The San Diego Football Club lost to the Portland Timbers, 3-0, Wednesday for their second loss in two preseason games against MLS opponents, but coach Mikey Varas said there are “positive takeaways.”
“You can see the team already has an identity,” Varas said after the Coachella Valley Invitational game at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio. “You can see in these two games we were able to move the opponent a lot, we were able to have a lot of the ball, we were able to create break through moments where we were attacking their goal, so it’s not just possession for the sake of the possession and so that’s what I would say is one of the biggest takeaways and there is commitment, pure commitment to the style of play, which is great.”
SDFC had its best scoring chance in the 62nd when Hirving “Chucky” Lozano’s shot hit a goal post.
Portland opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Felipe Mora shot a right-footed ball through the SDFC defenders and into the top-right corner of the goal past SDFC goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega. Cristhian Paredes and Antony were credited with the assists.
The Timbers took a 2-0 lead in the 81st minute when Ariel Lassiter dribbled forward on the left side of the field and delivered a cross into the box. Gage Guerra ran into the middle of the box and finished the play with a right-footed first touch into the back of the net.
Guerra scored on a one-on-one breakaway in the 84th minute.
SDFC began play in the tournament with a 3-1 loss to the New York City Football Club Saturday. It will complete tournament play Saturday against the New York Red Bulls.
