SAN DIEGO FC 1-0 FC DALLAS
Jul 25, 2026
Att. 24,489 • Snapdragon Stadium
SAN DIEGO — After nearly a month away from MLS action due to the World Cup, San Diego FC returned home hoping to get back into form. With a playoff position that’s close to slipping, three points against FC Dallas were always going to be important. While the performance wasn’t their most convincing when it came to finishing, San Diego showed enough quality to earn the 3 points.
The opening 45 minutes belonged to the hosts, who controlled possession and dictated the tempo of the match. Dallas sat deep and made it easy for San Diego to consistently attack. Despite creating a few promising opportunities, neither side was able to break the deadlock before halftime. Defensively, San Diego looked organized and rarely allowed Dallas to get into the final third.
The breakthrough finally came in the second half when Alejandro Alvarado Jr. found the back of the net, giving San Diego a deserved lead after knocking on the door for much of the entire match. From there, the hosts looked comfortable going forward looking to put the game to bed, but the final moments nearly told a different story. In stoppage time, FC Dallas broke away on a mistake due to Duah passing carelessly with a chance to steal a point, only for Duah to recover and escape the scare before the final whistle.
Although the clean sheet and three points will be the main takeaway, the late chance is something San Diego will want to address. Protecting a one-goal lead has been an issue in recent months, and allowing another dangerous opportunity in the dying moments nearly proved costly. It’s a reminder that while San Diego continues to show the quality needed to win matches, closing games out remains an area that could become increasingly important as the playoff race heats up.
