San Diego FC stuns LA Galaxy for historic first win

Celebration and pageantry, then shock and disbelief for the Los Angeles Galaxy, and for San Diego FC, quite the opposite.

The afternoon started off nicely for the Galaxy. A pregame ceremony filled with fireworks unveiled the championship banner and saw the trophy passed around a combination of Galaxy legends, starting with Cobi Jones, and representatives of the Galaxy’s supporters group before finally being received by Riqui Puig. Things only looked better from there, as they opened their title defense against MLS’ newest side which also marked the birth of another regional rivalry in the state of California.

However, from there on, San Diego played the role of spoiler, and as a result earned some surprise bragging rights in the first game between the two Southern California rivals. Andres Dreyer was the catalyst for San Diego, as his two second half goals allowed San Diego to leave Dignity Health Sports Park with the landmark 2-0 win.

“The one guarantee that I had was we were going to come here, we were going to be brave on the ball, we were going to be relentless, and we were going to show a fighting team,” San Diego FC head coach Mikey Varas said. “At the end of the day in life, you can’t guarantee the results, but you can guarantee your performance in terms of conviction and attitude, and the more I get to know these guys, the more clear it is to me that that that’s going to be not negotiable.”

It was the expansion side that broke through, and it was giftwrapped to them in the 52nd minute. Galaxy keeper Novak Micovic played a ball to teammate Emiro Garces. Micovic however may have put too much heat on the pass, as it forced a heavy touch from Garces and the ball found the feet of Chucky Lozano. San Diego immediately pounced, as Lozano sent a ball towards the penalty spot and Dreyer swooped in and one-time a point-blank shot past Micovic for the first ever goal in San Diego FC history.

“That’s a tough ball to handle,” LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said of the events leading to San Diego’s first goal. “I didn’t feel like Novak was under as much pressure as it looked like he was when he hit the ball. So, for Novak to maybe be a little bit calmer and to deliver a pass that’s a little more friendly. At that point that it arrived at Emiro, I think it was almost more self-defense than it was trying to actually do something with it.”

Energized by the surprise goal, San Diego FC went for the kill. Dreyer had another point blank chance in the 59th minute, as Franco Negri dispossessed Garces, the passed to an unmarked Dreyer inside the penalty area, Dreyer gather himself, then shot a ball just outside the six-yard box, but Micovic denied him at the spot. Lozano had a chance himself in the 66th minute, as Dreyer played a ball forward towards Lozano, Galaxy right back Miki Yamane could not beat Lozano to the ball, which left Lozano open inside the 18 with just Micovic to beat. Lozano attempted to chip Micovic, but Micovic just managed to get his left hand on the ball and parry the shot away.

San Diego sealed its first ever win in the 93rd minute. After defending a corner, Tomas Angel cleared a ball to Dreyer, who brought the ball down, then played a perfect ball forward to a streaking Angel, who after getting to the ball slowed down, then split two defenders with a ball into the penalty area, and Dryer swooped in and fired a shot that beat Nemcovic, hit off the bottom of the crossbar but crossed the goal line to seal San Diego’s historic win.

“It was a nice evening away from home,” Dreyer said. “First game for the club history, it was nice. I think we did very good overall and when we scored the chances, it’s a big opportunity to win. I’m happy for the team and like I always said it’s about the team, not the individuals, so it was a very good team win.”

While San Diego executed its game plan flawlessly, the Galaxy surprisingly struggled to get anything going on the offensive end. Playing without several key starters, including winger Joseph Panitsil did not help, but still, it was not expected for the Galaxy to struggle in the final third. The Galaxy’s best scoring chance did not come until the 79th minute, as Edwin Cerillo played Yamane into the penalty area, Yamane crossed into the six, Miguel Berry one-timed a sliding shot for the near post, but keeper CJ Dos Santos had the area covered, as he calmly scooped up the shot.

“I thought most of the night, [we looked]a little disconnected in terms of our positions, and where we needed to be and when we needed to be there,” LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “I felt like we weren’t very dynamic in the front half of the field, and when we were getting forward and getting into forward positions, we weren’t really turning or advancing possessions into attacks.”

San Diego FC not gets ready for its much-anticipated home opener next Saturday, and they will welcome St. Louis City FC to town. The Galaxy will be back at it next Sunday, this time on the road against the Vancouver Whitecaps.