Hirving “Chucky” Lozano looked up from the left flank, the ball rolling toward his feet just outside the penalty area, then swung his famed right foot. The ball floated over six New York City FC defenders, and on the other end of the pass arrived Paddy McNair, who finished the play with a running header. San Diego FC’s fledgling supporter groups, with drums and banners in tow, erupted from beyond the endline.
It’s a fitting goal to be San Diego FC’s first-ever. Last June, San Diego FC signed Lozano to be the team’s inaugural star and leading attacker. A month later, the team recruited McNair from England to lead the defense. Their historic connection was part of the Coachella Valley Invitational, a three-week preseason event at Indio’s Empire Polo Club featuring 14 MLS teams (as well as San Diego Wave and five other teams from the NWSL).
“We created a lot of chances [and] this is what we said from the beginning: We’re going to go after the game. We’re going to score goals,” head coach Mikey Varas said after the game, though McNair’s was San Diego FC’s only tally in the 3-1 loss. Varas remained undeterred. “Overall, [there is] 100 percent commitment to the ideas. Now there’s a lot of clarity about what little adjustments we need.”
Varas’ side took on the Portland Timbers four days later, but fell 3-0. It wasn’t until their third and final test at the Coachella Valley Invitational, against the New York Red Bulls, that San Diego FC broke through and put their coach’s philosophy into action.
Lozano had a goal and two more assists, and forward Anders Dreyer netted two goals en route to a 6-0 romp. But it was midfielder Luca de la Torre who stole the show.
Midfielder Jeppe Tverskov launched a long pass from the back in search of a releasing de la Torre, and when the ball fell back to earth de la Torre controlled it with a first touch from the heavens. Perfectly in stride, he nudged the ball towards the Red Bulls’ net with exacting pace and direction. The goalkeeper couldn’t cut it off. The defenders couldn’t chase it down. After a few dribbles, de la Torre smashed home the goal for a 3-0 first-half lead.
It could be a sign of things to come as the team prepares for its first regular season game on February 23 against reigning MLS champions LA Galaxy and, at long last, its home debut at Snapdragon Stadium on March 1 against St. Louis City SC.
The exhibition against the Red Bulls featured what’s probably San Diego FC’s best starting eleven, and the attack is the strength. Earlier in the Coachella Valley Invitational, a subtle hip movement from Lozano faked a NYCFC defender so badly the player stumbled backwards and fell on the seat of his pants. It’s skills like that, honed from years playing in top leagues in Europe, that sets Lozano apart in MLS. And as if there was any doubt, the kids who stormed the pitchside railing after the games, chanting “Chucky!” and pleading for his autograph, make clear who the star is. It’s the left winger from Mexico.
On the opposite side is Dreyer, who comes from RSC Anderlecht in the Belgium Pro League. SDFC outmaneuvered several suitors to bring Dreyer and his powerful left foot to San Diego, and completing the front line is forward Marcus Ingvartsen. When asked at the Coachella Valley Invitational what stood out to him about his team, Varas pointed to this trio. “You saw [Lozano and Dreyer] target each other, winger to winger, multiple times. I think that’s going to be massive in our league,” he said. “And in terms of how Marcus [Ingvartsen] complements those two, I see a lot of positives about the front three.”
Complementing and feeding the attack is de la Torre, whose distinct running style—hands outstretched, arms swaying side to side—makes him look like a conductor leading an orchestra. He displayed that command when he came on in the 64th minute against NYCFC. Instantly, San Diego was stronger in possession, and de la Torre showed off his superlative ball handling. It’s little wonder why Fulham FC of the English Premier League had recruited him from San Diego at 16 years old. Now 26, de la Torre is a key part of a formidable four-man front for his hometown team.
“Here, we want to play attacking football. It’s going to be more open than what I’ve played in the past,” de la Torre said. “I think it can be a good chance for me to improve, to be an attacking player, and to have goals and assists and help the team win.”
At the same time, expansion franchises often struggle out of the gate, and there are plenty of questions about San Diego FC. Do they have enough depth and experience, particularly in the defense, to compete against the best teams in the MLS? Despite the clean sheet against the Red Bulls, SDFC conceded two goals per game in Indio. Only three teams in the league last year allowed goals at a worse rate.
Will their style of play work in top-flight soccer in the US? As part of the Right to Dream network, San Diego FC employs a complex, physically demanding style of play that prioritizes winning possession and attacking the opponent’s goal.
How will Varas, a first-time head coach, respond to adversity? MLS’s preseason power rankings placed SDFC third-to-last. The team will be fighting for all the points they can get this season. But ranking ahead of two long-established franchises is a credit to the organization and roster that CEO Tom Penn and sporting director Tyler Heaps have put together. Penn’s involvement also portends well.
Penn helped found LAFC, which started play in 2018 and achieved the best season ever for an expansion team, with 57 points. A year later, LAFC won the Supporters’ Shield as the best regular season team in MLS. In 2022, they won their first MLS championship. It’s unfair to expect the same from SDFC, but with three major league teams in San Diego starting their seasons soon, a championship-starved city can dream.
Last October, the Padres went scoreless in the final 24 innings of the National League Division Series to lose in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Payroll reductions in the offseason forced the team to improve on the margins, bringing in veterans Jason Heyward, Connor Joe, and Nick Pivetta to fill key spots, but uncertainty hovers over the team as the Seidler family battles in court over control of the franchise. Still, the roster teems with talent and the fan base remains invested. Season tickets sold out in January. As it has been the past several years, Petco Park will be buzzing on Opening Day next month.
SD Wave, which start their season on March 16, are also in a transitional phase. Gone are Alex Morgan, who retired last summer, and Naomi Girma, the world’s best defender sold to Chelsea for a record transfer fee. Jill Ellis, the team’s first president, left for a job at FIFA. However, the new ownership group hiring head coach Jonas Eidevall, who led Arsenal women in a successful three-year stint, indicates a willingness to invest and return to the top of the NWSL table.
Then there’s SDFC. They will struggle at times, the losses could pile up in the first season, but their head coach won’t forget about a broader vision, both for his team and for San Diego. “We won’t freak out. Whether we’re on a 10-game win streak or 10-game loss streak, we’ll never change. We’ll keep going,” Varas said. “I want my impact to impact the sustainability of the club 100 years from now.”
