San Diego FC deserved to lose. And lose it did. The final score Saturday in Denver was Colorado Rapids 3, San Diego 2.
A defender’s heavy touch here, a few sailed shots there, cost SDFC. Smart wrinkles profited the home team, which earned the three points.
Let’s revisit my first measure for the San Diego soccer newbies.
Are they entertaining?
Once again, the answer was yes.
So while the failure to get any points mattered, the performance was a success. The best entertainers? Start with left wing Hirving “Chucky” Lozano. Then add midfielder Luca de la Torre and forward Anders Dreyer.
It’s no coincidence that all three have played full seasons in a European league or two that maintain a higher level than Major League Soccer does. Importantly, none of the three came to MLS to semi-retire. Each one is under 30 and looks fit.
Lozano’s power and soccer savvy would hold their own in much of Europe and Brazil.
From 35 yards out, the 5-foot-9 1/2 forward unloaded so fast and firm he got the jump on Colorado’s goalkeeper. The ball sailed beyond an upper corner.
Lozano’s ing equals his scoring prowess, and never mind that there’s no D in his three names. He’s not a diva. He had three tackles Saturday, good for second on the team.
The Mexico City native, 29, has put up two bright matches since recovering from a leg injury.
San Diego native de la Torre, 26, is on loan from a Spanish team. Spain is to soccer what Picasso, a Spaniard, was to painting, and de la Torre’s game-tying goal early in the second half would’ve impressed fans of Spain’s La Liga. Off Lozano’s short , the midfielder authored a perfect first touch and quick, 18-yard strike that curled into an upper corner.
Dreyer, a smart hustler, often surfaces in the right place in key moments. Two shooting errors kept the Dane, 26, from increasing his team-best total to four goals, but he assisted the season-first goal by Tomás Ángel, 22.
Notwithstanding the defense’s subpar game, SDFC’s offensive performance was a poor man’s version of ball-control excellence that LA Galaxy displayed often last year en route to the MLS Cup trophy. SDFC mounted high numbers in -completion volume and accuracy, two Galaxy staples.
From the San Diego newbies, I expected a lot more disted soccer.
And I’m far from alone.
“They’ve been a big surprise,” said Cole Bassett, a Rapids midfielder, echoing LA Galaxy’s comments after the season opener. “I didn’t honestly think they’d be where they’re at. They’ve been very good and very fun to watch.”
Rapids coach Chris Armas, who’s in his third decade with MLS and won an MLS Cup as a defensive midfielder, described SDFC as “nearly unbeatable” prior to Saturday.
Expansion status does afford team-builders some advantages in freedom, noted Armas, while also commending SDFC’s brains.
“They’re gonna win a lot of games this year,” he said.
Because SDFC (4-2-2) isn’t a mystery anymore, who knows?
Armas’ club found gold on Saturday by having two forwards align up top. But in a match in which it outpossessed Colorado by 24 percentage points, SDFC didn’t cheat the paying customers, and the Rapids appreciated it.
“I saw a lot of their fans in the building,” Armas said. “Give them a lot of credit. They made the trip. That could be interesting. Maybe our fans make the trip when we go there.”
Meeting its first priority, SDFC is putting on a show — even in losses.
