Chromaniacs: a San Diego FC Podcast

The Chromaniacs went LIVE late on Saturday night after an SDFC 3-0 victory over Colorado Rapids! The win pushed Los Chromados within a single point of the playoff line. Craig Elsten, Alex Peña and Tony Sanchez (who was live from Snapdragon Stadium) came on the air to discuss: 

A complete team victory in a must-win matchThoughts on lineup moves: Valakari back to a false-9 position, Godoy back in the midfield, Murphy over McVeySDFC being opportunistic in the first half and capitalizing on Colorado errorsMan of the Match Gabriel Pirani netting for the second time this weekThe first ML...

On this week's episode of The Chromaniacs, with Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña...

A look back at SDFC's 3-1 loss away on Wednesday at PortlandWhen will San Diego be able to deploy their front line at full strength for a full match?Is time running out on a playoff run without some wins getting stacked?Gabriel Pirani scores his first SDFC goalIs this roster enough, or does Tyler Heaps need to add more before the window closes?Post-match sound from head coach Mikey VarasSaturday night preview: SDFC hosts a *very good* (just as Mikey) Colorado R...

Win of the year? Win of the year! Craig Elsten and Tony Sanchez got together late Saturday night after SDFC took down LAFC 1-0 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, dealing the Black and Gold only their second MLS home loss of the season. We discuss: 

SDFC's dominant possession game against LAFCHow a 0-0 draw would have still been a great result...but 1-0 is much better!Incredible defensive contributions from Luca Bombino, Manu Duah and CJ Dos SantosLAFC's center back losing his mind to allow a late penaltyA costly double yellow card late against Anders Dreyer and h...

The Chromaniacs are back with a brand-new episode!

SDFC accomplished three important things in Leagues CupA look back at the SDFC-Xolos and SDFC-Puebla matchesTony spends time in the supporters sectionShould Vasquez and Alvarado move into the starting midfield?Training Ground Sound: Mikey Varas, Dagur Dan Thorhallsen, Chris McVeyDid LAFC empty the tank in Leagues Cup? Can SDFC take advantage on Saturday night?

The Chromaniacs (Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña) intended to record this week's show after the SDFC-Club América match, but it was so lopsided (0-3 at halftime) that the boys went ahead and recorded during the second half. On this week's show...

We start with Leagues Cup talk. This team just isn't built for altitude, is it?Mikey Varas goes to a five-man back line, and the defense gets worse?How the next two Leagues Cup matches might go, and how much SDFC could/should put into Xolos on SundayThen, to the thing everyone wants to...

For the first time, The Chromaniacs did a live remote broadcast for the Postgame Show! Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña were live on the patio outside Hopnonymous Brewing off Convoy Court, breaking down SDFC's 1-1 draw against Minnesota United FC. We were invited by the San Diego Riptides supporters group! Among the discussion topics: 

A 1-1 draw that felt like a bit of a gift thanks to a questionable penalty callThe lineup still has a ways to go to get to the club's best elevenMan of the Match: C.J. Dos Santos, for some dynamic sa...

On this week's episode of The Chromaniacs, with Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña...


The Chromaniacs are hitting the road for a special live show on Saturday night, details inside!MLS 3.0? The league weighs new rules to make team building simpler, Alex breaks down the possible changesSDFC has added new players, but when will we actually see them on the field, and, who's going to leave to make room for the additions?Sign Guy threatens two more years of flyovers if SDFC doesn't bring back Chucky!Training Ground Sound: head coach Mikey Varas and new r...

Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña gathered live on YouTube after a 1-0 SDFC win over FC Dallas!

The Chrome and Azul got back to form, controlling possession and moving the ball wellA blistering goal from Alejandro Alvarado outside the 18 gave SDFC the leadOnni Valakari had a chance (or chances) to double the leadManu Duah almost gave the result away with a late turnover but made up for it with a brilliant defensive scrambleDid FC Dallas use the right tactics to break down SDFC's attack?Post-match sound from head coach Mikey Varas and midfielder Alejandro Alvarado

San Diego FC came out of the summer break and laid an egg. The 1-0 loss at Colorado featured very little offense, more turnovers out of the back, and another second-half stoppage time goal to steal away a result. On this episode of The Chromaniacs, Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña...


Go through the highlights and lowlights of Wednesday's lossHow can SDFC get more out of their midfield?Head coach Mikey Varas puts it on the ref, was a penalty deserved against Colorado?Looking ahead to Saturday, hoping it will be a diffferent day AND a...

