Josef Martinez caught fire on Saturday night. Almost literally in fact.
After scoring in the 67th minute in a 1-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids, Martinez jumped up on the table that shoots out fire after every Atlanta United goal at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Luckily for Martinez, and for his team, he managed to avoid the flames.
Starting for the first time in a regular season MLS match since March 18, Martinez scored for the seventh time in as many matches he’s played. Atlanta manager Tata Martino wasn’t surprised Martinez scored the winning goal upon returning to the starting XI.
“Whenever Josef’s on the field, we have expectations that he’s capable of scoring,” Martino said. “He has skills and chances inside the box that few forwards in the world have, so it’s a welcome return for our team.”
“In the second half we played really well and we were able to take advantage of one chance. We’re a very dangerous team. We’re able to take advantage of our chances when we’re presented with them.”
Martinez was aggressive throughout the match, taking a season-high seven shots as well as a season-high three shots on goal. His best chances came in the second half, however, when he got his head on the end of a cross but wound up putting it directly into the ground, bouncing it just over the goal minded by Rapids keeper Tim Howard.
“[Howard] made some big saves tonight,” Martinez said, “and luckily I was able to convert one of my chances and that’s why the three points stayed at home tonight.”
Atlanta continues to lead the league in scoring with 33 goals, and they’ve now scored first in 14 of their 17 matches, also tops in league. (Atlanta has scored 17 goals at home this season, more than Colorado’s entire season tally of 15 goals scored.)
Martinez just missed out on a spectacular bicycle kick finish in the 65th minute, after Brandon Vazquez headed it to him inside Colorado’s 18-yard box.
Asked how Howard kept the sure-fire AT&T MLS Goal of the Week nominee, Martinez said: “That’s why he’s the U.S. National Team goalkeeper.”
