Amahl Pellegrino and Anders Dreyer each scored two goals and contributed an assist to lead San Diego FC to a commanding 4-0 victory over the Portland Timbers on Saturday. This win secured San Diego the top seed in the Western Conference.

San Diego FC (19-9-6) finished the regular season with 63 points, setting a new MLS record for the most points by an expansion club. Meanwhile, Portland (11-12-11) dropped to eighth place in the Western Conference and will face ninth-seeded Dallas in the Wild Card game on Wednesday. The winner of that match will go on to play San Diego in the best-of-three first round. The date and time for San Diego FC’s opening postseason match will be announced on Sunday.

“And now we ask ourselves, what now? Because we’re hungry for more,” said head coach Mikey Varas after the victory.

San Diego’s top-seed clinch was aided by Vancouver’s loss on Saturday. The Vancouver Whitecaps needed a win or a draw against Dallas to secure the West’s top seed but were down to 10 men after defender Mathías Laborda received a red card in the 11th minute. Dallas took advantage and prevailed 2-1.

In the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia Union had already secured the top spot and clinched the league’s Supporters’ Shield with a 1-0 victory over NYCFC on October 4, prior to Decision Day. Philadelphia also secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The match details highlighted Pellegrino’s early influence when, following a Portland giveaway in their defensive half, he ran onto a through ball played ahead by Dreyer. Pellegrino’s first-touch finish from the center of the area gave San Diego a lead they would not relinquish in the 26th minute.

Dreyer then netted two quick goals in the 47th and 49th minutes. After another Portland turnover, Pellegrino capitalized again by knocking down a pass from Jeppe Tverskov before scoring to put San Diego ahead 4-0 in the 63rd minute.

“I think we played a very mature and almost perfect game,” said Jeppe Tverskov. “From the first whistle, we felt like we were in control.”

Goalkeeper CJ dos Santos made two important saves to help secure the clean sheet. San Diego dominated possession with 64% control of the ball and outshot the Timbers 16-11, including 7-2 on target.

Reflecting on San Diego FC’s debut season and the club’s ambitions, Tverskov added, “Personally, it’s been one of the most fun seasons I’ve had—both being a captain and being a big part of it. But also, it’s an amazing culture we are building. And it’s not only for this year; it’s for the coming years.”

Additional notes from the match and season:

– With two goals and one assist on Saturday, Anders Dreyer now holds the MLS record for most goals (17) and goal contributions (27) in road matches in a single season.
– San Diego FC extended its unbeaten streak on the road to 10 consecutive games.
– Finishing first in the Western Conference and fourth overall in the Supporters’ Shield standings secured San Diego FC’s first-ever berth in international competition—the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

San Diego FC’s remarkable inaugural season sets a high bar as they look forward to a deep playoff run and future success on both domestic and international stages.
https://timesofsandiego.com/sports/2025/10/18/sdfc-closes-regular-season-win-clinch-conferences-top-seed/