The Chromaniacs are back for the second half of the MLS season! Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña start off with some World Cup chatter, then dig into the first moves made by San Diego FC in the summer transfer window. Is there another left wing coming in for a third DP spot? What's (not) happening with Chucky? And how will two new veteran adds, in the midfield and back line, help SDFC find a new gear? Then, a look at the challenge ahead for a club sitting in 12th place in the Western Conference, how many points w...

SDFC ended the first half of their season with a thud, dropping a 4-2 decision to the top team in MLS right now, Vancouver Whitecaps. Brian White had two goals and two assists to power the 'Caps victory, while youngsters David Vazquez and Brian Zamblé found the net for San Diego. 

Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez (live from Snapdragon Stadium) and Alex Peña (checking in from vacation in South Korea!) got together late on Saturday night to recap the loss, discuss the trends that defined the first half of the San Diego FC season, and to hear post-match com...

On this week's episode of the Chromaniacs...

Brandon (Terrible SDFC Memes) joins us for the first half-hour of the show!Memes tells us about his experience last week as Keeper of the FlowWhat are the expectations for the summer window?Training Ground Sound: Varas--Ingvartsen--AlavardoSDFC-Vancouver preview, last match before the break!

OH SO FRUSTRATING! SDFC played a wild up-and-down match against FC Cincinnati, rallies from 2-1 down in the second half to take a last-second 3-2 lead...but it wasn't the *very last* second. Cincy got one more kickoff and scored an equalizer in the final 13 seconds of the match to snatch two points away from the Azul and Chrome. 

Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez (live from Snapdragon Stadium) and Alex Peña talked through the entire match in front of a big crowd live on YouTube, including another bravura performance from Marcus Ingvartsen, wonderful assists from youngsters Soma and Sa...

A win! A win! SDFC, for the first time in over two months, won a MLS match, thoroughly dominating Austin on Wednesday night by a 5-0 score. San Diego found new scoring options through a huge performance from David Vazquez, notable contributions from Pedro Soma and Alex Mighten, and consistent work from the Danes at the top of the attack. SDFC's defense held an over-rotated Austin lineup off the scoresheet, with Duran Ferree coming up with the one big save he needed in the first half. 

Live on YouTube on Wednesday night, Craig, Tony and Alex went through a...

On this week's episode of the Chromaniacs...

Special guest Matt Doyle (from Tactics-Free Zone, formerly mlssoccer.com) joins Craig and Alex for a half-hour to discuss the volatility of MLS, and what the veteran writer sees as the pitfalls for a second-year franchiseThen, Tony joins the show and we go through this week's Training Ground Sound, hearing from Mikey Varas, Amahl Pellegrino and Anibal GodoySDFC at Seattle this Saturday, can the battered and young Azul and Chrome find a result against an organized and well-playing Sounders side?

Oh, so frustrating! San Diego FC played their best match in over a month on Saturday night, led LAFC 2-0 after eighty minutes, and somehow settled for a 2-2 draw. Why? A confluence of misfortune, starting with captain Anibal Godoy being taken off the pitch just long enough for LAFC to use his missing presence and score their first goal of the match. Then, in his return to play after missing months with facial fractures, goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos was put in a difficult spot in the 94th minute, dove to gather the ball...and got KICKED IN THE FACE...

On this week's show...

How does SDFC replace the injured Jeppe Tverskov in the lineup?What's going wrong in season two, is it simply the injuries and red cards?How much is SDFC's system on trial?Folks, Mikey Varas and Tyler Heaps aren't leavingTraining Ground Sound from VarasSDFC-LAFC preview, are the Azul and Chrome catching LAFC in a trap game?

SDFC has lost a franchise-worst four straight matches in MLS, and if you go back to Champions Cup, the drought is even longer. Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña get together and discuss:


Two more dispiriting lossesHow can the club keep playing Osvald Søe?Another red card lol at least it wasn't a defenderMikey Varas post-Houston soundHow can SDFC improve their team right now?Is it time for a change at keeper?SDFC-Portland previewLike the show? Check out our live post-match shows on YouTube, and leave a five-star review!

Tony Sanchez, Alex Peña and Abraham Zepeda got together on Saturday night after a disappointing 4-2 loss at Real Salt Lake to discuss early defensive breakdowns, a possible change in goal going forward, the lack of defensive depth crushing SDFC's chances, and much more. Craig was on assignment at the Padres-Angels game, and it looks like he was the lucky one on this night!

