SAN DIEGO -- San Diego FC won their first-ever playoff match 2-1 over the Portland Timbers, thanks to goals from Onni Valakari and Anders Dreyer.
Dreyer walked off the pitch Sunday night to chants of “MVP” after a standout performance for his club. Winning the actual award will be difficult, though, with Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi in the mix — any trophy his name is in seems to go his way.
The days leading up to the game should have been filled with excitement and celebration. Instead, there’s been a cloud hovering over San Diego FC ever since the club disciplined star player Hirving “Chucky” Lozano.
On Sunday, Lozano was left out of the lineup for the playoff opener. He still attended the match and appeared to be in good spirits, chatting pregame with Padres third baseman and San Diego FC founding member Manny Machado.
During the broadcast, Lozano was shown watching from a suite, signing autographs, and taking selfies with fans at halftime.
After the match, San Diego FC manager Mikey Varas clarified that Lozano’s exclusion from the roster didn’t mean the situation was unresolved.
"That is not an indication," he said. "Like we said, we had a situation that we've been handling internally, and we said we would take it day-by-day, week-by-week. We think Hirving's response has been really positive in the training.
"He's working really hard, showing a lot of commitment to getting back into the team, and we had already communicated to him before this game, that as long as there's no setback this week, then he'll be back."
Chadd Cady-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego FC midfielder Hirving Lozano (11) celebrates with teammates after their win over the Portland Timbers at Snapdragon Stadium.
According to The Athletic, Lozano was involved in a verbal dispute earlier this month after being substituted at halftime against the Houston Dynamo.
That incident led to him missing the final game of the regular season against Portland. At the time, Varas said the team "had a situation we're dealing with internally,” which was the reason for Lozano’s absence.
On Friday, Lozano took to social media to issue an apology.
"I'm a passionate and competitive person who always wants to give everything for the team," he posted on Instagram. "Sometimes, that same intensity can lead to reactions that don't reflect who I am or the respect I have for everyone around me.
"I didn't react in the right way, and I've already taken responsibility, addressed it, and moved forward."
Still, Lozano has been a distraction for the club when he shouldn’t be. He was the team’s first designated player, but injuries and now disciplinary issues have prevented him from making the expected impact.
Varas said that if things go well this week, Lozano should return to the squad. The question is in what capacity. Will he be inserted straight back into the starting lineup? He shouldn’t be — not after the outburst in Houston.
Has he done enough to start over Amahl Pellegrino? Probably not. Pellegrino has three goals and three assists in his last three matches, fueling San Diego’s attack. While he didn’t have his best outing Sunday, his speed still forces defenses like Portland’s to adjust.
Lozano might regain a starting role if Varas opts to replace forward Corey Baird or shifts Pellegrino into a central position.
Credit goes to Varas for maintaining a no-nonsense approach with his team.
Instead of the postgame conversation being about the victory, much of the talk centered around Lozano’s absence and when he’ll return. He’s taken some of the spotlight away from his teammates at a time when it should be on them.
So far, it’s not a great look for Lozano in his first season with the club — especially when Dreyer has clearly been the star, scoring 20 goals and adding 16 assists.
"Hirving took it with great respect and as a professional," Varas said. "This has never been a distraction; the entire group is focused on what we want to do ... we already communicated with Hirving before the match and his response has been very positive.”
When Lozano is allowed to return, he’ll need to focus on being a good teammate and helping the club in its pursuit of the MLS Cup. San Diego FC needs what he brings — his speed and agility can make opponents nervous.
If Lozano returns this Sunday, the best way to quiet the noise surrounding the Houston incident is simple: score goals, set up teammates and win.
Winning cures all.
