Apr 26, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego FC defender Hamady Diop (5) headers the ball against Real Salt Lake forward William Agada (7) during the second half at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images
San Diego, California – In a season marked by impressive firsts, San Diego FC faced an unfortunate milestone on Saturday night, dropping their first-ever match at Snapdragon Stadium in a 3-1 loss to Real Salt Lake (RSL). The defeat extended their losing streak to three games, following two straight road losses.
Having never lost at home in franchise history, SDFC entered the match feeling confident about their chances to snap the skid. However, a lackluster first half suddenly turned dramatic in stoppage time, setting the stage for what would be a disappointing night for the home team.
The match began uneventfully, but in the dying seconds of the first half, RSL struck. SDFC defender Willy Kumado made an errant pass that allowed Real Salt Lake forward Diego Luna to pounce on the loose ball and fire a shot into the top corner of the net, giving RSL a 1-0 lead. Just before the break, however, Chucky Lozano converted a penalty kick to bring the match level at 1-1, ensuring the teams went into halftime even.
Despite the equalizer, the second half proved to be a continuation of a troubling trend for San Diego: conceding penalties. In the 54th minute, Jeppe Tverskov was called for a handball in the box while attempting to protect his face from an oncoming shot. It marked the third straight game in which SDFC had been assessed a penalty, and once again, the opponent capitalized. Luna stepped up to take the penalty, securing his second goal of the night and putting RSL ahead 2-1.
RSL wasn’t done there. In the 66th minute, Sam Junqua added a third goal for the visitors, hitting a shot from outside the penalty area that beat San Diego goalkeeper Felipe Martins. With that, the match was effectively out of reach for SDFC, who struggled to generate a response.
The loss leaves San Diego with plenty to reflect on, especially their defensive lapses and penalty troubles. SDFC’s next opportunity to break their losing streak and avoid slipping under .500 for the first time in club history will come next Saturday, as they return to Snapdragon Stadium to face FC Dallas at 6:15 p.m.
With home-field advantage on their side, SDFC will need to regroup and correct their mistakes if they hope to get back on track.
