SAN DIEGO FC v. SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. Sounders FC head to San Diego, home of San Diego FC and the most bored television weathermen in America.

What: MLS league match, San Diego FC v. Seattle Sounders FC.

Where: Cottonwood Lane, San Diego, California.

When: 7:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Saturday 5 April 2025 CE.

At Stake: Sounders find themselves 23rd in the league. A victory in San Diego would bring us towards the lower end of mid-table.

Where to Watch: MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

Where to Listen: KJR 950 AM and El Rey 1360 AM.

So…it’s not going well. Key players are injured. We’re not really scoring goals. At present, the outlook is quite bleak. That said, this is the time our support needs to galvanise and be louder and fiercer than ever.

If you’re making the trip down, look after each other, tie your scarves proper, get a cheeseburger the size of your head, and enjoy what will likely be fair weather. For those of us here in The Evergreen, the duty is clear. Link up with your mates at pubs and dwellings. The golden equation is Football + Pints + Mates = Awesome. We’d do well to remember that.

It’s Sounders football, under the Saturday night lights of Cottonwood Lane. GO ON YOU SOUNDERS!!! GET IN!!!

Before kick-off, please join me in the auld toast: “TO THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS FOOTBALL CLUB…AND VICTORY!!!”

San Diego. Home to tasty waves, weather that’s nearly 70º every day,

and the 6th placed team in the MLS league table.

The Good News

Looks like de la Vega and Morris are on the mend. Both players have been updated to a matchday decision.

We signed a new winger, Ryan Kent, who will hopefully provide cover for Paul Arriola. Arriola is likely out for the entire season after tearing his ACL. Arriola recently had the ligament surgically repaired.

The weather in San Diego will likely be perfect for football. The weather report says the temperature will be 64ºF, with a 1% chance of rain, and wind from the Northwest at 4 miles per hour (per weather.com).

The Bad News

San Diego have earned eight points out of their last 15 (2-2-1). Sounders FC (in all competitions) have earned five points out of the last 15 (1-2-2).

San Diego are outscoring us by a ratio of 1.67 goals/match to 1.5 goals a match. If you’re just measuring MLS matches, the Sounders goal average drops to 1.33 goals/match.

San Diego are defending better than we are, allowing only 1.00 goal conceded/match. Sounders are permitting 1.40 goals conceded/match in all competitions.

San Diego have outspent us in transfers by a ratio of €19.14M to €1.45M. Of the money San Diego spent, €12M was for Chucky Lozano, who they got from PSV Eindhoven.

We’ve been shite on the road, and San Diego have yet to lose at home.

The Side I Would Select

Have to select the best team when there’s a week between matches. I’d like to see what the newboy Kent has to offer at right-forward. I’d prefer a centre-forward to a False-9, so could select Musovski, back issues permitting…although, I do think Sounders FC Reserves forwards Yu Tsukanome and Osaze De Rosario have earned a chance to audition for the centre-forward role. My selection in the 4-2-3-1 shape. Morris and de la Vega are listed as matchday decisions, so I wouldn’t expect to see them in the team, but maybe off the bench for a short run-out.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Alex

LDM    Vargas

RDM   Cristian

LF     Rothrock

CAM   Ferreira

RF     Kent

CF     De Rosario

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

I would expect the same lot that were in the team in San Jose in the 5-2-3 formation (disguised as a 3-4-3 with diamond midfield) the Gaffer currently favours. I highly doubt you’ll see the newboy, Kent in the team. The Gaffer likes his new players to have a certain amount of training sessions under their belt before putting them in matches…so, fair enough. You might see de la Vega and Morris off the bench…maybe.

GK     Frei

LB     Rothrock

LCH    Nouhou

CH     Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Alex

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM    Vargas

LF     Rusnak

CF       Ferreira

RF     Cristian

Intangibles

Officiating.

Malik Badawi will be the Referee for Saturday night’s match.

San Diego record with Badawi as Ref: 0-0-0

Sounders FC record with Badawi as Ref: 1-1-0

The well runs dry.

Sounders FC have not managed more than one goal in the last four matches in all competitions. We have been shut-out in four of our 10 matches this season in all competitions.

Away blues.

Sounders FC are 1-1-3 on the road in all competitions. That record worsens to a winless 0-1-2 if you’re counting away results in the league only.

