Several MLS teams are still trying to establish their identities after four weeks of the regular season, but Vancouver Whitecaps FC, St. Louis CITY SC and San Diego FC are far from that.
On Saturday night, each set records for their clubs while joining a few teams in MLS history to start the season as strong as they have.
For Vancouver, a 1–0 win over FC Dallas gave them a fourth straight victory to start the season, setting a franchise record while becoming the seventh MLS team to achieve the mark. They also kept a clean sheet for the second week in a row.
St. Louis, meanwhile, kept a clean sheet by the same scoreline against Seattle Sounders FC, becoming just the third team in league history to string four shutouts to start the season.
San Diego also scored their first home goal, and established their four-game spell as one of the best-ever starts by an MLS Expansion team.
As much as each has been in stellar form, none ranked high in preseason expectations, bringing in new coaches and limited off-season additions in the case of Vancouver and St. Louis, and an entire expansion team for San Diego. Overall, their starts have been a surprise even if the players and coaches might not say so.
