SD Loyal Announces Sold Out Inaugural Match
A capacity crowd of 6,100; a limited amount of walk-up tickets for standing room can be purchased at Box Office two hours prior to kickoff.
USL Championship’s newest club, San Diego Loyal SC (SD Loyal), announced today that the Inaugural Match on Saturday, March 7 at Torero Stadium is sold out.
The stadium attendance capacity for a soccer event is 6,100. A limited number of walk-up tickets will be available, including standing room only, that can be purchased on match day at the Torero Stadium Box Office.
San Diegans rushed to have the opportunity to be part of sports history as SD Loyal kicks off its 2020 Inaugural Season hosting the Las Vegas Lights FC. The competition will be fierce as the teams, led by U.S. Men’s National Team legends Landon Donovan and Eric Wynalda, square off for the first time. ESPN will feature this matchup for their Game of the Week series on ESPNNews.
“We’re thrilled to see San Diegans embracing this as their club,” said Warren Smith, SD Loyal President. “To play our first match in front of a sold out crowd at Torero Stadium will be a special moment for our players, fans, coaches, front office and everyone who has been involved to get us to this day. This is just the beginning.”
Kickoff on Saturday is at 7 p.m. and gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Standing room tickets go on sale at 5 p.m. and will be available on a first come, first served basis at the Torero Stadium Box Office. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for an Inaugural Match Commemorative T-shirt for the first 5,000 fans, prematch entertainment, food and beer from local San Diego establishments including Stone Brewing and the ability to watch Team 1 warm-up before the Inaugural Match.
SD Loyal has also just announced the signing of three players – Francis Atuahene, Jon Kempin, and Edwin Lara, pending league and federation approval.
The players will join the Club for its inaugural USL Championship season in 2020, which kicks off Saturday, March 7 at Torero Stadium against the Las Vegas Lights FC.
“One of our goals in the off-season was to build a deep squad that could compete in the USL Championship and Open Cup,” said Landon Donovan, EVP of Soccer Operations and First Team Manager. “The addition of Francis, Edwin and Jon bolsters our squad. They’ll help to make us even more competitive and give us the chance to be successful over a long season.”
Atuahene, a confident, fast-attacking player and native of Ghana, is on loan from FC Dallas. The Forward was selected fourth overall in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft and made MLS history when he scored his first goal just 42 seconds after coming off the substitute’s bench during his debut against the San Jose Earthquakes in 2019.
Kempin, an American MLS soccer player and loan from Columbus Crew SC, was originally a homegrown signing by Sporting Kansas City at the ripe age of 17 before playing for the LA Galaxy. The Goalkeeper spent time on loan with Orlando City, OKC Energy, San Antonio Scorpions, Swope Park Rangers, LA Galaxy II and Hartford Athletic.
Californian Edwin Lara, who played for Mexico at the 2015 U-17 World Cup, is joining San Diego Loyal after stints at Club León and Club de Fútbol Pachuca. The Defender was famously included in the prestigious The Guardian’s “Next Generation 2016”.
Francis Atuahene
Position: Forward
Height: 5-9
Weight: 170
Born: 6/8/1996
Hometown: Accra, Ghana
Jon Kempin
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-1
Weight: 170
Born: 4/08/1993
Hometown: Overland Park, KS
Edwin Lara Barrios (Edwin Lara)
Position: Defender
Height: 5-9
Weight: 165
Born: 9/8/1999
Hometown: Berkley, CA
Tickets are available for SD Loyal’s next home match is on March 14 against Rio Grande Valley FC. Season Ticket Memberships and single match tickets for future matches are on sale and may be secured by calling (858) 465-GOAL or visiting sdloyal.com/tickets.
Source: Press Release
