San Diego FC triumphed over the Portland Timbers 2-1 in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round MLS Cup playoff series [13]. The victory, achieved on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at a sold-out Snapdragon Stadium, marks a historic moment for San Diego FC, securing their first-ever MLS Cup Playoff win [6, 7, 13]. San Diego, the Western Conference's No. 1 seed in its inaugural season, showcased its strength against a determined Portland side [4, 5, 14].
Key Moments
San Diego FC established an early lead with goals from Onni Valakari and Anders Dreyer in the first half [14]. Valakari's goal was followed by a "perfectly timed diving Dreyer header" into the bottom right side netting, increasing the lead to 2-0 [6]. Portland responded in the 36th minute when Kristoffer Velde capitalized on a defensive turnover by San Diego FC, burying the ball inside the right post [6]. The goal marked Velde's first for Portland [15]. Late in the match, Velde received a yellow card [3, 11]. CJ dos Santos, San Diego's goalkeeper, made a crucial save in the bottom left corner [1]. The match ended with San Diego holding on to a 2-1 lead [3, 11].
Player Impact
Anders Dreyer's header extended San Diego’s lead in the first half [1, 6, 14]. Kristoffer Velde's goal in the 36th minute revitalized Portland's hopes [6, 15]. However, San Diego's defense, along with key saves from CJ dos Santos, proved resilient [1]. Jimer Fory of the Portland Timbers received a yellow card for a foul [2]. The match was physical, with multiple fouls called on both sides [1, 2]. Aníbal Godoy of San Diego FC won a free kick in the defensive half [2].
TL;DR
* San Diego FC defeated the Portland Timbers 2-1 in Game 1 of the MLS Cup Playoffs, marking their first-ever playoff victory [7, 13]. * Anders Dreyer and Onni Valakari scored for San Diego, while Kristoffer Velde scored for Portland [6, 14]. * San Diego FC, in its inaugural season, finished as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference [5, 14]. * Game 2 will be hosted by Portland at Providence Park on November 1st [15].