San Diego FC’s Anders Dreyer named MLS Player of the Month for the second time

For the second time since the start of the summer, San Diego FC forward Anders Dreyer has been named Major League Soccer’s Player of the Month.

Dreyer tallied three goals and two assists in August, leading San Diego FC to a 3-0-1 record and helping the expansion club clinch a playoff berth with months remaining in the regular season. He played in 359 of 360 possible minutes last month, and scored goals in all but one of SDFC’s four matches.

Dreyer was in Copenhagen when the award was announced on Friday. He started for his home country of Denmark as the Danes played Scotland to a 0-0 tie in a World Cup qualifier.

FIFA’s international break continues for the next week. First-place SDFC (17-7-5) returns Sept. 13 for a showdown with second-place Minnesota United at Snapdragon Stadium. SDFC will then play Atlanta, San Jose, Houston and Portland to wrap up the regular season before starting the playoffs.

Dreyer is just the second player in MLS history to earn two Player of the Month awards in the same season while playing for an expansion team. Atlanta United’s Josef Martinez first did it in 2017.

Dreyer and soccer legend Lionel Messi appear to be the frontrunners for MLS MVP honors. Messi was named Player of the Month in May and July, with Dreyer winning in June and August.

Notable

San Diego FC’s annual friendly match against the Tijuana Xolos has a name: the Baja Cup. The first game between the MLS and Liga MX clubs is set for Sept. 16 at Snapdragon Stadium. The result will not count toward either team’s record.

SDFC CEO Tom Penn called the exhibition “the start of something special for this soccer-crazed region of the world.”

•  San Diego FC’s academy team will compete in MLS NEXT, a developmental league, beginning next month. The U-13 club features 17 players, most of whom hail from San Diego and Tijuana.