Anders Dreyer magic sends San Diego into Conference Semis: "He’s amazing" | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

With their backs against the wall, San Diego FC produced one of their best performances of the season.

Anders Dreyer and Amahl Pellegrino ensured that in Sunday's 4-0 rout of the Portland Timbers, netting braces to decide Game 3 in their Round One Best-of-3 Series.

The victory books a Western Conference Semifinal matchup with Minnesota United FC on Nov. 24 (10 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV), keeping the expansion club's Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs dream alive.

"The key is always the players," head coach Mikey Varas told Apple TV post-game.

"These guys are giants and they’ve worked so hard. They started in a clean slate, all meeting each other for the first time 11 months ago. And the work that they’ve done and the sacrifices that they’ve made, 11 months later to put a performance like this in front of their home crowd.

"But we’re hungry for more. This is just one step."

Dreyer delivers

Dreyer showed that hunger from the get-go, scoring inside five minutes off Onni Valakari's cross and then icing the match with a 79th-minute finish from Chucky Lozano's assist.

The 2025 MLS Newcomer of the Year and Best XI honoree ended the series with 3g/2a, continuing his splendid form from the regular season.

"It’s been crazy," Dreyer told Apple TV. "I enjoy playing football at the moment. Life is good outside the pitch and for me that’s so important. Wife and kid are happy and when they’re happy, it’s easy to perform on the pitch and with teammates like I have here. It's incredible. I love my teammates."

Added Varas: "He’s amazing. Just an amazing player, an amazing human being and we’re just so happy he’s on our team."

WATCH: Anders Dreyer sends San Diego to Conference Semifinals

Home support

San Diego's dominant performance came before a sold-out crowd of 32,500 at Snapdragon Stadium, guaranteeing their supporters will experience at least one more home match this year.

Dreyer's eager to anticipate that raucous environment, upon his return from World Cup qualifiers with Denmark during the upcoming November international window.

"I know they will be back and I know there will be 30,000, 35,000 people cheering for us, and that’s just amazing," said Dreyer. "That’s something unique and hopefully we take a win there."

After setting expansion-club records for points (63) and wins (19), the newcomers are now three victories away from becoming MLS Cup presented by Audi champions on Dec. 6.

"You’ve got to celebrate the small victories," Varas said. "You cannot take for granted what you do when you win playoff games and playoff series, and then we’ll wake up tomorrow and we’ll be 100 percent focused on [Minnesota]."

WATCH: Moving on! San Diego FC oust Portland Timbers