MLS: Top 5 performances from Week 20
By Matt Coles
3. Josef Martinez
After scoring a record 31 goals in MLS in 2018, Josef Martinez went slightly off the boil at the start of the 2019 campaign. Now back from the Copa America, the striker is getting back to his best.
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Atlanta United are looking to repeat their epic success from last season and they are finding form at the right time through the summer months. They overcame a 10-man Houston Dynamo side, thanks to some stupidity from Alberth Elis in the sixth minute, 5-0, with Martinez bagging a brace.
Darlington Nagbe and Brandon Vazquez had given the Five Stripes a two-goal lead at the break before the Venezuelan forward came into his own. He scored on the hour mark to make it 3-0, before doubling his tally on the night with a wonderful bit of skill that saw the Houston backline basically tackling each other in their attempts to stop the 2018 MLS Golden Boot winner.
He then scored another goal on Wednesday evening to seal victory against D.C. United, dinking the ball beautifully over D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid. His third goal of the week made it 16 on the season for the Venezuelan. He has now found the net in his last five games in all competitions. With the two Martinez’s looking like they are starting to fire on all cylinders, who would bet against Atlanta reaching the MLS Cup final for a second consecutive season.