San Diego FC Defeats FC Dallas, 1-0, at Snapdragon Stadium
MLS San Diego FC

San Diego FC Defeats FC Dallas, 1-0, at Snapdragon Stadium

Published on July 26, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Diego FC News Release


SAN DIEGO - San Diego FC (SDFC) returned to its home ground after more than two months following the international summer break with a 1-0 win against FC Dallas at Snapdragon Stadium.

SDFC's Alejandro Alvarado Jr. found the net in the 50th minute of the Western Conference matchup, helping SDFC snap a three-game winless streak. SDFC earns three points in the conference standings as it heads into a busy month of August that will include MLS play along with the Club's second participation in the Leagues Cup.

Against FC Dallas, SDFC created scoring opportunities throughout the match and nearly added a second goal late in the game, but FC Dallas backup goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois made a handful of standout saves.

Alvarado scored with a right-footed blast from outside the penalty box for the SDFC 1-0 lead, marking his first career MLS goal.

Ahead of the match, SDFC Sporting Director Tyler Heaps and winger Elias Achouri addressed the media during a press conference at Snapdragon Stadium to officially introduce the Club's newest Designated Player. Photos and video of from SDFC's official introduction of Achouri can be found HERE.

Up next, SDFC heads back on the road to face Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field on Saturday, Aug. 1. SDFC returns home to host Club Tijuana of LIGA MX in its first Leagues Cup match of 2026 on Sunday, Aug. 9 at Snapdragon Stadium.

Goal Scoring Plays:

SD - 1-0 - Alejandro Alvarado Jr. (Manu Duah) 50th minute: Alvarado scored with a right-footed shot from outside the 16-yard box, beating a diving Jonathan Sirois into the lower right corner for the SDFC lead.

Postgame Notes:

- With tonight's win against FC Dallas, SDFC snaps a three-match winless streak. SDFC's last win was a 5-0 victory against Austin FC on May 13.

- SDFC now has a 5-7-5 record in the 2026 MLS Regular Season with 20 points.

- SDFC is 21-14-8 all-time against Western Conference teams in MLS Regular Season play.

- SDFC is 4-3-3 at home this season.

- SDFC has now scored in the first 15 minutes of the second half eight times this season.

- Tonight's match marked the 51st MLS Regular Season match for SDFC and now holds a 24-16-11 all-time MLS Regular Season record

- SDFC is 2-4 in one goal matches this season.

- SDFC is now 7-9-5 across all competitions in 2026 (MLS Regular Season 5-7-5, Concacaf Champions Cup 2-2).

- SDFC remains unbeaten All-time against FC Dallas with a 3-0-1 record.

- SDFC out possessed FC Dallas 69 to 31 percent.

- SDFC had 789 passes compared to FC Dallas' 265.

- Midfielder Alejandro Alvarado Jr. scored his first career MLS goal tonight and his first with SDFC.

- Alvarado's goal is the 117th goal in SDFC history across all competitions.

- Alvarado is the 10th SDFC player to score a goal this MLS Regular season.

- Alvarado made his first start and his eighth appearance of the season.

- Defender Manu Duah earned his first career MLS assist during Alvarado's goal.

- Winger Anders Dreyer made his 50th MLS Regular Season start tonight and made his 51st MLS Regular Season appearance.

- Newcomer Ian Murphy appeared on the 20-man roster for the second-consecutive time. He made his SDFC debut when he came on as a substitute for Kieran Sargeant in the 70th minute last week at Colorado Rapids.

- Forward Alex Mighten made his fifth start of the season tonight. He has started in consecutive matches.

- Forward Amahl Pellegrino missed a second-consecutive match with a lower body injury.

- Defender Kieran Sargeant made his eighth start for SDFC, and his 10th appearance this season.

- Onni Valakari and Dreyer are the only players to play in all 51 of SDFC's regular season and five post-season matches for a total of 56 MLS career appearances each.

- Goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos made his third-straight start. He started in SDFC's last match at Colorado Rapids July 22 and on May 23 before the international break, seeing action for the first time since suffering an injury against LAFC on May 2.

- Dos Santos recorded his first clean sheet of the season and his 12th overall with SDFC across all competitions.

- Defender Dagur Dan Thórhallsson appeared in the SDFC 20-man roster after being signed by the club July 24.

- SDFC also presented its new Designated Player Elias Achouri during a press conference prior to tonight's match.

