Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Week for the 23rd week of the 2019 MLS season.
Martinez recorded a brace in Atlanta’s 2-1 victory over New York City FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, setting an MLS record with a goal scored in 10 consecutive matches played. With 15 goals over his previous 10 games, Martinez now has 20 goals this season, second most in the league. The 15 goals scored over 10 matches also equals the MLS record for goals scored over that span of games, which Martinez set last season. Atlanta sits second in the Eastern Conference with 42 points (13-9-3 overall record).
With the match scoreless late in the first half, Martinez gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute. Julian Gressel sent a cross from the right flank into the box, as Martinez elevated to beat a defender to the ball and finished with a header that snuck past the goalkeeper just inside the left post (watch goal).
The Venezuela international doubled Atlanta’s lead in the 63rd minute when he converted a penalty kick with a powerful shot into the upper left corner (watch goal).
In July Martinez broke David Villa’s record of 63 goals in a player’s first three MLS seasons. On Sunday against NYCFC, he scored his 70th regular season goal, surpassing Bradley Wright-Phillips record of 68 for most goals in any three-year span in league history.
Atlanta United faces Club América on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Campeones Cup (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2 / Univision / TUDN / TSN1 / TSN4), before returning to regular season action on Sunday, August 18 when traveling to face the Portland Timbers at Providence Park (10 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX Sports Go / TSN2).
The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while a Twitter fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.
