Atlanta United's Josef Martinez played with a injured hamstring in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Toronto in the MLS Eastern Conference finals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Manager Frank de Boer said Martinez sustained the injury in Monday’s training session. He pulled himself out of training. He wore a wrap on his right thigh on Wednesday until he pulled it off in the 30th minute.
“He chose his minutes so sometimes he wasn’t the Josef that we want to see but I think the second half two or three times that he made his sprint that there was nothing really wrong,” de Boer said.
Martinez played the entirety of Wednesday’s game. He missed a penalty that would have give his team’s a 2-0 lead in the 11th minute. De Boer said he doesn’t think the injury affected the penalty kick, which was saved by Toronto’s Quentin Westberg.
Martinez took three shots, putting one on goal.
Centerback Flo Pogba also was playing with a hamstring injury.
“If I look back, I would make the decision again,” de Boer said. “Josef is always there when we needed him. I believe, and we also believe, that he could make a decisive goal. He was close, but not close enough today.”
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