For Immediate Release
MLS Communications |
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Moments of Matchday 8:
Brian White’s Four-Score Frenzy Steals the Show
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Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 15 matches played on the eighth matchday of the 2025 MLS regular season on Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13.
Highlights of the matchday included:
- Behind the 18th four-goal performance in MLS history courtesy of Brian White , the Vancouver Whitecaps improved to an MLS best 19 points (6-1-1) through Matchday 8 with a 5-1 victory over Austin FC.
- Two unbeaten teams still remain in regular season action – Columbus Crew (5-0-3) and Inter Miami CF (4-0-3), who both earned results on Sunday.
- Five matches finished with a 1-0 scoreline on Saturday, the most on a single day in MLS history (min. eight games).
- Road teams won six of 15 games on Matchday 8, which included the Portland Timbers who improved their unbeaten run to five games, thanks to a 4-2 win over Sporting Kansas City.
- With a goal in his 400th career match , the LA Galaxy’s Diego Fagúndez became the second active player in MLS to hit at least 150 goal contributions.
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White’s Four-Goal Performance Powers Whitecaps Strong Start
Behind the first four-goal performance in club history courtesy of Brian White , the Western Conference-leading Vancouver Whitecaps FC ( 19 points, 6-1-1) took down Austin FC, 5 -0, in a top-of-the -conference showdown at BC Place on Saturday night. Vancouver is off to the strongest start in club history and ha s won six of its first eight games for the first time in team annals. The club also scored five goals against an Austin FC squad that had allowed just three goals through seven matches entering the date.
White’s four goals were the 49th, 50th, 51st , and 52nd of his Whitecaps career, as he became the first player in club history to score 50 regular season goals. The United States Men’s National Team striker currently owns a 1 3-goal lead on the club’s all-time scoring leaderboard with Camilo Sanvezzo sitting in second (39 goals). He became the first player in Whitecaps history and the 18th player in MLS history to record a four-goal match.
The New Jersey native opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a low, driving shot after being on the receiving end of a cheeky, backheeled touch from Daniel Ríos ( Watch Here). His second came from a similar position, as White found himself open inside the 18-yard box and fired a shot through the goalkeeper’s legs to complete his brace ( Watch Here). White secured his hat trick after corralling a ricochet off the left post and rocketing a right-footed screamer into the net ( Watch Here), before closing his record performance with a breakaway finish in the 83rd minute ( Watch Here).
Vancouver hits the road on Matchday 9 to take on St. Louis CITY SC (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) as they aim to continue their record-setting start.
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Charlotte FC Beats CF Montréal, Picks Up Fifth Victory
Charlotte FC’s strong start to the 2025 season continued on Saturday, as the club hit the road and secured a 1-0 victory over CF Montréal at Stade Saputo.
Through eight games, Charlotte (16 points, 5-2-1) is off to the best start in team history and recorded their fifth win in four fewer games than their next-best season (12 games in 2024). The club currently sits second in the Eastern Conference and is just three points behind the Vancouver Whitecaps (19 points, 6-1-1) in the Supporters’ Shield standings.
Midfielder Pep Biel scored the game’s lone goal in the 16th minute ( Watch Here) , marking his third score of the season. In eight games this year, Biel has outpaced his 2024 totals in goals (t hree in 2025 vs. two in 2024) and assists (five in 2025 vs. three in 2024), the latter of which were achieved in nine games last year.
Charlotte FC returns home to Bank of America Stadium on Saturday as they take on expansion side San Diego FC (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / Apple TV+), while looking to win their fifth consecutive home match to open the season.
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Crew Still Unbeaten as Gazdag Debuts
The Columbus Crew faced a stern task on Matchday 7 to keep their unbeaten run alive when they headed to Energizer Park to face St. Louis CITY SC. The Crew rose to the challenge after falling behind early but clawed back with goals from Steven Moreira and Diego Rossi to win their fifth game of the year. Columbus has also now tied their longest unbeaten streak to begin a season, which was previously eight games in 2010.
Another notable moment from the game was the Crew debut for Dániel Gazdag , who was acquired from Philadelphia on Friday in a cash-for-player trade that could reach up to $4.5 million. Gazdag is the all-time leading scorer in Union history and will look to get on the board for Columbus in their next match on Saturday, April 19 when they host Inter Miami in Cleveland at Huntington Bank Field.
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Martinez Gets New York City FC Back on Track
After going winless in their three previous matches, Alonso Martínez and New York City FC pulled together a strong performance in defeating the Philadelphia Union, 1-0, at Citi Field on Saturday night. New York City FC has won two of their last three against the Union after going winless in their previous six matches against their northeastern rival.
After a scoreless first half, Martínez proved the difference maker yet again for New York City FC, scoring on a sensational run in the 55th minute following a perfectly-played, long-distance through ball from Mitja Ilenič ( Watch Here ). The goal was Martínez ’s fifth of the season and he became the fourth different player in club history to score five goals in his first seven games of a season, joining Valentín ‘Taty’ Castellanos (2022), Jesús Medina (2021), and David Villa (2017). The Costa Rican international has scored in four of his last five matches – a feat he has accomplished twice through seven games in 2025.
New York City FC will look to start a streak next Saturday as they head north to face the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
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Fagúndez Reaches 150 Career Contributions
In a 1-1 draw against Houston Dynamo FC on Saturday night, LA Galaxy midfielder Diego Fagúndez carved out another section of the record books in his storied MLS career, while appearing in his 400th career MLS match.
Fagúndez’s second-half goal came in the form of a free-kick stunner and marked the first of his 2025 campaign and his 74th career score in regular season play ( Watch Here). In his 15th MLS season, the 30-year-old Uruguayan midfielder became the 16th overall player and the second active player to reach at least 150 goal contributions, joining FC Dallas’ Luciano ‘Lucho’ Acosta, who leads the way among current MLS players with 172 career contributions. Fagúndez currently owns 74 career goals and 76 career assists in MLS regular season play and sits on goal shy of becoming the eighth player in league annals to record 75 goals and 75 assists.
The defining MLS Cup champion Galaxy will look to build some momentum on Matchday 8 as they head to Q2 Stadium to take on Austin FC on Saturday afternoon (1:45 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / Apple TV+ / FOX / FOX Deportes).
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For real-time notes and information, follow the MLS Communications department @MLS_PR on Twitter/X, @mlscommunications on Instagram, and MLS Communications on Bluesky, and visit MLSsoccer.com/Media-Resources.
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