SAN DIEGO — Coming into their third season, the San Diego Loyal are looking to build off their first playoff appearance last season and make a name for themselves in the United Soccer League.
On March 12, the San Diego Loyal led by head coach Landon Donovan will take the field at Torero Stadium for the official home opener for the 2022 season against the LA Galaxy II.
Last season, the Loyal finished sixth in the Western Conference which was good enough to qualify them for the USL playoffs where the Loyal fell 2-0 to San Antonio FC in the opening round.
Over three months later, the Loyal are back on the training ground.
Third year head coach and American soccer legend, Landon Donovan has helped build the team from the ground up since they were founded. He’s learned much in his tenure and has improved his squad in the offseason. “We wanted to get more athletic, especially in some attacking positions and just more powerful in the attacking part of the field. We know when we have a dominant attacking player or two on the field, we're very hard to beat,” said Donovan.
One of those new attacking players is Kyle Vassell a powerful striker from Northern Ireland
While the first official game of the season is still upcoming, the last exhibition game that the Loyal played give hope for the upcoming season. After a narrow 1-0 loss against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS, the Loyal took on the Xolos of Tijuana in a cross-border battle, coming out on top for a 3-2 victory in front of their home fans in Torero Stadium
Head coach Landon Donovan talked about the win saying, “So there's a lot we can learn from teams like that, but anytime you can compete against and ultimately beat a team like that it helps you. It doesn't mean anything in the standings, but it's good. It's a good litmus test for our guys. And they did really well.”
Since the team was founded, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into the last two seasons. With restrictions lifting, Torero Stadium should be rocking for the opening game against the LA Galaxy II, as the Loyal push to become the top team in the United Soccer League Championship.
When asked about their home stadium, head coach Landon Donovan said, “Torero, a special place to play. Our supporters do a really good job of making the atmosphere lively and the games feel real.” He added, “I think we are ready now to really push in and be a team that competes to win a championship.”
Certain San Diego Loyal games will be shown live on The CW San Diego. The games include:
- March 23 at 5:30 against FC Tulsa
- April 30 at 4:30 against Tampa Bay Rowdies
- May 7 at 4 pm against New Mexico United
- May 21 at 5:30 pm against the Rio Grandy Valley FC Toros
- June 2 at 4 p.m. against the NY Red Bulls II
- August 13 at 4:30 pm against the Birmingham Legion
- September 10 at 5:30 pm against San Antonio FC
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