With the 2020 MLS season on temporary hold, SportingKC.com is taking daily strolls down memory lane with an "On This Day" web series that celebrates memorable moments in team history. As one of Major League Soccer's proud charter members, Sporting has a decorated past full of thrilling victories, amazing goals, momentous off-the-field developments and more. "On This Day" pays tribute to these specific instances, turning back the clocks while treating fans to nostalgia and club history lessons. To catch up on the series as it unfolds, visit SportingKC.com/OnThisDay.
On this day in 2012, Sporting Kansas City entered rarefied air as just the second team in the history of Major League Soccer to open a regular season with seven consecutive regulation victories.
Following in the footsteps of the 1996 LA Galaxy, Sporting improved to a perfect 7-0-0 with a 3-1 road victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place, breaking a club record for the longest regular season winning streak.
Center back Aurelien Collin scored for the second straight match, forward Kei Kamara struck for his team-leading fourth goal of the year, and a signature long throw-in from Matt Besler produced an own goal as Manager Peter Vermes' side sunk the hapless Whitecaps on Canadian turf.
The Wednesday night fixture saw Sporting become the first club in league history to play 500 regular season matches, moving to 201-199-100 all-time in a contest that was never in doubt. Vermes' men would suffer their first defeat of 2012 three days later, taking a 1-0 loss at the Portland Timbers, but Sporting was nevertheless on its way to a first-place finish in the Eastern Conference and on the precipice of a run to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title.
