Coach Varas praises fans for dropping offensive chant: ‘A really good step in the right direction’

Despite being disappointed in a 1-1 draw in the club’s second ever home game, SDFC Head Coach Mikey Varas was in much better spirits at his press conference than game one.

San Diego FC home section hold up banners that say ‘The Cry here is unacceptable’ and ‘We fully condemn it’ during their home game against Columbus Crew on Sat. March 15, 2025.
Photo: Olivia Vargo/Prost International

After the Matchday 2 draw to St Louis, coach Varas opened his press conference with a statement that addressed fans using an offensive chant that did not align with the club’s morals.

Even though the result was the same against Columbus, Varas brought energy to the press conference that was more focused on the game itself.

“The boys kept their composure; we went down a goal again, this is two games in a row, we were able to battle back in both games,” Varas said.

Goalkeeper CJ dos Santos yells in anger after Columbus Crew scores a goal.
Photo: Olivia Vargo/Prost International

Max Arfsten put Columbus up front early in the match, where they remained into halftime. Despite that, the fans were still buzzing, and ‘La Frontera’ kept singing even as the ball rolled to the back of the net.

The moment San Diego fans had been waiting patiently for finally came in the 69th minute off the head of Onni Valakari on a corner kick: SDFC’s first home goal in club history. Snapdragon Stadium was sent into a frenzy after going through the agony of two would-be goals getting called offside earlier in the match.

Midfielder Onni Valakari makes a header goal to score San Diego FC’s only goal in their 1-1 draw against Columbus Crew on Sat. March 15, 2025 at Snapdragon Stadium.
Photo: Olivia Vargo/Prost International

San Diego FC failed to convert another, despite many opportunities after Crew’s Malte Amundsen was delivered a red card in the 61st minute. While that disappointed the club and its coach, Varas still had praise for the fans.

“To me, this is a city that champions respect, love, compassion, and diversity,” Varas said. “The vast, vast majority of the people of San Diego are aligned with this idea.”

The club was prepared for the potential chant, and made it abundantly clear that anyone who felt the need to say it would not be welcomed at the stadium and would be promptly removed.

There was not a peep of it in the packed house on Saturday night.

Goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos celebrates the club’s first home goal at Snapdragon Stadium on Sat. March 15, 2025. The blue smoke behind him lingered on the field as play resumed.

SDFC will be on the road next week, taking on Austin FC in Texas, before returning home for the highly anticipated LAFC match the following week. It remains to be seen if the chant will persist as the season progresses, but for now things seem to be moving in the ‘right direction.’

Stadium security holds up an “aqui no, not here’ sign toward the fans at Snapdragon Stadium on Sat. March 15, 2025.
Photo: Nate Tubbs/Prost International

Please check out Prost’s own Olivia Vargo’s brilliant match gallery for more snapshots from Snapdragon!