San Diego FC is riding high after a thrilling 4-0 victory over Portland on Sunday night at Snapdragon Stadium, propelling the team into the MLS Cup playoffs conference semifinals. The win has sparked unprecedented ticket demand for their upcoming match.
Volume levels inside the stadium peaked when Anders Dreyer scored the final goal, sending the sold-out crowd into a frenzy. For the 27-year-old MLS Newcomer of the Year, the atmosphere is even better than he had hoped for when he signed with the club.
"It's what you dream of when you are a young kid, to play in front of fans like this, 35,000 people cheering for us," Dreyer said after the match.
The excitement continues to build as San Diego FC prepares to host Minnesota United on November 24 in a winner-take-all showdown to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Another sellout crowd is expected for the single-elimination match.
Head coach Mikey Varas isn't shying away from his team's success in their inaugural season.
"We continue to write history, for a brand-new club, in a city that loves football," Varas said.
That love is translating into record-breaking ticket sales. On Monday, San Diego FC announced a best-ever day of single-game sales for the Minnesota match, with CEO Tom Penn calling it a "frenzy of demand."
The passionate fan support is making a tangible impact on the players' performance, according to team captain Jeppe Tverskov.
"It's special, and we know it, and we feel it going onto the pitch, full stadium. San Diego is a football city. We felt it from day one, and the support is not only behind the goal, it's all around the stadium, so we're just blessed," Tverskov said.
Moving forward, all matches will be single-elimination, but San Diego FC holds a significant advantage as the #1 seed, owning the home-field edge throughout the Western Conference playoffs. For Varas and his team, the pressure is exactly where they want to be.
"We live for this. It's not for everybody. But it's for everybody in that locker room," Varas said.
