San Diego FC is gearing up for a demanding Major League Soccer (MLS) encounter against Minnesota United this weekend at Snapdragon Stadium. The match, scheduled for Saturday, April 12, 2026, will see San Diego aiming to return to winning ways after suffering their initial defeat of the season.
Coach Mikey Varas anticipates a highly competitive fixture, noting Minnesota’s robust defensive capabilities and potent counter-attacking threats. San Diego FC will need to deliver their best performance on home turf to overcome the challenge, according to Varas.
San Diego’s previous MLS outing resulted in a 3-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes, marking their first defeat after an impressive five-match unbeaten start to the season. This result placed San Diego seventh in the Western Conference standings after six games played.
Reflecting on their previous matchups, San Diego FC defeated Minnesota 1-0 in the 2025 Western Conference semi-finals, before ultimately losing to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the final stage. This history adds an extra layer of intensity to the upcoming game.
“I think they [Minnesota] are very similar to last season with the caveat that they are having a little bit more possession this time around,” Varas told reporters. “They might not be as drastic in the style of play, but they are really tough to break down.”
Varas further elaborated on Minnesota’s strengths, stating, “They have a lot of good defenders in the team and are very good on the counter. They have some high-level talent that can get in the pocket and really hurt you.” He concluded, “I can imagine it is going to be a tough match, like every game in the league is.”
Minnesota United, conversely, recently ended their three-game winless streak in MLS by securing a 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy. Anthony Markanich opened the scoring for Minnesota, followed by Kelvin Yeboah’s decisive goal ten minutes after Marco Reus’ equalizer for the Galaxy.
Minnesota’s performance significantly improved in the second half of their last match, boosting their expected goals (xG) tally from 0.13 to 1.28. Coach Cameron Knowles expressed satisfaction with the team’s ability to capitalize on opportunities after the break.
