Vancouver Whitecaps enter uncharted territory with record-setting start | OneFootball

By Ben Wright

"Since we're in Dallas, let me say, how about them Whitecaps, huh?"

Vancouver Whitecaps FC head coach Jesper Sørensen was in a jovial mood after Saturday night's 1-0 win over FC Dallas, and rightly so. For the first time in club history, the 'Caps have a perfect 12 points through four MLS matches this season, becoming just the seventh team in MLS history to open a year with four straight wins.

Mix in an unexpected advancement past Mexican powerhouse CF Monterrey in the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 midweek, and things are just about perfect in the Pacific Northwest. Right?

"Maybe we have a perfect record, but we're not a perfect team at all," Sørensen shrugged. "Everybody is working their butts off and doing everything they can. We are getting more confident, we're getting better for each day and that's something that I'm very happy to see."

Strength as a unit

Balancing a packed early schedule with both MLS and Concacaf play on the calendar is impressive on its own. Doing it while dealing with the absence of a captain and crucial player has added to the feat. When Ryan Gauld went down with a non-contact injury in last weekend's 2-0 win over CF Montréal, fans feared the worst.

Gauld avoided a serious injury, with a knee sprain set to keep him out for 3-4 weeks and Vancouver managed one of the best results in club history without one of the best players in club history, getting a crucial 2-2 draw in the away leg against Monterrey to advance to the CCC quarterfinals.

"I think the team has shown that they want to work hard for each other. They show the passion for the team," said Sørensen. "... I think we don't have to talk much about the mentality against Monterrey. We were behind two times in the break and nobody panicked.

"We all just kept going and knew that we had a plan for the comeback and all had a strong belief in each other. I don't think that the mentality is an issue."

Staying hot

With an unblemished 4W-0L-0D record, the 'Caps refuse to let their success change anything. They'll get back to training this week, fully focused on next Saturday's match against Chicago Fire at BC Place (10:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass). That doesn't mean they won't enjoy it, though.

"[The 4-0 record] is something I'm very happy for, especially for the players, for everybody around the club, and also for all the fans. I think it's great to be part of such an exclusive group of teams," said Sørensen.

"When we play in three months more, it's not something that you think about, but it's right to have these moments. It's nice to have these moments, and also be a little bit proud as a group that we're doing something that's not usual."

HIGHLIGHTS: FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | March 15, 2025