Match Information

2026 MLS Regular Season

San Diego FC vs. FC Dallas

Saturday - Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, Calif.)

Scoring Summary:

SD -1-0- Alejandro Alvarado Jr. (Assisted by Manu Duah)

Misconduct Summary:

DAL- Bernard Camungo (caution, 81')

DAL - Anderson Julio (caution, 88')

Lineups:

SAN DIEGO FC: GK CJ Dos Santos; D Oscar Verhoeven, D Manu Duah, D Christopher McVey, D Kieran Sargeant (Luca Bombino, 87'); M Alejandro Alvarado Jr. (David Vazquez, 74'), M Onni Valakari (Lewis Morgan, 86'), M Jeppe Tverskov -C-, F Alex Mighten, F Marcus Ingvartsen (Aníbal Godoy, 74'), F Anders Dreyer

Substitutes Not Used: GK Duran Ferree; D Dagur Thorhallsson, F Bryan Zamble, D Ian Murphy, M Pedro Soma

TOTAL SHOTS: 19; SHOTS ON GOAL: 8; FOULS: 10; OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 1

FC DALLAS: GK Daniel (Jonathan Sirois, 19'), D Osaze Urhoghide, D Shaq Moore -C-, D Sebastien Ibeagha (Logan Farrington 79'), D Nolan Norris, M Christian Cappis, M Joaquin Valiente, M Kaick Ferreira, M Ran Binyamin (Anderson Julio 61'), M Patrickson Delgado (Santiago Moreno, 61'), F Peter Musa

Substitutes Not Used: D Lalas Abubakar, D Herman Johansson, M Caleb Swann, F Samuel Sarver, M Bernard Kamungo

TOTAL SHOTS: 7; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; FOULS: 10; OFFSIDES 0; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 7

Referee: Victor Rivas

Assistant Referees: Jeffrey Greeson, Rhett Hammil

Fourth Official: Malik Badawi

VAR: Kevin Scott

AVAR: Jeff Muschik

Weather: 71-degrees, clear

Attendance: 24,489

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

SDFC HEAD COACH MIKEY VARAS

On difference between tonight and last match on Wednesday:

"It's just two different types of games, two different game plans. In Colorado, we knew altitude would play a factor, and it's a team that wants to build through you. So, we had a game plan to be a little bit more in a mature mid-block, and I was actually quite happy with the boys performance. Of course, not happy with the result, but happy with the majority of the game, and then it comes down to details. And then tonight, it's against a much more vertical team, team that plays long, who's very good doing that, very good in direct playing and transitions. Obviously, with Petar Musa up top, who's just a top player, and so the idea was we needed to be into pressure much quicker, and that we needed to make sure that we dominated the ball. And again, I think the boys did a good job of executing the game plan. Of course, we're at home as well, and at home we talk about always being protagonists."

On speaking to the team about shooting from long range:

"Yeah, well, we've told them that I think we're really good at getting in behind teams and then creating these really big chances. But there are also moments where, when we get in front of them, we just have to test the goalkeeper, and we have to make sure that the goalkeeper is always on their toes, so they know that there's not only one way we can score. And just really happy for Alejandro [Alvarado Jr.]. It was his first goal at the first division level, and he took the goal really well. And ultimately, I think we created a lot of chances on the night. And there, overall, it was a really complete performance from the team."

On Alejandro Alvarado celebrating the goal with him:

"Yeah, I'll be honest with you. He's a top guy, and we go way back. I think I was a little bit more in the way than it was exactly directed to me. He's a team guy, of course. He's grateful of me, but he's grateful of his whole team. And then I know that he was really grateful of Paulina [Maldonado] and Carey and the rest of the medical staff who helped him make a comeback from what happened last year, and it's been a hard year for him. And he embodies that relentless never say die attitude, and just really happy for him."

On if he remembers anything about Alvarado while coming back from injury:

"If you remember before he was out, like he was really building a lot of momentum, and yeah, just seen him growing in every training session. I've been pushing him a lot more than maybe he wants, but ultimately, it's to get the best out of him. And then I just think he came in last game and really provided us a spark. So, when you feel those things as a staff, you know you look for a little bit of extra energy in the group, and I thought he had earned it."

