Aug 22, 2026
Att: 21,697 • Snapdragon Stadium
SAN DIEGO — San Diego FC rescued a point in dramatic fashion against the Seattle Sounders, fighting back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw at Snapdragon Stadium. However, with the playoffs slipping further out of reach, the result feels more like another missed opportunity than a reason to celebrate. SDFC entered the match needing all three points to keep their postseason hopes alive, but another draw leaves them five points behind the final Western Conference playoff spot with just three games remaining. After going nine consecutive matches without a win, time is quickly running out for the Chrome and Azul, and their playoff chances are beginning to disappear.
The first half saw San Diego control much of the attacking play, with Anders Dreyer coming agonizingly close to opening the scoring when his shot from outside the box struck the woodwork. But whatever momentum SDFC built before halftime quickly disappeared after the break. Dejan Joveljić opened the scoring for Seattle in the 50th minute with a brilliant strike from distance before Sebastian Gomez doubled the visitors’ lead just five minutes later. In the span of ten minutes, San Diego had gone from looking for the breakthrough to staring at another devastating result. With their season hanging in the balance, the team had little room for error.
Despite the setback, SDFC refused to go quietly. Dreyer pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 60th minute after Andrew Thomas saved his initial attempt, with Cédric Bakambu reacting quickest to put away the rebound. San Diego continued pushing for an equalizer, but as the minutes ticked away, the possibility of another disappointing night at home became increasingly difficult to ignore. Just when it looked like Seattle would leave Snapdragon Stadium with all three points, Marcus Ingvartsen won a late penalty, giving Bakambu the opportunity to rescue his side. The forward stepped up in the 96th minute and calmly converted, sending the home crowd into celebration and completing a dramatic comeback.
While the late equalizer showed the fight still present in this San Diego side, the bigger picture is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. A point is better than none, but SDFC needed a win, and another missed opportunity leaves their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. After finishing at the top of the Western Conference in their inaugural season, the Chrome and Azul now find themselves running out of time, points and opportunities to save their campaign. Three matches remain, and the margin for error is effectively gone. San Diego may have rescued a point against Seattle, but unless they can finally turn these draws into wins, their postseason hopes could soon be over.
