Joveljić Races Towards Record-Setting Start
LA Galaxy forward Dejan Joveljić has raced out of the gate to start the 2024 season with a goal in each of the club’s first four matches. As the Galaxy travel to face Sporting Kansas City on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), the Serbian striker will look to match a longstanding MLS milestone.
With a score against Sporting KC, Joveljić would tie Columbus’ Brian McBride (five in 1998) for the longest goal-scoring streak to start a season in league history. After his strong start, McBride finished the season with 10 goals while helping the Crew to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference and a conference finals berth.
The most consecutive games with a goal to start a season in MLS history:
Columbus Starts Strong on Path to Title Defense
Only three teams in MLS history have repeated as MLS Cup champions and no team has accomplished the feat since the 2011-12 LA Galaxy. The 2023 MLS Cup presented by Audi champion Columbus Crew are looking to end that decade-long drought and have started their title-defending campaign without a blemish through four matches (10 points, 3-0-1). The Crew have matched D.C. United (1997) and LAFC (2023) for the best four-game start by a defending MLS Cup champion and both clubs advanced to MLS Cup in those respective seasons.
With a win at Charlotte FC on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), the Crew would become the first defending champion to earn 13 points through the first five games of a season. The previous record of 12 points was held by the 1999 Chicago Fire.
The most points by a defending MLS Cup champion through the first five games of a season:
Lucho Lights Up the Stat Sheet
The reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP Luciano ‘Lucho’ Acosta continues to build his case as one of the all-time greats in league history. After leading the league with 31 goal contributions in 2023, the crafty midfielder is off to a strong start this season with a goal and two assists through four matches, while helping the defending Supporters’ Shield winner FC Cincinnati to an unbeaten 2-0-2 record.
Across his eight MLS seasons, Acosta has totaled 59 goals and 80 assists and with a score against New York City FC on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), the Argentine can join an exclusive list of MLS players with at least 60 career goals and 80 career assists. Among the others who have accomplished the feat include former league MVPs Landon Donovan, Diego Valeri, and the only two-time Most Valuable Player, Preki.
The MLS players with at least 60 career goals and 80 career assists:
Giakoumakis Ascending Atlanta Record Book
With four goals through four matches, Atlanta United forward Giorgos Giakoumakis has announced his campaign for the 2024 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi and sits tied with Inter Miami CF’s Luis Suárez and the LA Galaxy’s Dejan Joveljić for the league-lead in scoring.
In just 30 career matches, Giakoumakis, who had a team-high 17 goals in his debut MLS season last year, quickly climbed the club’s all-time scoring leaderboard. With a goal against Toronto FC on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), the Greek striker would break a tie with Miguel Almirón (21 goals in 62 games) and Héctor Villalba (21 goals in 82 games) and move into sole possession of second place on the all-time Atlanta United scoring chart. Only club legend Josef Martínez (98 career goals) has scored more for the Five Stripes.
The players with the most career goals in Atlanta United history:
White-hot Start for the Whitecaps
After earning a postseason berth in 2023, Vancouver Whitecaps FC are picking up where they left off with a 2-0-1 start to the 2024 season, which is tied for the best three-game mark in the club’s MLS history. Vancouver is looking to qualify for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in consecutive years for just the second time in team history (2014-15) and a strong start has helped to power that push.
By defeating Real Salt Lake on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), the Whitecaps would set a club record for the best four-game start in team history, breaking the previous record set by the 2015 squad (nine points, 3-1-0). The club has earned at least eight points through their first four games on three occasions in club history (2012, 2014, and 2015) and advanced to the postseason in each of those seasons.
The best four-game starts in Vancouver Whitecaps FC history:
