San Diego FC Falls 1-0 to Seattle Sounders in a Hard-Fought Road Match

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MLS San Diego FC

San Diego FC Falls 1-0 to Seattle Sounders in a Hard-Fought Road Match

May 29, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Diego FC News Release


SEATTLE - San Diego FC (SDFC) allowed a second half goal in a hard-fought 1-0 loss against the Seattle Sounders FC at Lumen Field on Wednesday evening. The result snapped SDFC's five-match unbeaten streak and gave the Club its first-ever loss against Seattle.

Jesus Ferriera scored for Seattle Sounders off a cross by Paul Rothrock in the 58th minute to give the homeside the win. SDFC pushed for a late equalizing goal but Seattle, who remains unbeaten at home this season, held on to earn the three points. It was the first-ever midweek match on the road for SDFC and the second time the Club faced the Sounders. SDFC beat Seattle 3-0 on Matchday 7 back in April.

Next up, SDFC will return home to host Austin FC on Saturday, May 31 at Snapdragon Stadium for the Club's fifth home match in the month of May and seventh overall this month. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. PT and will air live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with radio broadcasts in English on San Diego Sports 760 AM and in Spanish on TUDN 1700 AM.

Goal Scoring Plays:

1-0 - SEA Jesus Ferreira (Paul Rothrock), 58th minute: Ferriera opened the scoring when the Seattle striker sent a left-footed shot from inside the penalty area past SDFC goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos. Ferreira took a cross by Rothrock, spun off a defender and fired his shot to score his first goal with the Sounders.

Postgame Notes:

With today's 1-0 loss against the Seattle Sounders, SDFC is now 3-4-0 on the road.

SDFC is now 8-5-3 with 27 points through 16 games this season and currently sits tied in second place with Minnesota United in the Western Conference standings.

SDFC outpossessed the Sounders tonight 56% to 44%.

SDFC registered 1.1 expected goals (xG) with 16 shots, while the Sounders recorded 0.39 xG with seven shots.

Prior to tonight's loss, SDFC had earned points in five-consecutive matches (four at home).

SDFC has outscored opponents 11-3 in its last five matches despite tonight's loss.

SDFC is now 8-4-2 against Western Conference rivals this season.

SDFC earned 10 out of 15 available points in five matches played in 18 days.

Tonight's loss is the first for SDFC in the month of May in six matches with one remaining this month (4-1-1).

SDFC is now 3-3-0 in one-goal matches.

Goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos and defender Christopher McVey started tonight and played a full 90 minutes through the Club's first 16 matches, each totaling 1,440 minutes played.

Defender Luca Bombino made his ninth start for SDFC tonight at Lumen Field.

Defender Oscar Verhoeven made his second start with SDFC, his fourth appearance with the Club and his fifth in MLS.

Defender Jasper Loëffelsend tonight registered his 80th MLS regular season appearance, replacing Oscar Verhoeven in the 81st minute.

It was Loëffelsend's first action since coming on as a sub for Willy in the 77th minute of SDFC's 3-1 loss at home against Real Salt Lake on April 26.

Forward Milan Iloski made his ninth-consecutive SDFC appearance, replacing Luca de la Torre in the 64th minute, marking his 11th career MLS appearance.

Tonight's result is only the fourth time SDFC has been shutout this season.

Next Game

Next up, SDFC will host Austin FC for the second time on Saturday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. PT. The match will air live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with radio broadcasts in English on San Diego Sports 760 AM and in Spanish on TUDN 1700 AM.

Match Information

2025 MLS Regular Season

San Diego FC (8-5-3, 27 pts) vs. Seattle Sounders (7-4-5, 26 pts)

Wednesday - Lumen Field (Seattle, WAA)

Scoring Summary:

SEA (1-0) - Jesus Ferreira (Assisted by Paul Rothrock 58')

Misconduct Summary:

SEA - Paul Rothrock (caution 27')

SD - Oscar Verhoeven (caution 81')

SEA - Kalani Kossa-Rienzi (caution 84')

Lineups:

SAN DIEGO FC: GK CJ Dos Santos; D Oscar Verhoeven (Jasper Loëffelsend,82'), D Christopher McVey, D Paddy McNair, D Luca Bombino; M Alejandro Alvarado Jr. (Aníbal Godoy, 60'), M Jeppe Tverskov -C-, M Luca de la Torre (Milan Iloski 64');; F Anders Dreyer, F Onni Valakari (Tomás Ángel, 82'), F Alex Mighten (Hirving "Chucky" Lozano, 46').

Substitutes Not Used: GK Pablo Sisniega D Franco Negri, D Ian Pilcher, M Heine Bruseth

TOTAL SHOTS: 16; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 13; OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES; 4

SEATTLE SOUNDERS: GK Stefan Frei -C-;; D Nouhou, D Jonathan Bell, D Alex Roldan, D Kim Kee-hee (Stewart Hawkins, 34');; M Cristian Roldan, M Albert Rusnak, M Paul Rothrock (Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, 78'), M Obed Vargas (Jao Paulo, 78'), M Ryan Kent (Danny Musovski, 66');; F Jesus Ferreira (Pedro de la Vega, 66')

Substitutes Not Used: GK Andrew Thomas, D Reed Baker-Whiting, D Jackson Rageni, F Georgi Minoungou

