Every season comes to an end; it’s even more inevitable than the beginning. For Minnesota United, the 2025 season came to a close after what was an extremely tight Western Conference Semi-Final in California, falling to San Diego FC by a 1-0 scoreline.
A pair of changes to the Loons’ starting lineup saw Anthony Markanich step in for the suspended Joseph Rosales and Carlos Harvey take over for Jefferson Díaz. Chucky Lozano started on the bench for Mikey Varas’ side, leaving the hot-handed Pellegrino in the starting role.
The match itself played out as expected, with the hosts keeping the bulk of possession as they attempted to break down the most stubborn defense in the league. The Loons kept them honest with several dangerous counters to remind San Diego what the Black and Blue are capable of, leading to the cagiest affair we’ve seen between these two sides.
The visitors did all they could to slow the game down and break up San Diego’s rhythm, using several set piece opportunities from 40 yards out to send in some dangerous service. They went into the locker rooms the happier of the two sides, registering the only two shots on target in the first half and completely nullifying everything the hosts had thrown at them through 45 minutes.
An extremely promising start to the second half saw the Loons apply early pressure. A goal-line save from San Diego defender Ian Pilcher denied a fantastic chance from Robin Lod, and the hosts regained control by the 50th minute. The Loons defended with increasing discipline, getting all 11 players behind the ball and trying to beat the speed of San Diego’s Manu Duah with balls over the top to release pressure. The young defender proved to be up to the challenge, though, and the ball found its way back into MNUFC’s defensive third before too long each time.
It took a truly special moment from the hosts to finally break the Loons’ resistance, with Anders Dreyer finishing off a pinpoint passing sequence for the go-ahead goal with what was also San Diego’s only shot on target all night. The visitors didn’t go down without a fight after the goal, shifting to a four-man backline and adding numbers to the attack with the addition of substitutes Hassani Dotson and Dominik Fitz.
While the changes led to some threatening moments, it was all too little too late for MNUFC, who saw their record-setting season come to a close on the tightest of margins. A near-faultless defensive performance from the Minnesota United backline was undone by a single moment of brilliance, and while the Loons weren’t without their own chances (1.34 xG to San Diego’s 0.78), they didn’t have the clinical touch that San Diego did when it mattered most.
The Loons should leave San Diego with heads held high, having pushed the top seed in the Western Conference to the very brink. Coach Ramsay and the Boys in Black and Blue never let anyone get anything without a fight this season, and while this run has come to its end, the future is bright for this resilient squad.
