Tuzos top San Diego FC 3-2 in San Diego’s first Leagues Cup match

San Diego FC midfielder Luca de la Torre prepares to cross the ball during the team’s 3-2 loss against C.F. Pachuca. (Emmanuel Alonso/Sandiego.futbol)

San Diego FC lost their first Leagues Cup match 3-2 against C.F. Pachuca in front of an announced crowd of 21,872 at Snapdragon Stadium. 

The Tuzos are considered one of the more consistent teams in Mexico focusing on their youth development with many young players on their team and are coached well by former Mexico National Team coach Jaime Lozano.

San Diego dominated possession and chances in the first 30 minutes, but the Tuzos appeared unphased and were confident in their defending to keep SDFC at bay.

The Tuzos scored first in the 23rd minute after Manu Duah headed away a long ball in the air toward the midfield. The ball was intercepted by Alexei Dominguez of Pachuca who played a great match with an assist and brace. Dominguez ran the ball up through the right channel behind the SDFC backline before passing it to Victor “Pocho” Guzmán. 

Guzmán was one-on-one with Sisniega and attempted to shoot the ball while Sisniega came off his line to defend. The shot deflected up and off Sisniega into Guzmán’s nose before heading straight toward the back of the net. 

San Diego FC continued to dominate possession throughout the half but dropped another goal just before the end of the first half. 

Following a San Diego corner kick Pachuca scored pretty easily on a counter attack down the right wing. Dominguez received a through ball down the right side that he ran into the box while being defended by Luca Bombino. Dominguez managed to take a first shot that Sisniega saved, but the ball deflected right back to him. Bombino gave Dominguez too much space which allowed him to take another shot, but this time sent it to the far post to make it 2-0. 

The second half was much of the same to start out with another goal by Dominguez. His second was a screecher from far outside the box that goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega could do nothing about making it 3-0 at the 67th minute. 

Pachuca played more defensively throughout the match and had multiple players take some time with injuries on the pitch which frustrated SDFC players who thought they were trying to end the game.

“They’re smart about the way they manage the game with wasting time, starting fights, things like that, surrounding the ref,” said SDFC midfielder Luca de la Torre. “We can be a little bit more smart in those circumstances and manage it a little bit better also.”

San Diego mounted some opposition to get on the scoresheet late in the match in the 87th minute with a goal by Ema Boateng who came on for Hirving “Chucky” Lozano. Boateng tapped in a cross  from new loanee Aiden Harangi right in the center of the box to make it 3-1. 

Then, minutes later Anders Dreyer got a red card in the beginning of added time following a bit of tough play between him and Elias Mintiel. They were trying to box each other out in order to head a ball. As the two were jostling for position and holding each other Dreyer went down to the ground with his feet going toward the sky. During the fall Dreyer kicked Montiel in the chest right in front of the referee resulting in an automatic red card. 

“I'm sure (Dreyer) would like to take it back, but these things happen. I think that there's a little frustration with the time wasting a little bit the management of the game in terms of us wanting to speed the game up and get going,” said Varas. “(Dreyer) knows that he should probably keep his cool in that situation, even if he's kind of getting manhandled a little bit.”

San Diego FC still had positive momentum and scored once more with a header by Luca Bombino making a run on the far post in the 10th minute of stoppage time, but the momentum came too late leaving the final score at 3-2. 

San Diego FC still have a chance to advance to the next phase of the Leagues Cup as no MLS team won their match on Tuesday’s games. San Diego play their next match in phase one of the Leagues Cup at Snapdragon Stadium on Friday, August 1, against Tigres UANL.