Patrick Mullins had not scored in more than a year, a promising season derailed by injuries and poor form. But on Saturday night, the former University of Maryland star not only smashed his way out of a personal funk but set an MLS record.
Mullins became the 11th player in league history to record four goals, and he did it in the shortest span in MLS’s 22 seasons, a 31-minute masterpiece during D.C. United’s 4-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes before a season-high 25,229 at RFK Stadium.
All of them came in the second half – on a redirection, on a header, on a rebound and on a free kick.