Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez took four explosive steps and headed Julian Gressel’s cross in at the far post.
The ball stretched the netting and rolled back out. With one fluid motion, Martinez scooped it up with his right hand and walked slowly and stoically over to embrace Gressel. An understated celebration for a man who just had made history.
Martinez scored his 24th MLS goal in a 5-0 win over LAFC on Saturday, more than any other player has scored in his first 25 matches in the league. Martinez broke his tie with Stern John (1998), Mamadou Diallo (2000) and Carlos Ruiz (2002) with his goal Saturday.
The 24-year-old Venezuelan international has scored four hat tricks in MLS play since coming to Atlanta on loan from Torino last February. He’s just one short of the record set by John and matched by Diego Serna only 25 games into his MLS career.
Martinez was a finalist for 2017 MLS Newcomer of the Year after just 20 appearances. He leads the league with five goals in five matches this season, tied with Sporting Kansas City’s Felipe Gutierrez.
Dynamo win eMLS Cup
The MLS season may just be starting, but its video game counterpart already has crowned its champion.
The Houston Dynamo, represented by Memo Treviño, took home the eMLS Cup after going undefeated in the inaugural tournament. Treviño, or as he’s known in the gaming world Kid M3Mito, also won $10,000 in prize money.
The Dynamo signed the Houston native in March.
“We’re excited to be a part of this forward-thinking initiative in an effort to continue to grow our brand,” Dynamo president Chris Canetti said in a team release. “... It was important to identify an excellent player who knows how to win and a bonus to find someone from within our community.”
VAR makes history
The video-review technology was used to overturn a red card in Atlanta’s match against LAFC for the first time in its eight-month existence in MLS.
Referee Ted Unkel issued Atlanta United defender Chris McCann a red card for a hard slide tackle that sent LAFC midfielder Benny Feilhaber flying. Unkel called McCann back onto the field and instead showed him a yellow card after reviewing the play.
“One foot for sure is going in exposing the studs,” LAFC coach Bob Bradley told reporters after the game, “so it seems to me, the way it’s been explained over and over and over is that when you go in and you show your studs, then whether or not you actually get the player or not, it’s a red card.”
Power rankings
1. New York City FC (last week: 1) • NYCFC remains atop the rankings after a bye this weekend.
2. Toronto FC (2) • TFC got the week off from MLS play while competing in the CONCACAF Champions league semifinals. The defending MLS champions lead Club América 3-2 heading into the second leg of the two-match aggregate series.
3. Atlanta United (4) • Atlanta United trounced LAFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, scoring four goals in the second half.
4. Columbus Crew SC (3) • The Crew handed Chicago its first win of the season.
5. Sporting Kansas City (8) • SKC rained on the Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic parade by shutting out them in L.A..
6. New York Red Bulls (5) • The Red Bulls had a bye as they continue on in the CCL, with a 1-0 aggregate deficit against Chivas heading into the second leg of the semifinals.
7. New England Revolution (unranked) • The Revs pulled out a dominant 4-0 win at home against Montreal to sit third in the Eastern Conference standings with 10 points.
8. LA Galaxy (6) • L.A.’s attack, which took center stage in the inaugural El Tráfico match, was shut out by Kansas City.
9. Houston Dynamo (9) • The Dynamo got the week off.
10. Los Angeles FC (7) • LAFC was able to keep it close in the first half at Atlanta, but a 5-0 loss bumped the expansion side down a few spots in the rankings.