San Diego FC Looks to Bounce Back After Rare Clunker

The team will host Minnesota United after a disappointing loss to San Jose Earthquakes.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 1:05am

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A dynamic, cubist-style painting depicting the action of a soccer match, with the players and field broken down into overlapping geometric shapes and planes in the team's official colors.San Diego FC looks to rebound from a rare off-night with a home victory over Minnesota United.San Diego Today

San Diego FC will host Minnesota United on Saturday night as they look to bounce back from a rare lackluster performance in their previous match against the San Jose Earthquakes. The team has historically responded well after losses, but this defeat was particularly troubling as there was no obvious reason for the poor showing. Coach Mikey Varas acknowledged there were 'no silver linings' in the loss, which saw San Diego outshot 24-6 and fail to score for the first time since last September.

Why it matters

San Diego FC and Minnesota United have similar roster-building approaches, relying more on domestic players rather than high-priced international stars. The match will be a test of San Diego's resilience and ability to quickly regroup after a rare off-night, as they try to keep pace in the competitive MLS Western Conference.

The details

San Diego FC was blown out 3-0 by the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend, in what coach Mikey Varas called the team's most troubling performance since joining MLS. The Earthquakes, led by veteran coach Bruce Arena, were the sharper, more connected team, scoring two quick goals including one off a San Diego turnover. Defender Manu Duah was also sent off with a red card, forcing him to miss Saturday's match against Minnesota.

  • San Diego FC last lost an MLS match on September 27, 2025.
  • The team will host Minnesota United on Saturday, April 12, 2026 at 7:30pm.

The players

Mikey Varas

The head coach of San Diego FC, who has led the expansion club to the conference finals in their inaugural season.

Bruce Arena

The experienced 74-year-old head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes, a five-time MLS champion and former U.S. National Team coach.

Manu Duah

A San Diego FC defender who was sent off with a red card in the loss to San Jose and will miss the match against Minnesota United.

Niko Tsakiris

A 20-year-old San Jose Earthquakes player who scored two goals in the win over San Diego FC.

Duran Ferree

The San Diego FC goalkeeper who played in the loss to San Jose.

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What they’re saying

“It's a complete effort by the group, and that's important, because we're not competing with Inter Miami and LAFC for top-level players around the world and some other clubs. We're banging away with domestic players, American players, which is highly unusual in our league now. The group is doing very well. The credit goes to the whole group.”

— Bruce Arena, Head Coach, San Jose Earthquakes

“No silver linings.”

— Mikey Varas, Head Coach, San Diego FC

What’s next

Defender Manu Duah will miss Saturday's match against Minnesota United due to the red card he received in the loss to San Jose.

The takeaway

San Diego FC's lopsided defeat to San Jose Earthquakes exposed some vulnerabilities in the expansion club's roster and tactics. However, the team has shown resilience in bouncing back from previous losses, and will need to quickly regroup to maintain their position in the competitive Western Conference.