SDFC to face Deportivo Toluca FC in a two-leg Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series in March
MEXICO CITY (Tuesday Feb. 10, 2026) – San Diego FC (SDFC) advanced to the Round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions Cup with a 4-2 aggregate victory, despite falling 1-0 to Liga MX side Pumas UNAM in the second leg at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City. A 4-1 win in the first leg on Feb. 3 at Snapdragon Stadium provided the cushion SDFC needed to advance. The match marked the Club’s first official international fixture played outside the United States and its first in Mexico.
SDFC will now host Liga MX’s Deportivo Toluca FC in the first leg of the Round of 16 on Wednesday, March 11 at Snapdragon Stadium, before traveling to Toluca for the second leg on Wednesday, March 18 at Estadio Nemesio Díez. Times and broadcast details for both matches will be announced at a later date.
SDFC opens the 2026 Major League Soccer season against CF Montréal on Saturday, Feb. 21 at Snapdragon Stadium, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. PT.
Goal Scoring Plays:
UNAM– 1-10 – Pedro Vite, 47th minute: Vite broke the deadlock with a left-footed free kick from just outside the box, sending a bending strike past a crowd of players and into the net after SDFC gave away a foul in a dangerous area.
Postgame Notes:
- SDFC won its first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup series tonight despite a 1-0 loss against Pumas UNAM, ending the series 4-2 on aggregate after securing a 4-1 win in the first leg on Feb. 3.
- SDFC moves on to the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 to face Liga MX’s Deportivo Toluca FC.
- SDFC played its first-ever official international match outside of United States and its first-ever in Mexico.
- SDFC suffered its first-ever loss in Concacaf Champions Cup, allowing its second-ever goal in the international competition.
- SDFC has now played in seven matches against Liga MX clubs across official competitions and exhibition matches.
- SDFC has faced six teams in that span (CF Pachuca, UANL Tigres and Mazatlán F.C. in the 2025 Leagues Cup; and Club Tijuana and Club America in an exhibition matches last season).
- SDFC is now 2-3 against Liga MX clubs in official competition (beat Mazatlán F.C. in Leagues Cup action, Pumas UNAM in Concacaf Champions Cup) and 4-3 overall across all competitions (beat Club Tijuana and Club América in friendlies).
- Goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega made his fourth start against a Liga MX team in official competition (vs. CF Pachuca, UANL Tigres in Leagues Cup, Pumas UNAM Feb. 2 and tonight).
- Sisniega also started in the Club’s exhibitions against Club América and Club Tijuana last year.
- Sisniega had eight saves tonight, his highest number of saves with SDFC.
- Defender Wilson Eisner made his second-consecutive start for SDFC tonight. He started in his debut in Leg 1 of the series in which he earned his first goal contribution when he assisted on a goal by David Vazquez
- Defender Kieran Sargeant made his second appearance for SDFC coming on as a substitute for Amahl Pellegrino in the 78th minute.
- Forward Onni Valakari made his Concacaf Champions Cup debut tonight when he came on as a substitute for Amahl Pellegrino in the 78th minute.
- Newcomer Osvald Søe appeared in the SDFC 23-man roster for the second consecutive time.
- Newcomer Bryce Duke appeared in the SDFC 23-man roster for the first time since officially signing with the club on Feb. 9.
- Midfielder Aníbal Godoy will miss the next CCC match against Toluca due to yellow card accumulation.
- SDFC secured its first Champions Cup participation after a first-place finish in the MLS Western Conference during the 2025 MLS regular season, its inaugural season.
- SDFC is the 52nd club from the United States to participate in the Concacaf Champions Cup and the 26th from MLS.
