Marking First Loss of Inaugural MLS Season


Luca De La Torre scored a first-half goal but Austin FC netted a pair of early goals to
hand SDFC a 2-1 road loss; Media assets, match notes, and postgame quotes are
available below


AUSTIN, TEXAS (Sunday, March 23, 2025) – San Diego FC (SDFC) suffered its first-ever
loss of the 2025 MLS season, falling 2-1 to Austin FC at Q2 Stadium, ending their unbeaten
run to start the year. Despite a goal from SDFC midfielder Luca De La Torre, SDFC was
unable to overcome Austin’s early lead.


SDFC (2-1-2, 8 points) cut an Austin FC (3-2-0, 9 points) 2-0 early lead after SDFC Head
Coach Mikey Varas’ team began to create attacking pressure. Austin scored on two quick
breakaways early in the first half in the first-ever meeting between both clubs. Austin FC’s
Brandon Vazquez and Jon Gallagher scored within the first 20 minutes of the match before
De La Torre found the net in the 27th minute. SDFC controlled possession throughout a
high-paced second half that had scoring opportunities for the visitors until the dying
moments of the match.


Next up, SDFC returns home to host LAFC on Saturday, March 29 (7:30 p.m. PT) at
Snapdragon Stadium live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Goal-Scoring Plays
1-0 ATX – Brandon Vazquez (Diego Rubio), 10th minute: Vazquez slipped behind the
SDFC defense on a quick pass by Rubio from near midfield. Vazquez sprinted up the field
with the ball with only a charging goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos to beat. He sent a right-footed
shot from the right side of the box into the net to open the scoring.


2-0 ATX – Jon Gallagher (Owen Wolff), 19th minute: Gallagher opened the scoring with a
right-footed shot inside the lower left post after racing up field on a quick pass from Wolff,
following a rapid restart off an SDFC foul. He sprinted past the last defender and finished
one-on-one against CJ Dos Santos from the right side of the box.


2-1 SD – Luca De La Torre (Onni Valakari), 27th minute: De La Torre cut into Austin FC’s
lead with a right-footed shot past Brad Stuver, finishing a pass from Valakari near the top
of the 18-yard box.


Postgame Notes:
· With today’s 2-1 road loss, SDFC snapped it’s undefeated run to start the 2025 MLS
Regular Season.
· SDFC is now 2-1-2 on the season and sits fifth in the Western Conference.
· SDFC is now 2-1-0 when playing on the road in 2025.
· SDFC is 1-1-0 when wearing the Club’s primary kit.
· Luca De La Torre scored his first MLS goal and his first with SDFC when he cut the Austin
FC lead in the first half. De la Torre has now registered a goal or an assist in in the last
two matches.
· Defender Ian Pilcher and midfielder Alejandro Alvarado Jr. made their respective SDFC
and MLS first career starts today.
· 18-year-old Defender Luca Bombino made his second consecutive start against Austin
FC, marking his third appearance for SDFC this season.
· Midfielder Alejandro Alvarado Jr. made his first SDFC start against Austin FC.
· Defender Hamady Diop made his SDFC debut replacing Ian Pilcher in the 64th minute.
· SDFC was without starters Aníbal Godoy and Paddy McNair, who were away on national
team duty with Panama and Northern Ireland, respectively.
· 16-year-old Forward Anisse Saidi made his professional debut replacing Alejandro
Alvarado Jr. In the 81st minute of the match. Saidi becomes the youngest player to debut
for SDFC at the age of 16 years, 9 months, and three days.
· Defenders Willy and Luca Bombino made their second-consecutive starts of the 2025 MLS
Regular Season.
· Forward Tomás Ángel registered his third-consecutive start for SDFC.
· SDFC allowed two goals in a match for the first time in Club history after five
MLS matches.
· SDFC has now registered a minimum of 16 shots per match in four-consecutive matches.
· Goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos, defender Chris McVey, midfielder Jeppe Tverskov, and
forward Anders Dreyer have all started and played a full 90 minutes through the Club’s first five matches, each totaling 460 minutes played.