The party will rage on.
San Diego FC, rewarding and feeding off another loud capacity crowd, beat Minnesota United 1-0 Monday night to advance to the semifinals of the MLS Cup playoffs.
Thanks to Anders Dreyer’s 72nd-minute goal and the shutout, the first-year club booked Snapdragon Stadium for the Western Conference final Saturday against Vancouver.
If any MLS fan base deserves another home game, it’s SDFC’s supporters.
Capacity crowds of 32,500 have attended all three of the team’s playoff matches on the heels of a season in which the club finished fourth overall in attendance and first among teams that don’t play in NFL venues.
Monday night, the crowd’s chanting, singing and drum-banging impressed both sides.
“Great atmosphere,” said Minnesota United coach Eric Ramsay, who worked three years with global powerhouse Manchester United in England.
“We have landed in football city,” San Diego FC captain Jeppe Tverskov, who played for several years in Europe.
“I love to play in front of a lot of fans,” said an appreciative Dreyer, who clapped afterward for the supporters.
San Diego, CA – November 24: Anders Dreyer #10 of San Diego FC celebrates as time expires in a 1-0 win against Minnesota United in the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs at Snapdragon Stadium on November 24, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The match’s lone goal hit high notes, too.
SDFC forward Corey Baird ran down a through pass near the end line and heeled the ball backward to a perfect spot.
Dreyer ripped a left-foot shot, beating the league’s top goalkeeper inside the near post.
“I had just one thing on my mind: hitting it as hard as possible,” said Dreyer.
Making it a trifecta of excellence, the defense recorded its second consecutive shutout behind a few top-notch plays.
Right back Ian Pilcher’s clearout near the goal-line, in the 48th minute, may have been SDFC’s top defensive play of the year. A goal would’ve allowed Minnesota United to do what it does best — shepherd a lead to the finish line.
“It’s so well-deserved,” said Tverskov, commending Pilcher’s hard work behind the scenes and Pilcher’s adjustment to moving from center back.
Jeppe Tverskov #6 of San Diego FC reacts after a call in favor of Minnesota United during the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs: Conference Semifinals at Snapdragon Stadium on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega, delivering a reprieve in the 64th minute, bought more time for SDFC’s offense to break through against Minnesota’s well-coordinated defense.
Though he lost his footing, Sisniega recovered quickly to block a Minnesota shot. And Pilcher, in protecting the 1-0 lead, denied the visitors a breakout near midfield by smartly taking down a player, well worth the yellow card.
“We just defended with heart the whole game through,” Tverskov said. “We did very well, considering this team is so dangerous on almost every set piece.”
So, on balance, it was another festival of football — SDFC midfielder Luca de la Torre’s phrase — in Mission Valley.
San Diego, CA – November 24: Luca Bombino #27 of San Diego FC takes a shot on goal against Minnesota United during the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs at Snapdragon Stadium on November 24, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
But there was a significant flaw in the presentation.
The pitch at Snapdragon Stadium, beaten up by the San Diego State-San Jose State football game two days earlier, was not worthy of a playoff match in America’s top men’s soccer league.
It was far too bumpy. And Sisniega said he slipped on sand, nearly enabling Minnesota to score a cheap goal to say nothing about increasing injury risk.
Ramsay praised SDFC, but deemed the subpar pitch an unfortunate aspect to the match.
Before he answered questions from reporters, Tverskov brought up the pitch, calling it the worst home surface of the season.
“The pitch needs to go,” Tversko said. “There’s no in between.”
San Diego, CA – November 24: San Diego FC coach Mikey Varas, center, and players celebrates after a 1-0 win against Minnesota United in the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs at Snapdragon Stadium on November 24, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Ramsay said SDFC actually would’ve benefited the most from a good-quality surface, noting that San Diego, which led the MLS in ball possession this season, tends to “dominate the ball.”
Dreyer was kinder than Tverskov and others about the pitch, saying bumpy surfaces are part of the sport.
It appears that neither a shoddy field, sickness nor jet lag can deter Denmark’s Dreyer, who in recent days was shut down by a virus that had him throwing up eight days ago in Europe. From last Monday through Wednesday, he was plagued by headaches.
Then he boarded the long flights back to San Diego.
He said he wasn’t at full speed on Monday. But when Baird teed him up, he looked as sharp as he has all year.
Next, Dreyer will lead SDFC against Vancouver for the third time. SDFC won in Canada and the teams played to a tie in Mission Valley. But this time, German star forward Thomas Müller will be with Vancouver.
“The good news,” said Dreyer, “is I can relax a little bit” in the next few days.
SDFC fans may need some time to recover, too. Come Saturday, they’ll be ready.
MLS Western Conference Final: No. 1 San Diego FC vs. No. 2 Vancouver Whitecaps
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
TV: AppleTV
Radio: 760-AM, 1700-AM (Spanish)