Match Information
Concacaf Champions Cup Round One – Leg 2
Pumas UNAM vs. San Diego FC
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 – Estadio Olímpico Universitario (Mexico City, Mexico)
Scoring Summary:
UNAM (1-0) – Pedro Vite 47’
Misconduct Summary:
UNAM – Ruben Duarte (caution, 8’)
SD - Aníbal Godoy (caution, 25’) SD – Christopher McVey (caution 75’) UNAM – Ruben Duarte (ejection, second caution, 90+6)
Lineups:
SAN DIEGO FC: GK Pablo Sisniega; D Luca Bombino (Ian Pilcher. 83’), D Wilson Eisner, D Manu Duah, D Christopher McVey; M Pedro Soma (David Vazquez, 65’), M Jeppe Tverskov –C–, M Aníbal Godoy (Onni Valakari, 78’); F Amahl Pellegrino (Kieran Sargeant, 78’), F Marcus Ingvartsen (Alex Mighten, 65’), F Anders Dreyer
Substitutes Not Used: GK CJ Dos Santos, GK Duran Ferree, D Osvald Søe, D Leo Duro, F Anisse Saidi, D Oscar Verhoeven, M Bryce Duke
TOTAL SHOTS: 5; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3; FOULS: 10; OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES; 8
PUMAS UNAM: GK Keylor Navas, D Ruben Duarte, D Nathan Silva, D Jesus Rivas (Santiago Lopez, 72’), M Alvaro Angulo, M Jordan Carrillo, M Pedro Vite, M Alan Medina (Guillermo Martinez, 72’), F Robert Morales, F Uriel Antuna (Adalberto Cascarrilla, 57’), F Juninho
Substitutes Not Used: D Angel Azuaje, M Jose Caicedo, GK Pablo Lara, D Tony Leone, M Dennis Ramirez, M Angel Rico
TOTAL SHOTS: 25; SHOTS ON GOAL: 9; FOULS: 13; OFFSIDES 0; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 3
Referee: Said Martinez
Assistant Referees: Walter Lopez, Christian Ramirez
Fourth Official: Waldir Garcia
VAR: Tatiana Guzman AVAR: Jesus Montero Weather: 72-degrees, Clear Attendance: 11,934
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
SDFC HEAD COACH MIKEY VARAS
Opening remarks:
[Translated from Spanish]
“First of all, Pablo [Sisniega] had a great game. He was there to help us in the most difficult moments because it was a very difficult game for us against a very tough opponent. We always want to play a little bit more initiative but we had to suffer but also have to learn to win when things don’t go well. I think there is a lot of merit in what the guys have done. Obviously, we don’t want to play 10 consecutive games like this but every once in a while, it is very important to demonstrate that winning mentality and it’s very important to find a way to get the result.”
On the challenges Pumas presented in this match and adjusting to the altitude:
“I think the challenges were, it's our first time playing at this level of altitude, and just getting used to how the ball felt and how we felt. Then on top of it, a very aggressive Pumas playing for their lives, right, and playing at a high level in order to try to turn around a result. And then ultimately, what we did is, once we realized, you know, we tried a couple changes during the game. We changed our press in the middle of the first half, then we changed it again at halftime, and we saw a little bit of improvement there. But ultimately, you can see the game was pushing us in a direction where we're going to have to suffer a little bit more tonight. And the most important thing is that the guys found a way to win, because we've played a lot of games where we've been protagonists, but to be a protagonist most games and also know how to get out of performance is really important.”
On how the team plans to manage advancing to face Toluca and preparing for the upcoming MLS season:
“We always said we were taking a short term and a long-term approach in these games, because we have to prepare a long season. But what I told the guys was, first and foremost, congratulations, because you don't, not everybody gets to live this moment, and it's really important to know that. Congratulations to Pablo [Sisniega], because he played a fantastic game. And then also that we all know deep inside that there are a lot of things that we can improve for the next round, where we're going to have to play in altitude, but most important tonight is when you find a way to win. You have to cherish that also, because I think these guys play a lot of games where we're very proactive, and we take a lot of initiative, and we have a lot of the ball, and to see them get the ball taken away from them a little bit, but still find a way to win. I think it's a really important sign for us.”
