San Diego FC are one win away from potentially hosting MLS Cup presented by Audi on Dec. 6, taking on Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Western Conference Final at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday (9 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV).
It's been a historic inaugural season for San Diego, the second-ever expansion team to make a Conference Final, joining the 1998 Chicago Fire. That comes after they set expansion-club records for points (63) and wins (19) during the regular season.
Now, San Diego try to join Chicago as the only expansion teams to reach MLS Cup. They'd host that match if New York City FC defeat Inter Miami CF in the Eastern Conference Final.
Let's take a closer look at how they got to this point.
San Diego added another first to an unforgettable debut season with their first Audi MLS Cup Playoffs win, defeating Portland Timbers, 2-1, in the opening match of their Round One Best-of-3 Series at Snapdragon Stadium.
Onni Valakari and Anders Dreyer struck for goals inside the opening half-hour before Kristoffer Velde pulled the visitors back a goal in the 36th minute. However, the Timbers' comeback bid was cut short by Jimer Fory's second-half red card.
San Diego were moments away from punching their Western Conference Semifinal ticket, but Timbers striker Gage Guerra scored a last-second equalizer before the Timbers prevailed on penalty kicks, 3-2, at Providence Park.
Star winger Chucky Lozano, who had missed the previous two matches for disciplinary reasons, came off the bench to score the go-ahead goal in the second half after Amahl Pellegrino leveled in first-half stoppage time.
With their backs against the wall, San Diego produced one of their best performances of the season, advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals following a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Portland in front of a sell-out crowd at Snapdragon Stadium.
Dreyer scored inside five minutes off Valakari's cross and then iced the match with a 79th-minute finish from Lozano's assist. Pellegrino also struck for a brace in the decisive win.
Dreyer again provided the heroics, scoring the lone goal to help San Diego book their Western Conference Final spot following a 1-0 victory over Minnesota United FC at Snapdragon Stadium.
Corey Baird set up the chance with a cheeky backheel assist after running down a ball from Dreyer's fellow Danish star Jeppe Tverskov. The crafty maneuver culminated with Dreyer's 72nd-minute game-winning blast.
Dreyer now has 4g/2a in the postseason, trailing only Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi for the most postseason goal contributions in the league this year.
It was a record-setting season for San Diego, who finished atop the West with 63 points (19W-9L-6D record).
Dreyer led the charge with 19g/19a in the regular season en route to winning MLS Newcomer of the Year. Dreyer, Lozano and Tverskov were named MLS All-Stars.
Other key signings for Mikey Varas' side include Panamanian midfielder AnÃbal Godoy, left back Luca Bombino and center back Christopher McVey.
