San Diego FC returns from break with a rejuvenated squad, faces San Jose

SAN DIEGO — A rejuvenated San Diego FC squad will return to action this Saturday following the March international break. Before the week off, the club endured a jam-packed stretch of games, playing five times in 16 days. They are now back to a normal schedule.

“That was the first time that we've done that as a group, and it's a big haul,” San Diego FC head coach Mikey Varas said on Thursday at the Sharp HealthCare Performance Center. “But I think we reinforced a few things in terms of making sure that you have a big squad so that you can have enough rotation.”

The coach also mentioned that mental fatigue may have contributed to some sloppy moments, especially toward the end.

During that challenging stretch, they defeated Kansas City and Toluca at home. The back-to-back reigning Liga MX champions were too much for the young club, steamrolling San Diego in the Round of 16 in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup after a 4-0 result in the return leg. They dropped points in back-to-back league games, allowing late equalizing goals against Dallas in added time and Salt Lake in the 85th minute—those are four points left on the table.

“We would say two of the games in this last stint in the league weren't our best,” Varas said. “But still taking home points and starting the season with 11 points in five games. There's a lot of merit to what they did.”

San Diego enters Matchday 6 as one of three remaining unbeaten teams in MLS, along with Nashville SC and LAFC. They sit fifth in the Supporters’ Shield standings, just behind this week’s opponent, the San Jose Earthquakes.

Star winger Anders Dreyer continues to lead SDFC, totaling eight goal contributions (four goals and four assists) across all competitions in 2026. Dreyer and the Denmark national team narrowly missed World Cup qualification after losing to Czechia in a penalty shootout earlier this week.

San Jose has defeated Kansas City, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and, most recently, Vancouver. Their lone loss in 2026 came against the Seattle Sounders on March 15. When breaking down the Earthquakes, Varas notes that they are a much-improved team, very athletic, want to have a high press, and excel at getting players into the box.

Daniel Munie, Preston Judd, and Ousseni Bouda each have two goals this season for San Jose. Through five games, their goalkeeper, Daniel, and the backline have only allowed one goal—an impressive start from the defense.

“It's a team that we're gonna have to be at our best in terms of everything we wanna do from a principles perspective, and then quality in terms of executing at the highest level possible,” Varas said.

SDFC's style of play has translated over to their games outside Snapdragon Stadium, where they have won 13 regular-season road matches since their inception. However, the playing surface at PayPal Park differs from what they are accustomed to. The shorter grass trim typically leads to a faster pace of play, and the field is known for being slippery.

The Sporting Tribune asked Varas who will start in place of center back Chris McVey, who is serving his red-card suspension, and announced that 20-year-old Osvald Søe will line up next to Manu Duah in the backline: “He’s ready to go, and he’s already had some bright performances.”

While they will miss McVey’s presence, the coach views it as an excellent opportunity for Søe. The young starting backline is expected to feature Oscar Verhoeven (19), Duah (20), Søe (20), and Luca Bombino (19).

Veteran forward Amahl Pellegrino will face off against his former team for the first time. He appeared in 45 league games for the Earthquakes, contributing eight goals and four assists. Varas was asked what Pellegrino has meant to the team since he arrived in August.

“He’s a fantastic human being and just super aligned when it comes to being a top professional and being a great teammate,” Varas said about the Norwegian 35-year-old. “That’s the foundation of everything we do here.”

Pellegrino hasn’t been as effective as he was last season. In the offseason, Tyler Heaps, SDFC Sporting Director and General Manager, added another piece to the attacking third, acquiring Lewis Morgan from the New York Red Bulls.

Morgan, 29, has dealt with multiple injuries over the past few years. The Scotland international won the 2024 MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award after scoring 13 goals and adding five assists. Following that strong campaign, Morgan played in just three games this past season after suffering a knee and quad injury.

He made his San Diego FC debut on March 7 against Kansas City as a substitute. Morgan started in their final Champions Cup match because Marcus Ingvartsen was not available. It was a match where they could not get anything going. He’s appeared in four matches thus far, logging 122 minutes.

“I feel like now I'm getting my feet under myself here, and I’m looking to make a big impact in the games going forward,” Morgan said after training. He also mentioned that he’s starting to get back into form, and it’s just a matter of building up minutes with the team.

Varas mentioned that Morgan has experienced a typical onboarding and adaptation process as a new player and noted similarities to Pellegrino's mid-season arrival. “He's one of these guys that’s on the verge of really exploding, and shining through,” Varas said.

Saturday’s kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. PT. San Diego will then return home next week to host Minnesota United on April 11.