San Diego FC have their spot in the record books.
The 30th MLS expansion team had few expectations heading into its inaugural season, and outside of some MLS veterans and Mexican international Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, there was little evidence that they would go on to have a successful year, let alone a record-breaking one.
Fast forward to Saturday night and their penultimate game of the regular season, and things could not be more different.
With a 4–2 win over Houston Dynamo FC, San Diego smashed the record for the most points for an expansion season, hitting 60 and surpassing LAFC’s 2018 high watermark of 57 points.
Yet, they left it late, scoring an 89th-minute winner, and relying on one of the best breakout stars of the season in Anders Dreyer, who scored a brace, bringing him to 17 goals and 18 assists, and further pushing him forward as a contender for MLS MVP.
The result also eliminated Houston from MLS Cup Playoff contention.
ANDERS DREYER REGAINS THE SAN DIEGO LEAD JUST LIKE THAT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PCQ148myE7
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 5, 2025
“You have to celebrate that, man,” head coach Mikey Varas said, having led the team to the historic mark in his first full-time professional head coaching role. “You have to celebrate that. 60 points. Nobody can take that away from us, that’s written down right now until somebody else breaks it, and that’s a huge testament to these guys and how they work. We did it our way.”
Mixed Roster Build Leads Success
While Dreyer’s success and Lozano’s nine goals and 10 assists have led the group, it has been a team-focused effort, exemplifying a strategic roster build that has focused on various avenues, from MLS experience to international stars and the partnership with Danish side FC Nordsjælland, which is part of the Right to Dream professional and academy system, like San Diego.
Outside of the leading duo, the club has seen exceptional campaigns from USMNT midfielder Luca de la Torre, fullback Luca Bombino, and goalkeeper CJ dos Santos, among others. Through their success, Bombino has attracted international interest, and Dos Santos has carved out a key role as an MLS starter, despite never having such a responsibility prior.
At the same time, midfielder Jeppe Tverskov hit the ground running and is the first of likely many stories to come out of Nordsjælland, which could continue to send players to San Diego as part of their player development pathway.
MLS Cup: Chicago Fire’s 1998 Pinnacle
While San Diego can celebrate the expansion season record, their hunt for the Supporters’ Shield regular season title also wrapped up on Saturday, as Philadelphia Union clinched the honor heading into the final games.
Yet, it’s MLS Cup that is of utmost importance, and San Diego could have a genuine shot at the title, with a chance to potentially clinch top spot in the Western Conference on Decision Day, depending on the results of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, who have a game in hand.
Should San Diego push all the way to an MLS Cup title, they would become just the second expansion club to ever win it, following in the footsteps of the 1998 Chicago Fire FC, who had 56 regular-season points before making history in the postseason.
“So happy for these guys. We always talk about game changers coming in and making a difference, because this is about the collective. It’s not about one person or two people; it’s not about me. I’m one small part of this huge project,” Varas told reporters.
“We’re here to win, but how we win and who we win with matters, and these guys exemplified that, and I think that you have to celebrate that.”
With a top-four seed secured, San Diego will begin the playoffs on Oct. 24 with the first round, a best-of-three series. Should they secure the top spot in the Western Conference, they would hold home advantage through the Western Conference final, before potentially visiting Philadelphia in MLS Cup on Dec. 6.
READ THE LATEST MLS NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND GOSSIP
This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Our Way’—San Diego Smash MLS Points Record With Thrilling Victory.
