SDFC forward Anders Dreyer attempting a pass in the MLS Western Conference Final against the Vancouver Whitecaps at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA on Nov. 29, 2025.Angel RodriguezSun, November 30, 2025 at 7:52 AM UTC·6 min readSAN DIEGO -- SDFC’s historic inaugural MLS season finished in a 3-1 Western Conference Final heartbreak defeat at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night at the hands of the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps, falling one win short of the chance to play for the MLS Cup.
For one last time in their inaugural season, San Diego FC hosted a match in Snapdragon Stadium, this time with the Western Conference title and a trip to the 2025 MLS Cup in play.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNo matter the result, the winner of the Western Conference title would travel to Chase Stadium to face off against Inter Miami for the MLS Cup.
This comes after Inter Miami claimed the 2025 MLS Eastern Conference title before the West final kicked off, and held more regular-season points than SDFC and the Whitecaps.
SDFC advanced last Monday off a slim one-goal 1-0 home win against Minnesota United in their conference semifinal.
The Whitecaps went down to the wire in their semifinal against LAFC, having their two-goal advantage at BC Place wiped as LAFC came back into the match with a 90+5 wonder goal by star forward Son Heung-Min.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut in the end, Vancouver found victory through a penalty shootout, winning 4-3 and advancing to the Western Conference Final after ending 2-2 through regular and extra time.
This third meeting set up a true battle for the top of the West, as these two teams finished first and second, equal on 63 points after the regular season.
SDFC edged out the top seed and home-field advantage through the 2025 MLS Western Conference playoffs, taking the series tiebreak after winning and drawing against the Whitecaps in their two regular-season matches.
From the first whistle of this final, Vancouver came out of the gates converting on two goals within the first eleven minutes.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe first came in the 8-minute mark, with the Whitecaps taking advantage of an SDFC turnover near their own box, as Vancouver midfielder Andrés Cubas worked a pass past SDFC goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega with forward Brian White getting the sliding tap finish for the 1-0 score.
The Whitecaps pressure continued to smell blood in the water, pouncing on their initial shot and save by SDFC goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega with another shot toward goal. This time the SDFC backline were unable to keep the ball out, deflecting off Sisniega as the ball crossed the goal line to make it 2-0 in the 11-minute.
SDFC had their own spells of offensive control and dominance, but they were unable to get onto the scoreboard in the first half.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis led to a final Vancouver attack in the 45+2-minute as midfielder Ali Ahmed dribbled into the penalty area and put a cross across the goal for Brian White to chest in their third for the Whitecaps, recording a first-half brace.
Out of nothing and a fast free kick taken, SDFC brought some life back in the second half, with subbed on Mexican international forward Chucky Lozano having his outside-the-box shot take a deflection off a Whitecaps defender and lob over goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka to get San Diego FC on the scoresheet in the 60-minute, still trailing 3-1.
SDFC got hit with another major setback in the match at the 79-minute mark, as SDFC goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega received a straight red card, having to make a last-ditch outside-the-box tackle after another offensive turnover in their own half.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Whitecaps were able to maintain that scoreline, defeating SDFC 3-1 in the 2025 MLS Western Conference Final at Snapdragon Stadium to advance to the 2025 MLS Cup against Inter Miami, scheduled for next Saturday, December 6, at Chase Stadium.
SDFC’s historic inaugural season comes to an end, combating their low preseason odds and midseason woes as they topped the Western Conference and were one game away from playing for the MLS Cup, all within their first season as a club.
After the Western Conference Final loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps, SDFC head coach Mikey Varas spoke at the post-match press conference, reflecting on the match, expressing the progress and growth the club made through their inaugural season.
“These guys came out, kept fighting, got the one-three, with a red card, and make it two, three, and I think that we all believed we were going to make it three until the final whistle.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I know that this hurts, but nobody can take away this season that these guys did. Nobody can ever take that away from them. And I think they made a city, made the whole region dream. We were one step away from MLS Cup, and 12 months ago, we were all introducing ourselves.”
“But what we can all agree on is that each and every one of us is going to carry this bit with us. We're going to carry it with us and use it, use it as motivation to come back even stronger.”
Frontera SD never stopped their singing and support for their chrome & azul, even through the final whistle, with a powerful post-match moment with their defeated SDFC players and staff looking into their supporter section and joining in on their now signature clap to close out 2025.
“I hope that everybody remembers that we went for it, we went for it with a clear identity, trying to be a reflection of the community, trying to make San Diego proud,” Varas said as the takeaway message from the season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I hope they also remember that we all just met each other 12 months ago, and that we put a tremendous foundation together to build something sustainable into the future,” Varas said.
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