This week on Chromaniacs: 


SDFC has taken six red cards in six matches, what the heck is happening here?Has SDFC gotten *too* young?The club is using young players at a globally-high rateTraining Ground Sound: Mikey Varas--Luca Bombino--Anibal GodoySDFC-RSL preview

Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña got together late Saturday night after another disappointing SDFC result, a 2-1 home loss to Minnesota United. The guys discuss:


SO MANY RED CARDSA young defense getting exposedIs SDFC lacking a playmaker?Post-match sound from head coach Mikey Varas and captain Jeppe Tverskov!

On this week's show:


SDFC posts one of their worst all-around performances last weekend in San Jose, we break down the film and spot some mistakes beyond the obviousMikey Varas and Jeppe Tverskov are questioned by SanDiego.Futbol's Chiva at trainingThe guys look ahead to a revamped Minnesota side visiting SDFC Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium

On this week's episode: 


Shocking released VAR Audio from the RSL match shows just how unwilling the head referee was to call an obvious handball and PKAnders Dreyer experiences the highs and lows of international play as Denmark comes up one step short of the World CupTraining Ground Sound from Mikey Varas and Lewis MorganA complete SDFC-San Jose Earthquakes preview. Will this be SDFC's toughest test so far in MLS?

On this week's episode of the Chromaniacs, Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña discuss: 



A 2-2 draw to RSL at home, disappointing or expected given the club's heavy schedule?Post-match sound from Mikey Varas and Marcus IngvartsenIs Manu Duah going to be poached by a European team in the summer?Should Zamblé go on loan if he's not going to play for SDFC that much?Mo Salah is leaving Liverpool, what are the odds he comes to San Diego? If you enjoy the show, please offer a five-star rating and kind review!

Craig, Tony and Alex got together on Thursday evening to go over all the latest SDFC news:




A look back at Wednesday's humbling 4-0 loss at TolucaWill a crushing defeat have any knock-on effects as the team returns to MLS play?What lessons, if any, can be gleaned from the result?Post-match sound from Mikey Varas and Antonio MohamedRSL is a quality side with some top striking talent, how does SDFC match up?How will Mikey Varas rotate his lineup for the fourth match in 12 days?

The Chromaniacs joined 2 Balls and a Mic live on Monday night to go over the weekend's SDFC news and action! The guys got into the 3-3 draw at FC Dallas and what it revealed about the club heading into Toluca. Then, a LOT of talk about the second leg of the tie, why Durran Ferree is now the obvious starting choice in net, what tactical moves Mikey Varas could make, and general predictions on how the night could go.

Down a goal, down a man, San Diego FC accomplished something few in the soccer world thought possible, beating Toluca 3-2 on Wednesday night at Snapdragon Stadium. While the road to advancing remains steep, SDFC's win playing 10-on-11 and then 9-on-11 stands as one of the best in franchise history, if not *the* best. On this episode, which aired live on Thursday, March 12, 2026, Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña went through some of the heroes of the match: 


Durran FerreeManu DuahLuca BombinoAnders Dreyer...and so many more!Plus, how will Mikey Varas adjust his lineup ag...

Craig Elsten, Alex Peña and SanDiego.Futbol's Abraham Zepeda got together live on YouTube Saturday night for the Chromaniacs Post-Match Show after a San Diego FC 1-0 victory away at Sporting KC. Durran Ferree started in net for the third straight match and delivered a third straight clean sheet, making two huge saves at the end of the match to seal the victory. Anders Dreyer scored for San Diego and SDFC kept the heat on the Kansas City net with multiple scoring chances. Now, with Toluca looming, how does the club reset for CONCACAF Champions Cup play on Wednesday?

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT:



San Diego FC heads on the road for the first time this seasonFour matches in 11 days! How will Mikey Varas rotate his lineup, and when?Is Durran Ferree the full-time starter in net now, or does Sisniega get the next chance?Leagues Cup schedule is enticingAnders Dreyer second-fastest player in MLS history to 20-20TRAINING GROUND SOUND: Mikey Varas--Chris McVey--Amahl PellegrinoSDFC-Sporting KC Preview!

The Chromaniacs (Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez, Alex Peña) gathered Sunday night after SDFC's 2-0 win over St. Louis City SC for the Post Match Show! Things are going swimmingly for San Diego, with two wins in two tries to start the MLS campaign. On the show, we discuss: 


Duran Ferree getting the surprising start in net (and a second straight clean sheet!) The shutdown performance of Manu Duah at center backMarcus Ingvartsen showing SDFC fans the promise we heard about going back to last seasonAnders Dreyer (#10) becoming the tenth different SDFC player to score, on the ten...

