Jeppe Tverskov scored in stoppage time after Minnesota scored three second half goals
San Diego FC (17-8-5, 56 pts) fell 3-1 against Minnesota United FC (15-6-9, 54 pts) at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night. Despite the loss, SDFC remains atop the Western Conference standings.
SDFC captain Jeppe Tverskov scored for the home side in stoppage time to prevent the shutout loss after Minnesota had found the net with goals by Anthony Markanich (74th minute), Carlos Harvey (77th minute) and Nectarios Triantis (90+2).
SDFC controlled possession for most of the match as it pressured with its attack, outshooting Minnesota United 28-6 and forcing goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair to make 12 saves on the night. SDFC also kept Minnesota without a shot on goal until midway through the second half. Minnesota sat back to defend and went on to find three goals on the counterattack in the second half of the second meeting between the clubs.
SDFC will next host Liga MX side Club Tijuana (Xolos) in the first-ever Baja Cup presented by Modelo on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Snapdragon Stadium. It is the first match of the clubs’ five-year partnership.
SDFC will then return to MLS Regular Season action when the Club travels to face Atlanta United FC on Saturday, Sept. 20 at Mercedes Benz Stadium in the first ever meeting between the clubs. The match will air live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with English-language radio coverage on San Diego Sports 760 AM and Spanish-language coverage on TUDN 1700 AM.
Goal Scoring plays:
MNU – 0-1- Anthony Markanich (Joaquín Pereyra), 74th minute: Off a corner kick from Pereyra, Markanich beat his defender and flicked a header past goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos inside the left post.
MNU – 0-2 - Carlos Harvey (Nectarios Triantis, Kelvin Yeboah) 77th Minute: Harvey took a pass from Triantis, cut inside onto his left foot, and fired a shot past Dos Santos to give Minnesota a 2-0 lead.
MNU – 0-3 - Nectarios Triantis (Wil Trapp) 90+2: From midfield, Triantis spotted CJ Dos Santos off his line and launched a long-range strike that sailed over the SDFC goalkeeper and bounced into the net, securing Minnesota’s 3-0 victory.
SD – 1-3 – Jeppe Tverskov (Hirving “Chucky” Lozano) 90+5: Lozano swung in a cross from right to left, and Tverskov outjumped his defender to head it past Dayne St. Clair for SDFC’s only goal of the match.
Postgame Notes:
- With tonight’s 3-1 loss against Minnesota United FC, SDFC suffered its 8th loss in Club history but remains in first place in the Western Conference standings with 56 points and a 17-8-5 record.
- The loss also snapped SDFC’s six match unbeaten streak.
- SDFC remains in second place in the Supporters’ Shield race behind the Philadelphia Union (57 points).
- The Club also sits just one point shy of LAFC’s expansion points record (57 in 2018).
- SDFC is 7-4-5 at home this season.
- SDFC is 15-6-4 against Western Conference teams this season.
- SDFC dominated possession, holding 61% of the ball compared to Minnesota’s 39%.
- SDFC had 558 passes completed compared to Minnesota’s 283.
- SDFC continues to lead the league in passes completed with 17,855.
- SDFC is tied for first in MLS scoring with Orlando City SC with 55 goals.
- SDFC leads MLS in assists with 66.
- SDFC is 5-7-2 when allowing the first goal.
- Midfielder Jeppe Tverskov scored his second goal of the season.
- Tverskov, the team captain, now has 12 goal contributions (2 goals, 10 assists).
- Forward Hirving “Chucky” Lozano assisted in Tverskov’s goal tonight. Lozano now has 18 goal contributions (9 goals, 9 assists) this season.
- Defender Manu Duah made his eighth MLS start and ninth appearance for SDFC. He has a total of 13 appearances with the Club across all competitions. He played in three Leagues Club matches as well.
- Defender Pedro Soma made his fourth MLS appearance when he came on as a substitute in the 81st minute for Luca De La Torre. He made his SDFC debut during SDFC’s 2-1 win against San Jose Earthquakes on Aug. 17.
- Defender Christopher McVey made his 100th career MLS Regular Season start and his 105th MLS Regular Season appearance.
- Forward Amahl Pellegrino made his first start for SDFC tonight. He was on the 18-man roster tonight for the third-straight time after being acquired last month.
- Forward Corey Baird was back in action coming on as a substitute in the 63rd minute for Amahl Pellegrino.
