Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley. (Photo courtesy of San Diego FC)
San Diego Football Club will seek to become the second Major League Soccer expansion team to reach the MLS Cup in its inaugural season when it plays host to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Western Conference final at sold-out Snapdragon Stadium Saturday evening.
SDFC advanced to the Western Conference final with a 1-0 victory over Minnesota United FC in a conference semifinal Monday with Anders Dreyer scoring in the 72nd minute for its fifth victory in six games.
Vancouver defeated the Los Angeles Football Club in its conference semifinal last Saturday, winning a penalty kick shootout, 4-3, after overtime ended in a 2-2 tie.
The game is a matchup of the Western Conference’s top two teams. Both teams finished the regular season with 63 points, but SDFC received the top seed and home-field advantage through at least the Western Conference final because its 19 victories were one more than Vancouver’s.
SDFC was 1-0-1 in the regular season against Vancouver, winning 5-3 at BC Place June 25 and tying 1-1 at Snapdragon Stadium July 19.
The Chicago Fire is the only other MLS expansion team to reach a conference final in its inaugural season, going on to win the 1998 MLS Cup with a 2-0 victory over DC United, the cup winner in each of the league’s first two seasons.
SDFC announced on Tuesday the conference final was sold out in 24 hours, its fourth sellout in four postseason games. The team is encouraging fans to wear blue, arrive early and use public transit to reach Snapdragon Stadium.
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System will increase trolley service for fans traveling to the stadium. MTS estimated 5,400 fans used the trolley to get to Monday’s conference semifinal, with more expected Saturday.
The 6 p.m. game will be streamed by Apple TV+, broadcast in English on San Diego Sports 760 AM and in Spanish on TUDN 1700 AM.
The winner will play the winner of Saturday’s Eastern Conference final between Inter Miami CF and New York City Football Club in MLS Cup Dec. 6. SDFC would play host to NYCFC and would play Inter Miami FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
–City News Service
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