During its first season as a Major League Soccer franchise, San Diego FC has proven that it belongs in the MLS. But during its first-ever friendly match against a Mexican soccer club, SDFC also proved that it belongs on the world stage.
During a friendly match against the club that was the runner up in the Mexican soccer league’s championship game last season, San Diego more than held its own and won against Liga MX franchise Club América by a score of 3-0.
Club América, based in Mexico City, was founded in 1916 and is the most decorated team in Liga MX history with 16 league titles. Liga MX is the top-tier professional soccer league in Mexico, a sort of equivalent to Major League Soccer in the U.S.
Club América played in the Liga MX championship game on May 25, losing to Deportivo Toluca F.C. 2-0.
During the friendly, which took place at Snapdragon Stadium, SDFC forward Milan Iloski, who grew up in Escondido, scored twice, once in each half. During the 63rd minute of game time, he connected with a kick going that was launched from the right side of the goal and landed in the bottom left portion of the net, with teammate right-back Oscar Verhoeven being credited with the assist.
Iloski’s first half goal came via a left footed kick during the 37th minute. Teammate midfielder Jasper Löffelsend picked up the assist.
After his two scores, San Diego forward Tomás Ángel also found the back of the net, with is goal coming during the 77th minute.
Since this was a non-MLS match, the outcome played no part in league standings. SDFC still sits in second place in MLS’ Western Conference standings with a 9-5-3 record.
The friendly was the first of two friendly matches scheduled between the clubs; the partnership was announced in January. The two clubs are scheduled to play again in 2027, also at Snapdragon Stadium.
SDFC star player Chucky Lozano, a Mexico City native who also plays for the Mexican national team, was unable to participate in Saturday’s match due to an apparent reoccurrence of a left hamstring injury that flared up during San Diego’s previous match on May 31.
Lozano, 29, originally injured the hamstring during SDFC’s first-ever home match on March 1 and missed the club’s next few matches while recovering. It is possible that he could miss additional time.
There was a much heavier police presence than usual outside the stadium for the match, with San Diego State University police officers, some with dogs, casting a watchful eye on fans as they entered the stadium before the game. Inside, the venue’s private security looked to have been beefed up from the number of people working a typical SDFC match.
The precautions were in part due to the match being against a storied geographic rival, albeit a much more distant one than the MLS teams in Los Angeles. Police took no chances due to the fact that the last time each of LA’s MLS clubs played at the Dragon, fights erupted, leading to skirmishes in both inside the stadium and in the parking lots.
There were no reported violent incidents during the match, however. Although a group of San Diego fans were seen taunting a section filled with Club América fans as time expired, nothing physic came of it inside the venue.
Next up for San Diego FC: three consecutive road matches. The first is against Minnesota on June 14. Then the club takes on the best team in the West, the Vancouver Whitecaps, on June 25. After that, it’s on to face FC Dallas in Texas three days later.
SDFC’s next home match is scheduled for July 5 against the Houston Dynamo.
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