SAN DIEGO (Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026) – San Diego FC (SDFC) earned its first three points of the 2026 Leagues Cup with a 1-0 win against Liga MX side Club Tijuana at a sold-out Snapdragon Stadium. Rookie forward Bryan Zamblé scored for the home team in the Club’s second match in this year’s competition.
Zamblé found the net in the 22nd minute of the cross-border rivalry match off a play that involved passes from Anders Dreyer and Alejandro Alvarado Jr. Zamblé found the net from near the six-yard box after the ball deflected off a Xolos defender. Both teams continued to press in the second half, with Club Tijuana hitting the post, but SDFC held its ground to secure the win at home.
SDFC remains in San Diego for the last Phase One Leagues Cup match at Snapdragon Stadium. SDFC will host Club Puebla at Snapdragon Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 12. Tickets for Wednesday’s Leagues Cup match are available at SanDiegoFC.com/Tickets.
Goal Scoring Plays:
SD – 1-0 – Bryan Zamblé (Alejandro Alvarado Jr., Anders Dreyer) 22nd minute:
Zamblé opened the scoring with a right-footed shot from inside the six-yard box, sliding in to finish the play and give SDFC the lead. Alvarado Jr. sent a quick cross into the area to help set up the scoring play.
Postgame Notes:
· With tonight’s 1-0 win, SDFC earned its first three points of the 2026 Leagues Cup and is now 1-1 with one remaining match in Phase One.
· Tonight’s match was the fourth-ever Leagues Cup match played at Snapdragon Stadium.
· SDFC is 5-3-3 at home this season across all competitions (MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup).
· SDFC is now 8-10-6 across all competitions in 2026 (MLS Regular Season 5-7-6, Concacaf Champions Cup 2-2, Leagues Cup 1-1).
· SDFC has now played 10 matches against Liga MX clubs across official competitions and exhibition matches.
· SDFC has faced seven Liga MX teams in its history (Toluca F.C. and Pumas UNAM in Concacaf Champions Cup; CF Pachuca, Tigres UANL and Mazatlán F.C. in the 2025 Leagues Cup, Club America in Leagues Cup 2026; and Club Tijuana and Club América in an exhibition matches last season).
· SDFC is now 4-5 against Liga MX clubs in official competition (beat Mazatlán F.C. in 2025 Leagues Cup action, Club Tijuana in 2026 Leagues Cup, Pumas UNAM (Feb. 3) and Toluca (March 11) in Concacaf Champions Cup) and 4-4 overall across all competitions (beat Club Tijuana and Club América in friendlies).
· SDFC has now scored 120 goals across all competitions (MLS, Leagues Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup).
· SDFC is 2-0 all-time against Club Tijuana, including a 4-2 win in an exhibition match on Sept. 16, 2025 at Snapdragon Stadium.
· SDFC outpossessed Club Tijuana 59 to 41 percent tonight.
· SDFC had 628 passes compared to Club Tijuana’s 343.
· Goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos made his third Leagues Cup start with SDFC. He recorded two saves tonight.
· Midfielder Gabriel Pirani made his second-straight start with SDFC tonight and his second consecutive Leagues Cup start. He made his club Aug. 1 against Minnesota United in MLS play after coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute for Alejandro Alvarado Jr. Pirani signed with SDFC on July 9 coming from D.C. United.
· Defender Ian Murphy made his first Leagues Cup start with SDFC and second appearance in the tournament.
· Manu Duah has started all five Leagues Cup matches for SDFC.
· Onni Valakari has now played in 66 matches for SDFC across all competitions. He came on as a substitute for Pirani in the 61st minute.
· Rookie forward Bryan Zamblé made his first Leagues Cup start and second with SDFC tonight.
· The forward scored his first goal in international competition tonight.
· The 18-year-old now has two goals and two assists with the Club.
· Midfielder Aníbal Godoy made his fourth Leagues Cup appearance (third start) tonight.
Match Information
2026 Leagues Cup
San Diego FC vs. Club Tijuana
Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026 – Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, Calif.)
Scoring Summary:
SD– 1-0 – Bryan Zamblé (Assisted by Alejandro Alvarado Jr. and Anders Dreyer, 22’)
Misconduct Summary:
SD – Aníbal Godoy (caution, 45’+2)
TIJ – Jackson Porozo (caution, 45’+5)
SD – Manu Duah (caution, 73’)
TIJ – Francisco Gonzalez (caution, 78’)
TIJ – Angel Zapata (caution, 88’)
Lineups:
SAN DIEGO FC: GK CJ Dos Santos; D Ian Murphy (Christopher McVey, 79’), D Oscar Verhoeven, D Manu Duah, D Luca Bombino (Kieran Sargeant, 62’); M Gabriel Pirani (Onni Valakari, 61’), M Aníbal Godoy –C– (Jeppe Tverskov, 70’), M Alejandro Alavarado Jr.; F Marcus Ingvartsen, F Anders Dreyer, F Bryan Zamblé (Lewis Morgan 62’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Duran Ferree, GK Marcus Alstrup, D Dagur Dan Thórjallssen, M Pedro Soma, M David Vazquez, F Alex Mighten
TOTAL SHOTS: 8; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3; FOULS: 15; OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 2
CLUB TIJUANA: GK Antonio Rodriguez –C–, D Rafael Fernandez (Francisco González, 62’), D Jackson Porozo, D Jesus Gomez, D Pablo Ortiz (Alan Vega, 69’), M Ignacio Rivero, M Ramiro Arciga, M Jonathan Padilla (Angel Zapata, 62’), M Gilberto Mora (Joban Gonzalez, 86th), M Adonis Preciado, F Diego Abreu
Substitutes Not Used: GK Salim Hernandez, GK Jose Corona, F Elias Manoel, M Aaron Mejia, M Aldahir Perez, M Frank Boya, M Alejandro Magallon, F Mourad El Ghezouani,
TOTAL SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 17; OFFSIDES 1; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 2
Referee: Steven Madrigal
Assistant Referees: William Arrieta, Helpys Feliz
Fourth Official: Juan Calderon
VAR: Jorge Camacho
AVAR: David Gomez
Weather: 80-degrees, clear
Attendance: 31,538
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
Credit: San Diego FC