On what Elias Achouri brings to the team and how he'll combine with Anders Dreyer:

"Yeah, Elias [Achouri] is a one v one explosive player. He has the speed to run in behind, so it's going to be this connection between Anders [Dreyer] and the pocket, and how do we find him in isolations? How do we find him in behind? He's also really good in combination play, so dribbling inside and finding these combos to then get in behind the opponent. And then ultimately, I think what he's going to provide us is a level of respect from the other teams in terms of if they really want to leave us two v two or one v one on the highest line. He's somebody that with a dribble is going to be able to open that up. So, we're really excited, and he's also a team first kind of player. Every bit of information we got about him is that he's really smart. He knows five languages. He picks up tactical concepts really quick, and that he's a team guy, so he's somebody who wants to win more than anything."

SDFC MIDFIELDER ALEJANDRO ALVARADO JR.

On his goal tonight:

"Yeah, I mean, obviously happy for the three points here at home. I think we deserved it. We had a great team performance, full team performance, and yeah, like you said, it was openings for shots. And to be honest, Christopher

told me just shoot. There was a lot of couple guys just shoot. You know, you never know what could happen, and being in that moment, always taking the turn, taking the touch, and then I said I'm going to shoot, and thankfully I went in and happy, happy to contribute a goal and get the three points here at home."

On the opportunity to start and coming back from injury:

"I mean, I'm thankful for the opportunity. We're all here to compete. We're all here to help the team, and we're all here to play. You know, and at the end of the day, we all have our roles. And I just need to thank him for the opportunity. Thank the coaching staff and thank the medical staff. Thank everyone that helped me in my recovery. My teammates. You know, it was a hard year where I had to overcome a tough injury, and thankfully, with the help of my teammates, the help of the staff, I was able to do it, and thankfully, here we are."

On what he felt he did well tonight and what he expected of FC Dallas:

"Yeah, obviously we know we knew they were going to be an aggressive team. We knew they were going to go for the long balls, and we followed the game plan that the coaching staff gave us, and we had to win first balls, second balls. I think that's where we really controlled the game very well. With the ball, we were very clean, we were very aggressive, and I think we created a lot of opportunities. And we were just a very compact team as well. When we had to be compact, when we had to say low, and I think it was a full team performance from everyone. Everyone that came in, everyone that started, everyone that played the whole game, and obviously being at home in front of our fans, it just gives an extra push with all the support that they're giving us."

On what moments like tonight mean to him:

"I mean, like I said, it was a very tough year, very hard days where we had to do a lot of rehab, we had to do a lot of strengthening, and like I had said a year ago today, I was on my couch watching the team play against Nashville, and to be here a year later and being able to contribute and get three points at home, it means the world to me. Obviously, I want to thank my family as well that was there since the first day, since surgery, since every little hard moment that I faced through rehab. I didn't do this alone, and I want to thank everyone that helped me to get where I am. And hopefully, this is just a start for me on a personal note and for a team. You know, we want to keep going. We want to build off this momentum, and hopefully, we could keep giving the fans what they want."

SDFC DEFENDER MANU DUAH:

On defending against a tough attacking team:

"It's all teamwork. Everyone came together. We know the last game we went with a game plan, and it was a step, one step ahead. And we know this game we had to give everything. The difference is this game we were going all out because this is home. We can all lose here. So, everyone had the same mindset that we give everything for the win."

On making a possible game-saving play at last minute:

"Yeah, you know, just the last minute, we just want to waste time, so we just have to keep the ball. But unfortunately, I just made a bad pass. But then it's all about just getting back to you know. You just have to put your head down and just give everything you have, just so you make sure your team is happy."

On what team has talked about to prevent giving up late goals:

"You know, it's just a just a simple detail like just a small thing that we've been talking about in the locker room, and the coaches have been just on it. Like we know, like now teams are just going all out on us. They go man on man. So, it's just the small details of passes and the movement and all that. So, this win has actually boosted us up. So, we're going to continue and have the same fate because now we know how everyone is going to go against us, and they all go man, man, to us, and they go high press and all that. It's just the small details that we have to take care of."

On taking risks and protecting a result:

"Well, mostly for this team, we take risk, and you know sometimes you get rewarded, and sometimes you don't, so it's mostly the balance that me, especially me and Chris [McVey], we just find in the in the game, and then it's just all about communication. That if you're going to leave your role, you have to make sure some someone fill it out, and it's just more me and Chris at the back. So, if I go, Chris stay. If Chris goes, I stay, and we just find the balance in there."

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