VANCOUVER, British Columbia — In a stunning display of offensive prowess, Milan Iloski found the back of the net four times, setting a new club record, as San Diego FC secured a commanding 5-2 victory over Vancouver on Wednesday night. Anders Dreyer provided a hat trick of assists, helping propel San Diego to the top of the Western Conference standings, ahead of the Whitecaps.
Iloski’s remarkable performance makes him only the third player this season to achieve at least four goals in a single match, joining the ranks of Vancouver’s Brian White and Nashville’s Sam Surridge. This feat places him as the 20th player in MLS history to reach such heights. San Diego’s current record of 11-5-3 is a testament to their recent form, having clinched victories in seven out of their last nine matches, with a total of 36 points in their tally. This places them narrowly behind Philadelphia, the overall points leader in MLS, yet a point ahead of Vancouver.
Vancouver, now dealing with consecutive defeats, recently saw the end of their impressive 11-match unbeaten streak. Tomás Ángel added to the scoreboard for San Diego with a late goal in the 90th minute.
The match began with Iloski converting a rebounded shot in the 35th minute, after Vancouver’s goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka blocked his initial strike. Just two minutes later, Iloski managed to score again on a counter-attack, doubling the team’s lead. Despite a first-time finish by Édier Ocampo for Vancouver in the 43rd minute, San Diego’s momentum continued undeterred.
Dreyer, orchestrating the offensive plays, delivered a precision pass for Iloski’s impressive diving header in the 44th minute, marking the first hat trick in club history. Adding to their lead, Iloski completed his four-goal night striking past Takaoka in a one-on-one situation in the 47th minute, following another assist from Dreyer.
Though Mathias Laborda managed to reduce Vancouver’s deficit in the 66th minute, it was insufficient to close the gap. Antoine Coupland, making his MLS debut, sealed the match with a goal deep into stoppage time, finalizing the 5-2 triumph for San Diego.