San Diego FC will not have time to facilitate its first MLS campaign.
The expansion team will open against the Los Angeles Galaxy, the defending MLS Cup champions, on Sunday afternoon in Carson, Calif.
The League newcomers will see the Galaxy release their league record Sixth Championship Banner after a somewhat surprising drive to the title last season.
Los Angeles will not have full strength, as Star midfielder Riqui Puig is sideways in the long term after knee surgery and forward Joseph Paintsil is out with a quad bike. But a little drop-off is expected from the galaxy.
Veteran Marco Reus will be the focus of Galaxy’s crime, and the Gabriel Pec wing will take a great hope ahead this season. The galaxy also added Christian Ramirez in a trade in the Columbus crew, forward Matheus Nascimento on loans from the Brazilian side Botafogo and Mathias Jorgensen, a Danish center that has played for many teams in Europe, most recently for Belgian Powerhouse Anderlecht.
The midfield will be anchored by Edwin Cerrillo, one of the league’s best defensive -minded players at the position.
“I thought it was good two weeks for us,” said the Galaxy coach Greg Vanney about the team’s season camp and tournament. “A big part of it was to get the guys’ legs under them and fitness and get to integrate some guys into our system. We mixed into guys, and guys could adapt into games. I know guys are ready to get started.”
San Diego FC has the talents from the Mexican national team’s legend Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and Anders Dreyer, a Danish wing who was Jorgensen’s teammate at Anderlecht last season.
The new club also includes the Wine Luca de la Torre, a San Diego -Införing that has played on the American men’s national team, and Paddy McNair, a Northern Ireland International Center Back who has played for Manchester United, Sunderland and Middlesbrough in England.
Sure, there are questions – and many of them – about San Diego FC, as there is with some expansion team. But coach Mikey Varas likes his team and the progress it has made so far.
“We are focused on three buckets: make sure we are healthy and fit as an expansion list that is growing; make sure the game model style is clear; and make sure we develop a battle among the team,” Varas said.
“I think we have had a very successful preseason when it comes to maximizing every second that we have had together and doing the three things.”
-Field level media
