Five Questions on San Diego FC With Abraham Zepeda From SanDiego.Futbol

COMMERCE CITY – Colorado Rapids are playing their first ever game against 2025 expansion team San Diego FC. To get to know the Chrome and Azul, we reached out to Abraham Zepeda from SanDiego.Futbol. Follow them on Social Media at SanDiego_Futbol on all platforms.

I thought San Diego would be good but they’re off to a flying start. What’s gone well? What’s the team’s biggest weakness right now?

San Diego FC began with a clear identity and philosophy that emphasizes dominating in possession and applying smart pressure without the ball. The sporting staff assembled a mix of high-impact attacking stars, like Anders Dreyer and Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, with an experienced international midfield of leaders that can defend well and dictate the pace of the game.

I have been impressed with SDFC’s great start to the season, but looking back I should not be surprised. Their playstyle and identity has its roots in with the Right to Dream academy system, an international community of clubs in Ghana, Denmark, Egypt and now the United States of America. All players have shown complete buy-in to this global style of playing. They still need to work on maintaining the fast-paced attack over a full match. 

Every MLS team struggles with depth issues because of the league rules promoting parity, but other than that I’d say SDFC’s biggest weakness is the fullback position. Head coach Mikey Varas has started a different combination of fullbacks in multiple matches in hopes of finding the best pairing to compliment their wingers. If one of their left backs can connect well with Lozano this team could get even better.

Chucky Lozano was the poster boy coming into this year. But it’s been Anders Dreyer playing at a Best XI clip. What’s his style of play? What can Rapids fans expect out of him?

Anders Dreyer wears the 10 and is listed as a midfielder, but plays more on the left wing, and is not afraid to move down to create dangerous attacking chances in the midfield. He started the season with some great finishes, and has done a great job of drawing the attention of defenders to set up his teammates in dangerous positions. His finesse with both feet is impressive and is seemingly always a step ahead of his opposition. 

I still don’t think we’ve seen the best of him, but with Lozano now back from injury without limitations their dual threat can be lethal. The two have also played well in altitude as Dreyer scored a game-winner against Real Salt Lake in stoppage time earlier this year, and Lozano began his professional career at altitude in Mexico where he headlined for Pachuca C.F. at over 7,000 feet above sea level.

Colorado’s got some USMNT hopefuls in midfield in Bassett and Mihailović. On the other side is Luca de la Torre. How’s he doing adjusting to MLS? What’s this midfield do well? 

Luca de la Torre was not playing regular minutes in Europe which may have had an impact on his fitness and ability to play a consistently strong 90 minutes. It seems he is still adjusting to the work-rate and high-paced offense, but he still has shown an incredible ability to threaten team’s in their box and make critical passes that create goal-scoring opportunities for his hometown team. 

The rest of the midfield also has international experience and has proven a difficult roadblock in their opposition’s attack. Anibal Godoy at 35-years-old has had a surprisingly high work rate and provided the squad with an important veteran edge that can both draw and commit fouls that have stopped their opponents in their tracks. The team’s captain Jeppe Tverskov played with FC Nordsjælland, also a part of the Right to Dream community, and is crucial like a metronome; setting the tempo for the SDFC attack. 

I always want to know how former Rapids players are doing. I was a bit surprised, not shocked, Jasper Löffelsend got taken in the expansion draft. How’s he doing at right back?

San Diego FC does not have a lot of players with MLS experience, but the ones that do all have been on the defensive side of the ball. Löffelsend has that experience and has looked like the best fullback for SDFC, but has not been a weekly starter. 

The coaching staff has given him freedom to play much higher than a typical right back to compliment Dreyer up top. He was crucial in the team’s most recent goal by intercepting an errant pass and leaving the ball to his midfield while he ran up the pitch along the right wing. Löffelsend received the long ball before crossing the ball to Lozano, who cemented the team’s 3-0 lead just before halftime. If he can maintain his impact on both offense and defense he will be significant in the SDFC XI. 

Lastly got a prediction for the Chrome and Azul’s at altitude?

This will be San Diego’s second match at altitude following a 3-1 victory against Real Salt Lake in March. San Diego surprisingly withstood the conditions and performed well in the second half to salvage a victory with two goals in stoppage time.  

SDFC has gotten off to a hot start with three goals in the first half of both of their last two matches. I expect the Rapids to be ready for this early onslaught SDFC hopes to put forth, but eventually San Diego’s pressure will prove too much for a final score of 2-1 with both goals coming in the second half. 

Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken

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