Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez tied two MLS records in his team's 3-0 win on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
His penalty kick in the 72nd minute marked the ninth consecutive league game in which he scored. He tied a record that he and Diego Valeri hold. Martinez reached nine previously in 2018; Valeri in 2017. Martinez has 18 goals this season. He trails Golden Boot leader Carlos Vela by four.
That goal was his 68th in MLS in the past three seasons. That tied him with the New York Red Bulls’ Bradley Wright-Phillips for the most goals in a three-season span in league history. Martinez has 10 more games to break the record.
Martinez didn’t seem to care about either record. He didn’t know about either until he was told by a member of Atlanta United’s communications team just before he was interviewed.
“The important thing for me is to win,” he said. “The records are just numbers. I said that the last time you guys asked me about that. They’re just goals. Obviously they are important, but I would change everything for another title. That’s what makes me excited and feeling good. Obviously when a forward scores, he’s happy. And more if we win. Because if I would have scored a goal today and we would have lost, there’s no way I would be talking to you guys.”
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