.

San Diego FC will now host the Western Conference Final this Saturday, November 29, at Snapdragon Stadium against the second-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps. The winner advances to the MLS Cup Final.

In the Eastern Conference, the No. 5 seed New York City FC travels to face the third-seeded Inter Miami CF in the other Conference Final. The location of the MLS Cup will be determined by which team has the highest regular-season point total; San Diego would host the final if they advance and New York City FC upsets Inter Miami.

MinneapoliMedia