The gloomy San Diego weather this week is the opposite of the mood that the SDFC players donned during training. “This week, the training was good.”, said Mikey Varas. It needs to be if this team is going to start winning games. There was no shortage of issues to address this week after the tough home loss last weekend. Varas mentioned that each training session has to improve the team. “We can’t let comfort set in.”, he said. Veteran player, Anibal Godoy, voiced to the media that the team knows exactly what they need to do after the coaches put together a game plan, it’s a matter of going out and performing for 90 minutes. This time, against a team who is undefeated on the road. As always, let’s get into it.
FC Dallas comes into San Diego sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference standings with a 4-3-3 record. Right below them, in seventh place – San Diego FC who only trail by one point. Matter of fact, the disparity between the teams in 3rd place and 9th place is three points. While SDFC lost three in a row, they did not slip far from the standings and have the ability to shoot up to the top of the table with a couple of wins. The time to win is now.
Injuries are nothing new to Dallas as they look to be without their top scorer and assist leader in Petar Musa. An ankle injury during the game against Seattle will keep him out of the starting lineup. So how have they adjusted and remained undefeated on the road? One major reason is Luciano Acosta. The Argentian veteran striker brings finishing, playmaking and speed as his overall strengths while giving the opposing teams a hard time trying to defend him in transition. Like RSL’s Diego Luna, who caused San Diego problems all game and was arguably the reason why RSL won, Acosta will garner respect from the defense as Dallas’s premier playmaker.
As FC Dallas comes off a terrific three goal come-from-behind win, they put their unbeaten road streak on the line in San Diego. It is safe to say Dallas enjoys being the villain on the road while playing in a loud atmosphere. Snapdragon Stadium promises to bring all of that and more this weekend. Mikey Varas praised the supporter groups and fans alike after the loss last weekend, referring to the unwavering, loud support they gave to the team despite losing the match.
One of the consistent messages coming from the SDFC camp this week was the importance of staying true to their identity. Players and coaches alike emphasized the need to maintain the team’s trademark style of play, despite the recent setback. In the post-match conference, Mikey Varas mentioned he was upset in the locker room mostly because, “We played like eleven individuals and not a team.”
The team’s depth got a little bigger as Luca Bombino came back from injury and Ema Boateng was seen in practice this week. It remains to be seen who Mikey Varas gives the starting wing back positions nod to in the upcoming game. One thing is clear from the fan perspective – they want to see a bit more consistency in the starting lineup. The only way a team can get stronger and more cohesive as a unit is playing match minutes with each other. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the starting lineup looks a little more like it did in the beginning of the season.
Dallas seemed to struggle quite a bit with crosses into the penalty box last game. The players looked panicked and scrambled without purposeful defending and Miami took advantage scoring a pair of goals in similar fashion. SDFC will need to get back to using their strengths and what worked in the first place when they were winning games. Dreyer and Chucky excel at distributing the ball into the box setting the stage for Valakari and Tverskov to use their size and physicality to win crucial headers, particularly in set-piece situations.
Recently, teams found a way to stretch SDFC’s shape by playing the ball out wide and across. This limits San Diego’s ability to stay compact in order to press high and win the ball back quickly after losing it. A few of the keys to winning this game for San Diego will be to get back to that tight formation when they are without the ball. Just as important, though, will be the team’s ability to recognize moments to spread the field in possession—using width to stretch Dallas’s defensive lines and open space for penetrating runs behind the backline. Balancing discipline off the ball with tactical awareness on it could be the difference-maker.
So, on a night dedicated to honoring military veterans, San Diego FC will be counting on its own seasoned leaders to rise to the occasion and guide the team toward a much-needed victory. Saturday promises to be a hard-fought game with a lot on the line for both teams.
If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider following me on Instagram @sdfcnation and signing up for the email list so that you never miss a new post and SDFC news delivered straight to your inbox.