On this episode of the Chromaniacs, Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña discuss: 


Tyler Heaps contract extensionSDFC's keyword is continuityWe discuss, then you hear from, Heaps, Marcus Ingvartsen and Durran FerreeCould there be a starting GK competition very soon?Preview of Sunday's match against St. Louis 

The Chromaniacs gathered LIVE on YouTube Saturday night after SDFC ran roughshod over CF Montreal 5-0 at Snapdragon Stadium. Everything is coming up chrome and azul right now, as the Chromados dominated the match from start to finish. Among the guys' discussion topics: 


The spectacular late debut of Zamblé, who scored four minutes into his careerMarcus Ingvartsen coming up strong with a goal and an assistAnders Dreyer finding the space for a pair of assistsDuran Ferree winning at age 19 in net for SDFCAmahl Pellegrino scoring and avoiding injury after a scary tackle that earned Montreal a red ca...

The Chromaniacs gathered on YouTube on Thursday, February 19 to look at the key discussion topics heading into the 2026 MLS campaign. SDFC gets things started at home on Saturday night against CF Montreal. 


SDFC about to add Zamblé, but who leaves the roster to make room?We're almost to Opening Night and Chucky is STILL here, what's next?Who are the young players on the roster we expect to take a big step up this season?What could be a roster surprise?Pundits weigh in across the country, over/unders on SDFC season point totalsSDFC must take advantage of...

The Chromaniacs (Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez & Alex Peña) got together live on YouTube to discuss SDFC advancing through the first round of the Concacaf Champions Cup, losing away to Pumas 0-1 but taking the two-leg tie 4-2. Among the items discussed:




A remarkable shot-stopping performance in net from Pablo SisniegaA game for the veteran mids to take controlPumas had their chances early and didn't convertPellegrino hits the postSDFC had to play out-of-style and suffer in order to advance...and they did!

SDFC is back on the pitch and The Chromaniacs are back with another live postgame show! Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña got together in the witching hour on Tuesday to break down SDFC's 4-1 win over Pumas UNAM, grabbing secure control of the first-round series before it heads to Mexico next week. In the show...


Pumas scores on a true golazoRelentless pressure from SDFCIs the cross a new weapon this year for Los Chromados?Mikey Varas post-match soundsVaras substitutions click, Mighten and Vazquez score off the benchManu Duah and Chris McVey impress on defenseVAMOS S...

Special guest Cesar Hernandez from ESPN joins us for the entire show!We get Cesar's thoughts on the SDFC roster, and of course, the latest on the Chucky sagaWould SDFC ever give in and play Lozano?Complete SDFC-Pumas preview...should the Chromados be favored to win this round?

On this episode of The Chromaniacs...


It's all quiet on the Western front as SDFC hunkers down and preps for Pumasfewer than 10 days left to resolve the Chucky situationCould SDFC afford to just pay Chucky to leave?Roster preview: forrwards, midfielders, defenders, goalkeepers!

On this week's episode of The Chromaniacs...

NO va a jugar...Mikey Varas makes it plain that Chucky Lozano won't be with SDFC, but Chucky says he wants to stay? The drama continues...Mikey Varas gets an *undefined length* multi-year contract extensionAnders Dreyer gets his deal re-worked through 2029Training Ground Sound from Varas--Jeppe Tverskov--Dreyer--Lewis MorganNews on a new SDFC trialist, and scrimmage scheduleThe Community Kit was leaked and it is...something. 

SDFC Sporting Director Tyler Heaps revealed on Friday morning that Chucky Lozano was no longer in the club's sporting plans. On Friday evening, the Chromaniacs (Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña) were joined by SanDiego.Futbol's Abraham Zepeda to break down what was said by Heaps and head coach Mikey Varas, and the implications going forward for SDFC. A must-listen show!

The Chromaniacs are back for season two! Join Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña throughout 2026 as they cover the latest news and offer the latest views on San Diego FC and MLS!

On this week's show::

Expectations for SDFC coming off the best inaugural year in MLS historyWhat does SDFC have left to do before the season begins?Why is Chucky Lozano not in the club's social media posts? Concern-o-meter!Luca lands in Charlotte, St. Claire moves to Miami, we look at MLS roster movesMore youth coming to San Diego's roster with Søe?