The new MLS team started the first tournament in its history on the right foot with a double from Anders Dreyer.
In the closing match of the first day of the 2025 MLS Cup at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, the 2024 champions Los Angeles Galaxy hosted the youngest team from Major League Soccer, San Diego FC, whose main attraction is the presence of Mexican Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano. The champion team lost and the new team achieved a first major victory in its history in the MLS.
Throughout the first half, both teams spent their time studying each other at half-speed and with few offensive arguments, so much so that the first attack by the home team, champions of last season’s tournament, came well after the 20th minute.
The team from the city bordering Tijuana in Mexico did their best and attacked repeatedly, especially on Lozano’s left side, but the attacks were fruitless and they failed to threaten Novak Mikovic’s goal.
Near the end of the first half, Aníbal Godoy brought down Fagúndez on the edge of the area and for the first time Carlos Antúnes dos Santos’ goal was in danger, although Fagúndez’s own shot went over, leaving the fans with the cry of goal in their throats.
After the break, the special guest arrived and finally the fans were able to cheer a goal on this MLS Sunday Night. Unfortunately, it wasn’t theirs for the Galaxy, but the visiting team’s when Anders Dreyer finished with a left foot from the centre of the area after a ball passed to him by Chucky Lozano after an error in the exit of Novak Mikovic and Emiro Garcés.
At 65′, Mikovic took the tag of goal from a breakaway by Mexican ‘Chucky’ Lozano, who touched it with class over the Serbian goalkeeper, but the latter rose from the ground like a giant to deflect the ball that was heading straight to the nets of the champions.
At 73′, the Mexican tried again, this time from medium distance and on the fly when recovering a ball in midfield, but his touch went just over Mikovic’s goal.
Miguel Berry had his chance on the other side at minute 78′ in a play that ended with a cross from Yamane. The Spaniard shot at point-blank range but CJ dos Santos stopped the shot and prevented the Galaxy from equalizing.
Chucky Lozano came on as a substitute at 87′ with obvious signs of fatigue and with a possible muscle contracture, perhaps due to the break since his departure from the Old Continent. And right after that, in added time, Dreyer scored the final nail in the coffin with a well-placed left-footed shot, assisted by Tomás Ángel for the final score of 2-0.
CREDITS:
Director: Alejandro Bernal
Text: Max Hackenbroich
