SDFC stays perfect in SoCal rivalry with 3-1 home win over LA Galaxy

SDFC took down SoCal rivals LA Galaxy 3-1 on a simmering Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium, with Anders Dreyer’s pair of assists spoiling Chucky Lozano’s return to San Diego.

SDFC came into the game looking to replicate their recent winning form at Snapdragon Stadium, holding a four-match home win streak including last Saturday’s 3-0 routing over the Colorado Rapids. 

With all the Chrome & Azul offseason talk being on their designated player and Mexican International forward Hirving Chucky Lozano's status at the club following a falling-out with the club and coaching staff, the player finally got a change of scenery with a summer 2026 move to SoCal rivals LA Galaxy. 

August 29 was the date circled for SDFC fans, with a once fan favorite, Lozano, visiting Snapdragon Stadium with LA Galaxy for the first time following his departure for their MLS Western Conference clash. 

San Diego FC dominated the short all-time two-match series over the Galaxy, leaving victories in both home and away matches in 2025. 

After a full-control opening 11-minute, SDFC broke the deadlock with forward Elias Achouri netting in the 1-0 score to record his second goal for the club, getting onto the scoresheet in back-to-back matches.  

The goal was all set up by SDFC All-Star forward Anders Dreyer, driving a low pass across the goal area, only needing the finishing touch from Achouri to record his tenth assist of the 2026 MLS season. 

Throughout the first 45-minutes, every Chucky Lozano touch and involvement was met with a wave of San Diegan whistles and boos, as SDFC didn’t hold back on their former teammate committing multiple hard fouls in the first half. 

LA Galaxy’s best chance of the first period came in the dying minutes, with German icon Marco Reus getting a top-of-the-penalty-box shot in the 45+1-minute, but it was CJ dos Santos making the big right-handed save to deny the equalizer right before the halftime whistle. 

It only took three minutes into the second half for Anders Dreyer to set up another SDFC goal, this time off a piercing over-the-top long ball falling into the far side of the goal area for fullback Kieran Sargeant, on the end of a first-touch finish for his first-ever MLS goal to make the game 2-0.

SDFC’s aggressiveness backfired in the 50-minute, as SDFC midfielder and captain Jeppe Tverskov was shown his second yellow after bringing down Chucky Lozano, ending the Galaxy counterattack and his night with a red card. 

Lozano’s revenge moment finally came in the 55-minute, burying his chance at the top of the box past the stretching CJ dos Santos and into the bottom left corner to get his squad back into the match, only down 2-1. 

Galaxy looked to have taken full advantage of their extra man, with Lozano at the center of another Galaxy score, creating a turnover and an assist for Kyōgo Furuhashi's 2-2 equalizer in the 61-minute.

But the scoring play was chopped off the scoreboard by referee Tori Penso and VAR, with Lozano’s defensive play ending in a foul on SDFC defender Oscar Verhoeven. 

A dangerous spell of threatening equalizing chances for Galaxy was snapped at the 70-minute mark with Anders Dreyer’s going the majority of the field to set up Amahl Pellegrino’s right-footed finish into the bottom-right corner, pushing the home lead back to two goals at 3-1. 

Pellegrino’s return to match fitness continued to grow on Saturday night, having come off the substitute bench in his last four appearances, this time netting a goal for the first time since May 16, having scored against FC Cincinnati.

Even with ten minutes added for stoppage time, SDFC were able to keep LA Galaxy off the board to close out the match at that 3-1 scoreline, earning an emotional and vital three points at Snapdragon Stadium over their SoCal rivals on Saturday night.

At the post-match press conference following the 3-1 Saturday night victory over LA Galaxy, SDFC head coach Mikey Varas praised his squad's winning effort while giving credit to the atmosphere created by the fans at Snapdragon Stadium.

“Tonight's about San Diego. It's about all the people of San Diego. It's about Frontera SD. It's about every single fan. It's about the players on the field that left everything for the badge.”

“This is all up to the players. They make the football come to life. They're the ones who gutted it out. They're the ones who are exhausted. So I give them 100% the full credit.”

“I think our fans are just amazing throughout the whole game, lifting us in every single moment. We have such an amazing atmosphere here. And we've been through tough times this season, but the club has stayed united and completely convinced in what we're doing.”

With Saturday night's win over the Galaxy, SDFC now push their home winning streak to five consecutive matches in all competitions, now entering MLS Western Conference playoff contention spots, sitting in eighth place with 30 points on the season.

The series continues to be all San Diego FC, defeating LA Galaxy in all three of their meeting, having outscored their SoCal rivals 7-2.

San Diego FC hit the road for their next MLS matchday, visiting Orlando City at Inter.co Stadium next Saturday on Sept. 5 for the first-ever meeting between the two sides, set to kick off at 4:30 p.m.