- Defender Willy Kumado was back to action tonight when he came on as a substitute in the 82nd minute for Paddy McNair.
- Kumado was on the 18-man roster tonight for the first time since suffering an injury during a match against LA Galaxy on May 24.
Next Match
SDFC will next face Club Tijuana (Xolos) on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Snapdragon Stadium as part of the first-ever Baja Cup presented by Modelo. SDFC will then return to MLS Regular Season action against Atlanta United FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20. The match will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, as well as English and Spanish radio broadcasts on San Diego Sports 760 AM and TUDN 1700 AM.
Match Information
2025 MLS Regular Season
San Diego FC (17-8-5, 56 pts) vs. Minnesota United FC (15-6-9, 54 pts)
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025 – Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, Calif.)
Scoring Summary:
MNU (1-0) - Athony Markanich (Assisted by Joaquin Pereyra) 74’
MNU (2-0) - Player (Assisted by Nectarios Triantis and Kelvin Yeboah) 77’
MNU (3-0) - Nectarios Triantis (Assisted by Wil Trapp) 90+2
SD (1-3) - Jeppe Tverskov (Assisted by Hirving “Chucky” Lozano) 90+5
Misconduct Summary:
MNU – Robin Lod (caution, 14’)
SD – Hirving “Chucky” Lozano (caution, 27’)
MNU – Jefferson Diaz (caution, 28’)
MNU – Michael Boxall (caution, 36’)
MNU – Carlos Harvey (caution, 50’)
SD – Christopher McVey (caution, 54’)
SD – Jeppe Tverskov (caution, 85’)
MNU - Dayne St. Clair (caution, 90)
Lineups:
SAN DIEGO FC: GK CJ Dos Santos; D Paddy McNair, D Christopher McVey (Willy Kumado, 83’), D Manu Duah (Alex Mighten, 83’), D Luca Bombino; M Jeppe Tverskov -C-, M Onni Valakari, M Luca De La Torre (Pedro Soma, 83’); F Anders Dreyer, F Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, F Amahl Pellegrino (Corey Baird, 64’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Pablo Sisniega, D Ian Pilcher, M Aníbal Godoy, M David Vazquez, F Emmanuel Boateng
TOTAL SHOTS: 28; SHOTS ON GOAL: 13; FOULS: 12; OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES; 2
MINNESOTA UNITED FC: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Joseph Rosales (Athony Markanich, 63’), D Michael Boxall -C-, D Bongokuhle Hlongwane, D Morris Duggan, D Jefferson Diaz (Carlos Harvey, 46’); M Robin Lod, M Wil Trapp, M Joaquin Pereyra, M Owen Gene (Nectarios Triantis, 63’), F Kelvin Yeboah (Mamadou Dieng, 88’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Alec Smir, D Nicolas Romero, D Dominik Fitz, M Julian Grerssel, M DJ Taylor
TOTAL SHOTS: 6; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 14; OFFSIDES 2; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 12
Referee: Tori Penso
Assistant Referees: Chris Elliot, Lyes Arfa
Fourth Official: Brandon Stevis
VAR: Kevin Scott
AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert
Weather: 69-degrees, clear
Attendance: 27,158
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
SDFC HEAD COACH MIKEY VARAS
On tonight’s match and result:
“I think the first half was quite extraordinary. It's probably the best football we've played. It's a really good team. We created a lot of big chances, not like half chances, and I don't think we gave anything away. So, we left zero doubt who was the better team in the first half. And second half, I think we started well, but then we kind of got away a little bit from the things that we were doing well, which opened the game a little bit more and they got more set pieces in the second half. That's they play for the second for the set piece, they play for the second ball, they play for chopping the game up and disrupting the rhythm, probably, I would guess, they probably have by far, the lowest time in bowl of any team, goalkeeper taking forever every single time he meets the ball. And we allowed that to kind of seep in and create a little bit of a different dynamic where we were rushing our attacks a little bit too much, shooting from a little bit further away, and unfortunately we left too much to doubt, even though I still think we were the better team in the second half, we left too much to doubt and ended up buying enough.”
On interacting with the fans after the match:
"Yeah, no. For everybody, for Frontera. Appreciate them. Always thought they brought great energy. The whole stadium was great. You know, they I have, don't think I need to tell them anything, because they're with us always, and they're part of our team, and they know that we give everything all the time, and we're working towards that. And at the end of the day, we want to make this place a fortress. We know that when we put together the performance, that leaves no doubt that we give ourselves the best chance at the end of the day, though, its football, and anything could happen. We probably left a little bit too much to doubt in the second half, but we're going to take the things that we did well, because we did a lot of things well, especially the first half, maybe the opening of the second half, and then we need to clean up some things, because that's a high level game against a well-coached team, and the margins are really thin when it comes to that.”
