CARSON, Calif. — Sunday evening marked a night of many firsts: it was San Diego FC’s first MLS match in club history, the first match of the season for both teams, and the first home loss for the LA Galaxy since 2023.
In a stunning upset, the defending MLS Cup champions fell 2-0 to the expansion side at Dignity Health Sports Park, as costly defensive errors and a standout performance by San Diego's Andres Dreyer proved decisive.
The Galaxy, who celebrated their six MLS Cup titles in a pregame ceremony in front of a crowd of 25,224, were outplayed and outclassed by a San Diego team that looked anything but new to the league.
The result was a sobering reminder of the challenges the Galaxy face in their title defense.
Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney isn't worried that this match is a sign of what's to come in 2025, considering how many new faces are on the squad combined with injuries to two of his designated players.
"I think it's growing pains with this group and not having a guy like Joe [Paintsil] changes how dynamic you are at the top and others. That's something we have to be very mindful of to make sure it doesn't become a habit."
From the opening whistle, San Diego displayed a level of poise and organization that belied their status as an expansion team, while the Galaxy struggled to find their rhythm and were punished for uncharacteristic mistakes.
Dreyer, San Diego’s dynamic forward, was the catalyst for the visitors’ success. He opened the scoring in the 52nd minute, capitalizing on a defensive miscue by Galaxy defender Emiro Garces, who gave the ball away in his own penalty area. Dreyer calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Novak Micovic to give San Diego the lead.
Then in stoppage time Dreyer struck again, this time finishing a well-worked counterattack to double the advantage and seal the historic victory for San Diego.
Christian Ramirez, who made his Galaxy debut, gave credit to San Diego's game plan, but urges Galaxy fans to remain patient.
"Credit to them, they played very well. They took possession away from us and changed a few things in their buildup that made it difficult for us," Ramirez said. "There's no need to rush and over-analyze, we'll look at the film and be better next time."
The Galaxy were unable to mount a meaningful response. Marco Reus, who started the match for LA after being used mostly as a substitute last season, had a chance to level the score just before halftime with a free kick, but his effort sailed over the bar. Gabriel Pec also played with a lot of intensity, but couldn't get any meaningful build ups to go his way.
Fagundez, meanwhile, missed an early opportunity to put the Galaxy ahead, chipping his shot high after breaking through San Diego’s defense.
Vanney acknowledged Fagundez's efforts, but would like to see more involvement from the rest of the lineup.
"That's something that has to be worked because Diego [Fagundez] out there on his own is not going to accomplish what we need Diego to accomplish," Vanney said. "He's a guy who plays in collaboration."
For San Diego, the victory was a dream start to their MLS journey. Head coach praised his team’s composure and execution, saying, “This is a historic moment for our club. The players showed tremendous belief and discipline, and to come here and beat the defending champions is something we’ll always remember.”
Next, the Galaxy will head north of the border to face the Vancouver Whitecaps in search of the club's first victory in 2025.