Mikey Varas expressed his excitement about San Diego FC’s performance in their recent victory against St. Louis City SC and emphasized that there’s still motivation for their upcoming match against Sporting Kansas City.
Despite a remarkable inaugural season, San Diego will not make it to the MLS playoffs, currently sitting 13th in the Western Conference with 38 points, five behind the ninth position.
The match holds little consequence for either side, but San Diego aims to wrap up the season positively after breaking a 10-game winless streak with their 1-0 win over St. Louis.
Varas is eager to give supporters a reason to celebrate on Decision Day and to build on their recent success.
“[The victory over St. Louis] demonstrates the team’s character,” he stated.
“There’s still plenty to play for, primarily the pride of our city and fans, as well as our responsibilities as competitors.
“We also want to start preparing for success next season right now, and it’s about our own pride as well.
“The team showcased incredible determination and quality against a strong opponent that’s well-coached.”
See you at home https://t.co/fCicL6ro6w
— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) November 3, 2026
Sporting Kansas City has long been eliminated from playoff contention, sitting at the bottom of the West in 15th place with only 23 points.
They are enduring a seven-game winless streak, with their last win happening away against Houston Dynamo on September 26.
Their major struggle this season has been their defense, having conceded 81 goals, though head coach Raphael Wicky has noticed signs of progress.
“There are still moments when we can improve and need to be less careless with the ball, which allows the opposition chances,” he remarked following a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas.
“However, I’m confident that if this group becomes fully healthy and fit, along with new players joining next year, we will have a competitive team. I firmly believe in that.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
San Diego FC – Anders Dreyer
Dreyer scored San Diego’s only goal against St. Louis, leading the team this season with 15 goals.
This marks Dreyer’s second consecutive season with at least 15 goals (19 in 2025), while no other player on the team has surpassed 12 in a single season.
Sporting Kansas City – Stefan Cleveland
Sporting KC has allowed 81 goals this season, the highest total in a single MLS campaign.
The current goal differential for Sporting sits at -42, which risks being one of the lowest ever recorded in MLS history if it continues, and Cleveland is determined to prevent making any unwanted records.
One more to go https://t.co/1nCjSKpzNb
— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) November 4, 2026
MATCH PREDICTION: SAN DIEGO FC WIN
San Diego FC has never lost to Sporting KC in three previous meetings (W2 D1) and has yet to concede a goal against them.
This is the only occasion where San Diego has kept three consecutive clean sheets against any opponent across all competitions.
Varas’ team secured a 1-0 win over St. Louis, ending a streak of 10 games without a victory (D5 L5). They began the season with three straight wins but have managed only six victories out of 30 since (D11 L13).
Sporting’s 1-1 draw with FC Dallas extended their winless run to seven games (D2 L5). This match marked the 32nd time this season that Kansas City allowed a goal, tying the record for most matches conceding a goal in a single MLS regular season.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
San Diego FC – 62.1%
Draw – 20%
Sporting Kansas City – 17.9%
Fan Take: This matchup is crucial for both teams to build momentum despite their playoff absence. A win for San Diego could mark the foundation for next season’s aspirations, while Sporting Kansas City needs to find form to turn around their disastrous campaign.
Source: www.soccernews.com
