SDFC keep pace in playoff race with dominant 3-0 win over Colorado Rapids

A three-goal-scorer night for the Chrome & Azul sealed the 3-0 Snapdragon Stadium victory against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night, remaining in striking distance of an MLS Cup Playoff position.

Revenge was on the minds of SDFC coming into the game day, with their previous battle at DICK’s Sporting Goods Park back on July 22 ending in a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to the Rapids off the back of a Loïc Williams 90+6-minute winner. 

San Diego FC looked to improve from their midweek performance at Providence Park, as their playoff hopes took another hit on Wednesday night, falling 3-1 to the Portland Timbers.

Coming into their twenty-first matchday of the MLS Regular Season, SDFC sat in 13th place in the Western Conference, with Saturday holding crucial points in their tight postseason race, trailing only three points of the final Wild Card position. 

The biggest changes to the starting SDFC XI came with newly signed Tusinan winger Elias Achouri, making his first start for the Chrome & Azul after his first two appearances off the substitute bench.

After a cagey start to the first half, San Diego capitalized on a pair of Rapids inside-the-penalty-box turnovers to take a 2-0 lead into the halftime break.

The first came in the 27-minute, with midfielder Onni Valakari first to a miscontrolled Rapids back pass into the box, sneaking a low right-footed shot past Rapids goalkeeper Nico Hansen and into the near post for the opening score. 

Valakari added his fourth goal to his 2026 MLS tally.

It didn’t take long for the second goal to arrive, with Designated Player Elias Achouri getting himself on the scoresheet for the first time in SDFC colors, making the score 2-0 in the 36-minute. 

The goal came from San Diego's applied offensive pressure, with Rapids defenders unable to clear the ball out of danger. Achouri quickly grabbed possession, left unmarked in front of goal to bury his right-footed shot into the bottom-right corner.

Not only a night to remember for Achouri, with the Tunisian winger netting in SDFC’s 100th MLS goal.

Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Pirani made it 3-0 in the 71-minute for SDFC, scoring in back-to-back matches to net his first home goal for the Chrome & Azul.

The second-half score was created between Gabriel Pirani and forward Marcus Ingvartsen, with Ingvartsen returning the ball to Pirani right inside the top of the penalty box, as the Brazilian midfielder sent Nico Hansen the wrong way to drive his shot into the right side of the net.  

The final whistle at Snapdragon Stadium blew at that 3-0 scoreline, as the Chrome & Azul got the timely, important victory over the visiting Colorado Rapids to keep themselves within the Western Conference playoff race. 

SDFC’s home form continues to shine following the MLS pause for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, going perfect in their last four matches at Snapdragon Stadium, recording four consecutive wins. 

After the Saturday night matchday, the three points gained put SDFC in 11th place in the West, now only a single point from a Wild Card spot. 

Following the 3-0 Saturday night win over the Colorado Rapids, SDFC head coach Mikey Varas spoke on continuing the winning momentum.

“This is something that we'll enjoy for tonight, because I've said before, you can never take for granted points at the first team level,” Varas said. “But then tomorrow, all of us are waking up, ready to keep pushing because we're on a mission, and we got to be relentless about it.”

The newly formed SoCal rivalry between SDFC and LA Galaxy continues to heat up, with former SDFC forward now LA Galaxy player, Hirving Chucky Lozano, making his first appearance against his former side on Saturday night, Aug. 29. 

SDFC comes into the Saturday night matchup undefeated against LA Galaxy, with two victories through their first two all-time meetings.