Economic inequalities.

San Diego FC total transfer spend 2025: €19.14M (Including €12M for Hirving “Chucky” Lozano).

Sounders FC total transfer spend 2025: €1.45M

Cottonwood Lane.

San Diego have not yet lost at their home ground (1-2-0).

Mikey Varas.

As it turns out, the Manager for San Diego FC was responsible for some hot-shot kids that come out of the FC Dallas academy, when he was Manager of their U-16s. Varas also was Manager for the Yanks U-20s from 2021-2023 during which time they won the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. Varas was a manager with De Anza Force, a prominent club in domestic youth football. The man has chops. That’s a problem for us, I’d say.

General notes on personnel

Sounders transfer IN:

Kent (Fenerbahce) free

San Diego transfers IN:

Feree (Orange County SC) end of loan

Ingvartsen (FC Nordsjaelland) undisclosed

Tverskov (FC Nordsjaelland) undisclosed

Lozano (PSV Eindhoven) €12M

McNair (West Bromwich Albion) end of loan

Mighten (Nottingham Forest) undisclosed

Angel (Los Angeles FC) €190,000

dos Santos (CF Inter Miami) €95,000

McVey (DC United) €48,000

Bruseth (Orlando City SC) expansion draft 

Diop (Charlotte FC) expansion draft

Loffelsend (Colorado Rapids) expansion draft

Reyes (New York RB) €764,000

Jackson (San Jose Earthquakes) re-entry draft

Godoy (Nashville SC) free

Duah - draft

Sisniega (San Antonio FC) free

Saidi (Philadelphia Union) €97,000

Boateng (New England Revolution) €193,000

Negri (CF Inter Miami) re-entry draft 

Valakari (Pafos FC) loan fee €250,000

Alvarado (FC Vizela) free

de la Torre (Celta Vigo) loan

Dreyer (RSC Anderlecht) €5.5M

Pilcher - draft

Kumado (Lyngby BK) undisclosed

Bombino (Los Angeles FC) loan

Iloski (FC Nordsjaelland) loan

San Diego transfers OUT:
Thiago Andrade (Toronto FC) €240,000

Kijima (DC United) €380,000

Comparison against common opponents

SD 0:0 STL

STL 1:0 SEA

(against STL: SD 0-1-0 0, SEA 0-0-1 -1) edge SD

RSL 1:3 SD

RSL 2:0 SEA

(against RSL: SD 1-0-0 +2, SEA 0-0-1 -2) edge SD

SD 3:2 LAFC

SEA 5:2 LAFC

(against LAFC: SD 1-0-0 +1, SEA 1-0-0 +3) edge SEA

Know Thine Enemy

San Diego as they lined up against LAFC in their 3:2 victory at Cottonwood Lane on 29 March.

GOALKEEPER

CJ dos Santos, 24

United States

Notable Clubs: CF Inter Miami (2/0), San Diego FC (6/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €125,000

Notes: Developed by Foxchase SC, Philadelphia SC, FC Delco, Philadelphia Union, and Benfica. Won an MLS league championship and a Leagues Cup with CF Miami.

DEFENCE

Franco Negri, 30

Argentina

Notable Clubs: Quilmes (12/0), Independiente Rivadavia (58/5), Belgrano (4/0), Newell’s Old Boys (23/2), Godoy Cruz (30/0), CF Inter Miami (27/1), San Diego FC (6/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €700,000

Notes: Developed by San Martin and San Lorenzo. Won an MLS league championship and a Leagues Cup with CF Miami.

Christopher McVey, 27

Sweden

Notable Clubs: Elfsborg (32/0), Inter Miami CF (50/1), DC United (27/1), San Diego FC (6/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €600,000

Notes: Developed by Sparsors AIK and Elfsborg. Won a Leagues Cup with Inter Miami CF.

Paddy McNair, 29

Northern Ireland (73/7)

Notable Clubs: Manchester United (24/0), Sunderland (25/5), Middlesbrough (198/14), West Bromwich Albion (2/0), San Diego FC (5/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €3M

Notes: Developed by Ballyclare Colts and Manchester United. Won an FA Cup with Manchester United.

