It also shows that San Diego FC striker Milan Iloski is arguably the best bargain among the league’s 800-odd players. He makes $156,000. “Milan,” coach Mikey Varas said, “stepped up massively.”

The win put San Diego into top spot in the Western Conference, passing the Whitecaps, and Iloski hit a history-smashing mark, with a hat-trick within nine minutes, before adding a fourth in 12 minutes – the fastest four-goal spell in MLS history.

Milan Iloski scored a club-record four goals, Anders Dreyer had three assists and San Diego FC beat Vancouver 5-3 to move past the Whitecaps into first in the Western Conference.