There’s an old saying that sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. But, if you can be both, good things are going to happen.
On MLS Decision Day, San Diego FC was both. SDFC ripped Portland 4-0 and got some help with FC Dallas upset Vancouver 2-1, giving the expansion team the best record in the Western Conference and home field advantage until at least the MLS Cup Final and putting a cherry on top of the single most successful inaugural season in Major League Soccer history.
Anders Dreyer and the recently acquired Amahl Pellegrino both scored a pair of goals in the offensive onslaught, SDFC’s second straight match scoring four goals. San Diego finishes their first regular season with 63 points, tied with Vancouver for the most in the conference. But, since SDFC had one more win, they earn the tiebreaker and the road to the Cup final will go through Snapdragon Stadium.
Now, they need to reverse the recent history of expansion clubs in the postseason. Over the last 20 years MLS has welcomed 20 expansion clubs to the league. Only one of them, Nashville in 2020, has even won a single playoff game.
On Sunday the full playoff schedule will be announced but we still won’t know who San Diego gets in the first round. They’ll welcome the winner of the play-in game between Portland and Real Salt Lake.