Jasper Loffelsend, 27

Germany

Notable Clubs: Real Salt Lake (51/2), Colorado Rapids (18/0), San Diego FC (6/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.2M

Notes: Developed by SV Bergisch Gladbach 09, SV Union Rosrath, and TV Herkenrath 09. Played his university football for Pittsburgh (36/2).

MIDFIELD

Luca de la Torre, 26

United States (24/1)

Notable Clubs: Fulham (7/0), Heracles Almelo (64/2), Celta Vigo (60/1), San Diego FC (6/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: Developed by Nomads, San Diego Surf, and Fulham. Won a CONCACAF Nations League with United States.

Jeppe Tverskov, 32

Denmark

Notable Clubs: Lyngby (36/1), Randers (38/3), Odense BK (210/8), FC Nordsjaelland (47/5), San Diego FC (6/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €600,000

Notes: Developed by B 1903 and Lyngby.

Anibal Godoy, 35

Panama (147/4)

Notable Clubs: Chepo (113/10), Honved (24/1), San Jose Earthquakes (101/5), Nashville SC (111/3), San Diego FC (5/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €200,000

Notes: Produced by Chepo.

FORWARD

Alex Mighten, 22

United States

Notable Clubs: Nottingham Forest (56/4), Sheffield Wednesday (9/1), KV Kortrijk (10/0), Port Vale (10/0), San Diego FC (3/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €500,000

Notes: Developed by Arnold Town and Nottingham Forest. Won an EFL Championship promotion play-off with Nottingham Forest.

Onni Valakari, 25

Finland (11/1)

Notable Clubs: TPS Turku (29/10), SalPa (2/0), Tromso (42/9), Pafos (136/40), AIK Stockholm (10/2), San Diego FC (6/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by Kapylan Pallo and SJK. Won a Cypriot Cup with Pafos. Won a Finnish Ykkonen (2nd Division) league title with TPS Turku.

Anders Dryer, 26

Denmark (3/0)

Notable Clubs: Esbjerg fB (41/20), St. Mirren (10/1), SC Heerenveen (11/1), Midtjylland (79/28), Ruben Kazan (14/8), RSC Anderlecht (69/26), San Diego FC (6/3)

Estimated Transfer Value: €10M

Notes: Developed by Ribe BK, Bramming BK, and Esbjerg fB. Won a Danish 1st Division promotion play-off with Esbjerg fB. Won a Danish Superliga and Danish Cup with Midtjylland.

Familiar Faces

None.

Squads

San Diego from:

Sisniega, Dos Santos, Jackson, Kumado, Reyes, Diop, McNair, Loffelsend, Negri, Pilcher, McVey, Tverskov, Valakari, De La Torre, Bruseth, Godoy, Duah, Alvarado, Angel, Dreyer, Lozano, Saidi, Mighten.

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Baker-Whiting, Bell, Gomez Andrade, Kim, Kossa-Rienzi, Nouhou, Ragen, Alex, Joao Paulo, Leyva, Cristian, Rusnak, Vargas, de la Vega, Ferreira, Kent, Minoungou, Morris, Musovski, Rothrock.

Injury List

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

San Diego -

OUT: Boateng (lower body, we’ll say ricketts), Bombino (lower body, we’ll say sprained testicles), Iloski (lower body, we’ll say ingrown pubic hair), Ingvartsen (lower body, we’ll say athlete’s foot).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Sounders FC -

OUT: Arriola (knee).

MATCHDAY DECISION: de la Vega (quadriceps), Morris (hamstring), Musovski (back).

Discipline

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

No players suspended from either club.

Fun Fact

Sounders FC have signed former Fenerbahce and Rangers FC winger Ryan Kent on a free transfer. Welcome to The Evergreen, Ryan. Do us proud.

Ryan Kent, 28

England

Notable Clubs: Coventry City (17/1), Barnsley (44/3), SC Freiburg (6/0), Bristol City (10/0), Rangers (113/22), Fenerbahce (8/0)

Estimated Transfer Fee: €2.7M

Notes: Developed by Liverpool. Won a Scottish Premiership title and a Scottish Cup with Rangers. Named PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year 2018-19. Named to PFA Scotland Team of the Year 2018-19 and 2020-21. Named to UEFA Europa League Team of the Season 2021-22.