Expansion San Diego FC stun MLS champion Galaxy in first game

• San Diego FC took down the defending MLS champion LA Galaxy in their inaugural match. The new franchise won 2-0 in Los Angeles.
• The Galaxy raised their championship banner before the match with San Diego.
• Thousands of fans made the trip to see their new team, and Anders Dreyer scored two goals in the win.

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Expansion franchise San Diego FC had the tough task of traveling to take on the defending league champion LA Galaxy in their very first MLS game. By all accounts, Sunday, Feb. 23, was a true David vs. Goliath moment.

How did San Diego FC pull the upset?

David won again, as San Diego defeated the champs 2-0. Coach Mikey Varas said afterward that his team wanted to make a statement.

“The one guarantee that I had was we were going to come here, we were going to be brave on the ball, we’re going to be relentless, and we’re going to show a fighting team spirit,” Varas said.

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The newest MLS club got a goal in the 52nd minute from their star forward Anders Dreyer—naturally the first goal in franchise history—and it held up to send the Galaxy to their first home loss in 16 months. LA was clearly feeling confident, though, as earlier in the night, the Galaxy raised their championship banner at the stadium.

Nevertheless, Varas believed in his team even after the atmosphere reached a fever pitch.

“Now it’s about celebrating. It’s about making a huge step forward for the club and for the community. We talked about being a reflection of the community of San Diego, and I think today, the boys made everybody proud,” Varas said.

What’s wrong with the defending champs?

Thousands of SDFC fans made the drive from San Diego to Carson, California, to watch their team’s first match. Dreyer gave them something more to cheer about in extra time, scoring his second goal to ice the game.

Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney was missing some of the star players that helped them win a title last season. However, he didn’t use that as an excuse.

“Being champion is very difficult to go back-to-back in this league, and teams are going to give you their best,” Vanney said. “Especially a new franchise that’s down the street, that’s been preparing for this moment for years now, and they certainly came out with the right energy and emotion.”

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What’s next for San Diego FC?

Before the match, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who was in attendance, said having a team in San Diego has been a long-term goal for the league, and the run-up to their first game was more than two years in the making.

Next, the first home game in franchise history will be against St. Louis on Saturday, March 1, at Snapdragon Stadium.