SDFC better than Mexico’s best during memorable win at Snapdragon Stadium

If San Diego FC players get bonus money based on calories burned, several are now due extra-fat paychecks.

A pair of red cards forced the Major League Soccer club to play shorthanded for most of its international match Wednesday night in Mission Valley.

San Diego FC answered with its most memorable — and exhausting — homefield performance since the franchise first rolled out soccer balls two winters ago.

Getting two goals from David Vazquez and one from Anders Dreyer, the home team hustled up a 3-2 Concacaf Champions Cup victory against Mexico’s top team, Toluca, before an announced crowd of 20,652.

The clubs will meet next Wednesday in central Mexico to decide who goes to the quarterfinals. The first tiebreaker would be goal differential for the two games.

When the final whistle sounded in Mission Valley, SDFC’s Luca Bombino slumped to the grass, face down.

The second-year defender had put some 10 miles on the odometer, chasing and being chased, across the full 90 minutes of soccer.

“It’s (physically) difficult to stand and talk to you,” Bombino said an hour later, when asked about fatigue. “I’m looking forward to sleeping.”

Tilting the treadmill ramp upward, San Diego FC went 10 against 11 for most of the match due to forward Marcus Ingvartsen’s ejection for a violent kick in the 12th minute.

The punishing math became nine against 11 after defender Manu Duah’s goal-saving handball, in the 88th minute, brought him a disqualifying second yellow card.

Even so, SDFC outplayed the visitors for the most part, overcoming the two penalty-kick goals Toluca scored off the red-card fouls.

“Anybody who is in the stadium will remember this night,” SDFC coach Mikey Varas said as midnight approached Wednesday, “because the team not only found a way to get the result, but they found a way to continue imposing themselves, even though a lot of things went against us tonight.”

Youthfulness was an asset on this night.

Four players age 19 and two age 20 played most of the match for SDFC, while Toluca entered just one player under age 25.

Bombino,19, got my vote as match MVP.

The defender contributed to all three goals with smart work in the final third. That’s an emerging theme to his second season

Springing a trap that the coaches planned and also gambling on his own, Bombino began the comeback from 1-0 by teaming up with Jeppe Tverskov to create a steal. Then he punched a perfect lead pass, leading to the tying goal. He would add two official assists.

Dryer said he’s proud of Bombino’s soccer and stamina, but was quick to add that, most important of all, “he’s just such a good kid, he’s grounded and not thinking he’s something special.”

At 15, Vazquez moved from Los Angeles to  Philadelphia to begin his professional career. SDFC brought him back to Southern California with a trade last summer, and he’s now looking at home again.

Varas said the 20-year-old Duah, required to defuse numerical disadvantages at a higher rate, “did very well” against “very, very good players.”

SDFC’s elders did spry work, too.

Amahl Pellegrino, 35, contributed to all three goals before exiting in the final minute. The Norwegian, who took Hirving “Chucky” Lozano’s starting job late last season, drew again from his rare stamina and feel for spacing.

Dreyer directed traffic well and added to the 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute.

When Bombino’s deft dropback pass set up a left-to-right shot, the Danish lefty smashed a 19-yard banger that took him off both feet and curved inside of the far post.

Veteran Christopher McVey assisted fellow center back Duah in protecting goalkeeper Duran Ferree, yet another 19-year-old.

SDFC’s performance will create ripples beyond MLS.

Many soccer experts regard Liga MX as a cut above MLS. And they rate Toluca as Mexico’s best team. The Red Devils, who attracted several hundred red-clad fans on Wednesday, won both of the league’s championships last year and were unbeaten until they faced SDFC.

“We relaxed a bit, and the opponent played a great game,” said coach Antonio Mohamed, an Argentine who led Tijuana Xolos for three years.

As grueling as Wednesday’s match was, next week’s rematch could be tougher.

Toluca’s stadium sits 1.6 miles above sea level, giving the Mexican team a large edge. And SDFC will lack Ingvartsen and Duah, who must sit out the rematch after receiving red cards.

“We are calm,” said Mohamed, who said his players didn’t adapt well to “new grass” and a “new ball.”

Dreyer and teammates will tune out the soccer world’s noise, while they prepare for Saturday’s MLS match against Dallas, followed by the game in Central Mexico.

“It’s about staying grounded,” said Dreyer. “We’re not thinking like we’re the best.”

This won’t change: for one night against Mexico’s best, they were the better team — fitter, more connected on both ends and sharper in the final third.