San Diego FC enters the Western Conference semifinal carrying more than the pressure of playing at home in front of over 32,000 fans. The club is living a rare mix in MLS: the excitement of an expansion team, the maturity of a seasoned squad and a campaign that already feels historic before the first whistle against Minnesota United. The 4–0 win over the Portland Timbers, which closed out the first round series, didn’t just confirm San Diego’s attacking power. It strengthened the idea that this team is ready to fight for something bigger than a promising debut. It’s worth keeping an eye on them because there’s a real chance the league’s most talked about newcomer can go even further.
San Diego arrives in rhythm and with numbers that intimidate any opponent
The atmosphere at Snapdragon Stadium has become a character of its own. Three straight sellouts, goals pouring in and a team that doesn’t seem to feel the weight of a playoff match. Mikey Varas built a squad that plays with pace, forces constant focus from its rivals and generates chances with ease. They’ve scored eight goals in three postseason games and have hit three or more in 11 matches this year, the direct result of a possession style that averages more than 60 percent in MLS.
Against the Timbers, Dreyer and Pellegrino led the rout with two top level performances, while Valakari and Chucky Lozano delivered the assists that tore Portland apart. It’s no accident the club finished first in the West during the regular season with 19 wins and 63 points, earning home advantage throughout the conference.
The numbers reinforce the trend. San Diego hasn’t conceded a second half goal in the playoffs, has won its last three games after scoring first and has lost only once all year in matches where it opened the scoring. They also enter this semifinal unbeaten in regulation in their last five MLS outings, scoring four or more goals in three of those matches. It’s an impressive level of consistency for an expansion team.
There’s also an emotional layer. After coming back from a 2–0 deficit to win 4–2 at Allianz Field in June and then losing 3–1 at home in September, there’s a sense that SDFC understands exactly how sharp it needs to be to control Minnesota. The recent history between the clubs feeds the current confidence.
Minnesota United bets on resilience and playoff experience
On the other side, Minnesota United arrives as an uncomfortable visitor, the kind of team that may not control the match but always finds a way to survive. Their qualification against the Seattle Sounders came through two completely different draws and two penalty shootout wins. That alone says a lot about who they are. The Loons absorb pressure when needed and strike with precision when opportunities appear.
The comeback from 2–0 down against Seattle shows they don’t fold mentally. And the memory of 2020, when they beat Sporting Kansas City 3–0 on the road to reach the Conference Final, fuels their confidence. Even though they enter this match without an away win in their last three MLS games, Minnesota was one of the West’s best road teams this season, earning eight victories away from home in the regular campaign.
The squad views this matchup as a chance to exorcise ghosts, especially after the heavy 6–2 elimination to the Galaxy in this same playoff stage last year. They know they can’t afford another collapse. And there’s more: they’ve played at Snapdragon once before and walked away with a 3–1 win, something that surely lingers in the back of their minds.