On Minnesota’s block playing style:
“Is the same exact game picture we were we were expecting, and we knew what we wanted to do is make them uncomfortable in their structure, make sure that their defenders got turned and faced towards their own goal a lot, and that the goalkeeper was needing to make big plays. And I think we did that. I don't know the exact number, but more than 20 shots, a lot of balls and behind them, I think a lot of clear chances as well. Not only like longer ones like we had in the second half. So, it was the exact picture that we saw that we that we knew.”
On Amahl Pellegrino’s performance tonight:
“I think it was about his ideal performance without scoring, as you can have. So, he was really good. He helped us in the press. He had some good link up moments. But more importantly, he did what we want, which is running in behind, being really aggressive, getting into good scoring positions. And he did that. And I thought he took his chance as well too. Goalkeeper had had a really, really good game, and I think saved them in the first half.”
SDFC MIDFIELDER LUCA DE LA TORRE
On generating 28 shots in the match but being unable to break down a tough Minnesota team:
"Yeah, obviously, in the first half, I think we played really well. Created more, we were on top of them the whole time. At the end of the day, it came down just the details in the boxes. But for us, we continue to believe in the way that we play and, you know, we generate more XG, we just need to be a little bit better in those moments."
On his message to fans after the recent results at home:
"Just to stick with us. You know, I believe in this group, I believe in the players, and the results are going to come, like they have come away."
On if there is some frustration in the locker room after a result like tonight:
"Yeah, a huge amount of frustration. We want to win. We play the way that we play because we believe it gives us a better chance of winning, and when we're not able to finish the chances, it really hurts."
On how the team sticks with their style if it is not producing results on the night:
"Yeah, it's just to keep on focusing on the details, to take the positives and to try to extend that first half performance into 90 minutes."
SDFC MIDFIELDER JEPPE TVERSKOV
On the frustrating part about not picking up wins at home while doing so on the road:
"I think it's because we're actually doing so well at home, also. Sometimes in games, you kind of play okay, but you don't get the results. Today is also one of those games. I feel like the first, at least 60 minutes, or actually until they score the goal, I think we have a very good performance again. But when you don't score the goals, you don't kill the game, and that happened today."
On how he keeps his team pushing on in a match when things aren't going their way:
"Of course, we want to win, but we also look at the performance. Especially when we do the analysis the day after and I'm pretty sure that, especially the first half, is going to be quite positive to look back on. I think we crack them open and actually open up a team that's quite comfortable standing low. They end up going to the break without a goal, but it could easily be one and two. So yeah, some things are quite good today and it's not easy opening up a team that's sitting low, but I felt like we found the solution, especially in first half. And yeah, of course, we need to accumulate more points at home also, but luckily, we also got a lot of points away, so we're still in it."
On if the Supporters Shield is still a goal and if the pressure of the race makes a result like this hurt more:
"I feel like it's a goal, yeah, I feel that we comfortably can say that we have been putting together good performance that puts us in this position. It's not a pressure for us, because if you want to be at the top and compete, there's pressure to win every game. And we feel it also from our supporters. We feel our supporters are supporting, even though we don't win, also when you walk around the stadium after a loss like today. But I think we put it on ourselves because we want to be at the top. So, it's not a pressure, it's a situation and when you compete for something and you want to go all the way to the top, every game is a game you want to win, if it's away or home. And after all, it's a good feeling to have as a team that you kind of go into all the games with a mentality or the feeling of, we'll win this game, or we can win this game."
On how they can improve next week:
"Yeah, but we have four more games, and yeah, for us it's just about taking some of the positive. It's always like, life in football is black and white, and today we lost. So yeah, you have your head down and you want to as soon as possible get back on top again. And, yeah, that's what we have our analysis for, to kind of also look into what's been good today and what's not so bad, even though the result is almost 3-0, but 3-1, you know, goal in the end, there's still going to be positives. And yeah, that's for us to look at and bring into the next game, because, as I also said, I felt like a big part of this game, we actually performed quite well. We need the goal, obviously, but I felt also if we got the first goal, the game would have opened up differently. So, sometimes it's the small margins."
