Center back Ian Pilcher’s first MLS goal was the equalizer needed in the 80th minute that earned San Diego FC a point in a 1-1 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The goal from the 22-year-old preserved San Diego’s lead on the Western Conference where they have a one-point advantage on the second-place Whitecaps. San Diego passed the Whitecaps with their 5-3 win in Vancouver on June 25, and Vancouver came 10 minutes (and stoppage time) from returning the favor.
“I know it’s a 1-1 tie but for me it feels like a win because I think it was a dominant performance especially in the second half of the game,” head coach Mikey Varas said.
After their 1-0 loss to Toronto FC at home on Wednesday, SDFC was on the verge of being shut out in back-to-back home defeats after their leading scorer over the last three months, Milan Iloski, was returned to FC Nordsjaelland after his loan expired without an extension.
That was until Pilcher’s strike from the edge of the box.
“The goal was phenomenal,” Pilcher said. “We practice a lot of set pieces and it came out from Bombino and trying to just be in a good position and it just fell at my feet. After that it was just a blur.”
Pilcher was the oldest in a young backline that included fellow center back 20-year-old Manu Duah, SDFC’s first overall pick in the SuperDraft who made the transition from being a central midfielder, 19-year-old left back Luca Bombino and 19-year-old right back Oscar Verhoeven.
“I think that all four of them played an incredible performance. They did a really good job keeping me from doing too much work and I’m just really proud of the guys,” goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega said.
Even Sisniega, who made his third start since starter CJ Dos Santos’ injury in the July 5 match, is still adjusting to a new system in San Diego.
They limited Vancouver to just a goal and earned the draw.
Vancouver’s lone goal came from left back Mathias Laborda, deflected by Duah, who put the Whitecaps ahead with a 40th minute score that was the match’s lone goal until 40 match minutes later.
Up next: San Diego hosts Nashville SC on Friday, July 25 with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Snapdragon Stadium to continue MLS regular season play. SDFC will send Anders Dreyer, Chucky Lozano and Jeppe Tverskov to the MLS All-Star Game in Austin, Texas on Wednesday, July 23.