San Diego FC resumes Leagues Cup play with Pablo Sisniega in goal

San Diego FC shuffled two goalkeepers this week, sending Escondido native Jacob Jackson off to FC Dallas and reacquiring 4S Ranch’s Duran Ferree from FC Nordsjælland in Denmark.

The 18-year-old Ferree is unlikely to see meaningful minutes as SDFC tries to make the Major League Soccer playoffs in its inaugural season.

But given the goalkeeper situation of late, it’s impossible to say what might be awaiting SDFC when it resumes Leagues Cup play on Friday night against Mexico’s Tigres UANL at Snapdragon Stadium. The match between the Major League Soccer and Liga MX clubs starts at 8 p.m.

Pablo Sisniega has started SDFC’s last five matches at goalkeeper since July 5, when starter CJ dos Santos’ nose was bloodied following a collision near the goal late in a loss to the Houston Dynamo.

Dos Santos required surgery to fix his nose. Coach Mikey Varas said that while dos Santos remains available for Leagues Cup play, the club will not rush him back.

A first-year MLS starter, dos Santos is allowing an average of 1.38 goals per match. Sisniega allowed three total goals in his first four starts with dos Santos hurt, and SDFC went 2-1-1. He then surrendered three in Tuesday’s 3-2 Leagues Cup loss to C.F. Pachuca.

“Pablo’s been doing quite well,” Varas said Tuesday. “We’re rewarding Pablo and how he’s been training but also how he’s done in games.

“It’s the cycle of competition,” Varas added. “CJ will get his opportunity again.”

SDFC received a third-round pick from Dallas in exchange for Jackson, an MLS veteran who was part of the club’s opening-night roster.

SDFC sporting director Tyler Heaps called Jackson “the definition of a great teammate since the day he arrived.”

“He’s helped push our goalkeeper group and made us better every day at training,” he said. “We wanted to work with him to find the next step in his career, and we wish him all the success in Dallas moving forward.”

Ferree has the distinction of being the first player ever signed by SDFC. The club added the former San Diego Surf and San Diego Loyal SC goalie in December 2023, more than a year before playing its first match. Ferree is under contract through 2027 with a club option for 2028.

Playing without Dreyer

San Diego will play without forward Anders Dreyer, who must sit out Friday’s match after being given a red card during the closing minutes of Tuesday’s loss.

Dreyer might not be the only player to sit, Varas said Thursday.

“From a fatigue level, we might have someone out, but that’s not 100% defined yet,” Varas said.

Defender Christopher McVey (lower-body injury) will be available to come off the bench, but SDFC is likely to lean on its young players for their second match of the week. The club started 19-year-olds Luca Bombino and Oscar Verhoeven, 22-year-old Ian Pilcher and 20-year-old Manu Duah against Pachuca.

Aidan Harangi, 19, played 17 minutes and logged an assist in his SDFC debut. Varas is expecting 19-year-olds Pedro Soma (“He’s building fitness to get his minute potential higher”) and David Vasquez (“He comes from a pressing club, but he’s also got really good technique and attacking ability”) to contribute soon. Both were acquired this week, Soma from Spain’s UE Cornellà and Vasquez on loan from the Philadelphia Union of MLS.

Leagues Cup: San Diego FC vs. Tigres UANL

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Where: Snapdragon Stadium

TV/streaming: Fox Sports 1/AppleTV+ (English), TUDN (Spanish)