TOTAL SHOTS: 6; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 12; OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 7

Referee: Ismir Pekmic

Assistant Referees: Corey Rockwell, Eduardo Jeff

Fourth Official: Servando Berna

VAR: Younes Marrakchi

AVAR: Rhett Hammil

Weather: Sunny, 81 Degrees

Attendance: 30,041

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

SDFC HEAD COACH MIKEY VARAS

On tonight's performance and the decisive goal:

"I think we had a good momentum in both halves. I mean they had 0.38 expected goals on the night, on six shots, we had over one (expected goal) with 16 shots, 15, 14, 16, shots. So, at the end of the day, we just put together a road performance against a very, very good team and a historically winning club that you would say you play that game 10 times, you're going to win it more often than not. You know, for me, the disappointing thing is that the deciding play of the game is one in which we have both of our defensive midfielders completely out of position because Alejandro was cramping and other was stretching them, and the play was allowed to restart without these guys getting back into position, even though it was originally whistled down. So, for me, it's a bit of a strange play. But you know, we have to adapt, and we have to be ready, I guess, for these situations also, because even though I haven't seen it before, to be honest, we have to be ready to respond in those moments. And we have to get used to the fact that this is a possibility."

On the defense's performance and goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos:

"Again. I repeat. Seattle had 0.38 XG (Expected Goals) on the game at home and our boys, we always play on the edge, so we asked these guys to take tremendous risks and play with and be brave and how they play. And when you do that, sometimes you play too close to the edge. But I don't think they were shaky at all, to be honest. I think that these guys came and put together such a mature first half, one that I'm really impressed with. Second half wasn't as strong as the first, but it was still pretty dominant in terms of having 67-percent possession, out shooting more than double the opponent, more than double XG (Expected goals), we control the game. And so, of course, you play against a good team, they're going to have chances too, and when we play with such a high back line, and we play with so much risk in our build up, but I think they did a fantastic job, to be honest."

On the team's overall performance tonight and team's effort through 16 games:

"Yeah, I think today we showed that we have a big squad. Alejandro (Alvarado Jr.) came in, I thought it was fantastic, until he was cramping and couldn't go anymore, and then Onni (Valakari) came in and had a good game. Oscar (Verhoeven) had a very good game as well. It allowed us to get a little bit of mileage off of Hirving (Lozano) heading into Saturday's game. So, we also get to sub Luca De La Tore, who had the earliest shot of the game. And I think for me, the most important thing is that we show these guys, show that the squad is big. We can make rotations. We're still us. When we do that, we're still dangerous, because the first half was really, really good. And what I would take away from the season so far back to your main question, was we're 16 games in, and we just played a fantastic game away to Seattle that is historically just a big time winning club, and we showed that in a short time, that we can go away and put together a really, really important performances where, if we do that every time we go on the road, we're going to win more often than We don't."

SDFC MIDFIELDER ONNI VALAKARI

On it being difficult to break through Seattle's backline:

"We actually thought, coming into the game that they were going to press as high, but when they tried to press, I feel we break their press really good, and then they respected us a little bit after that, and they dropped down low and defended the box. So, it's always, always hard when a team does that. And we spoke a little bit after the game that in these moments when another team drops, drops down low into their box, we have to find ways to create good chances. And yeah, I think that's something we're going to work on. Overall, it's not an easy place to come (play). I think the performance we had is, is a solid performance on the road to come here, dominate the ball, dominate the position, dominate the chances. Yeah, it's now just full recovery. Everybody's a little bit disappointed, so it's a tough one to take, but travel home and focus on Saturday,"

On playing various positions this season:

"I've played in a lot of positions this season. For me, it doesn't really matter. I just play with what the team needs. Obviously, the roles are a little bit different, so what the game asks in different situations is a little bit different, but I feel I can adapt to these situations. There are good players around me who helped me when, when I played a position that's not so natural to me, but I feel like, for example, today, in striker position, I can drop quite freely into the midfield, get link up play. This is my style of playing. So, I've been I've really been happy all the chances I've got to play, and I really don't mind where, where I play."

On if the artificial surface made a difference for him and the team tonight:

"No, I think everybody, everybody in the team, has played on artificial grass, and I think we showed it that we dominated the ball today enough to create enough good chances, so the field definitely is not an excuse for that."

On how the team is affected when playing different positions:

"Yeah, obviously we have a lot of players with different characteristics. So, it always depends who is playing. But I feel the principles are always the same for the whole team. So, I feel like the way we want to play doesn't change. Obviously, I drop down little bit, and then we have high wingers running in behind the line. I feel it works. How we go into the game. It doesn't matter who's playing what position it's clear what we want to try and everybody has their own role that they have to do. And yeah, so I don't really think it has an effect (on the game)."

On the next home game against Austin and importance of fan support:

"The support at home has been amazing. The whole season. We spoke with the guys that today, we're really disappointed, but we're going to take this feeling, this anger, bring it home, home with us, and show it, show it on Saturday that we're not happy to lose games. And I feel we are going to show energy on Saturday, even though it's only two days in between. But after a lost game, everybody wants to show up and get back on winning ways. So, I think that's what we're going to do on Saturday, and we're preparing for that. Then the fans are always amazing at home. They help us. So, it doesn't matter if we play five games a week, if we play at home, we still have the energy to play. So, yeah, we're looking forward for that."

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