FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: MLS Communications
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Atlanta United Forward Josef Martinez Voted MLS Player of the Month
NEW YORK
(Wednesday, April 5, 2017)
– Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez was voted Major League Soccer’s Player of the Month by members of the media for the month of March of the 2017 MLS season.
The 23-year-old Designated Player helped the expansion club burst onto the scene, leading Atlanta with five goals in three matches played during March. Atlanta currently ranks second in the Eastern Conference standings (2-1-1, seven points) behind a potent offensive attack that has produced 11 goals, second best in MLS. Martinez’s five goals rank tied for second in MLS, while his 1.72 goals per 90 minutes tops the league.
Martinez helped Atlanta United to its first win in club history with a hat trick in a 6-1 victory at Minnesota United FC on March 12, marking just the third time a Venezuelan has tallied three goals in a game. The Venezuelan National Team player scored his first MLS goal three minutes into the match with a calmly finished right-footed strike to give Atlanta the early lead (
Watch Goal
). Martinez extended Atlanta’s lead to 3-0 with his second goal of the match in the 27
th
minute, outpacing opponents and beating the keeper with another low shot into the corner of the net (
Watch Goal
). In the 75
th
minute, Martinez would round the goalkeeper and easily put the ball in the back of net to complete his hat trick and place Atlanta ahead 5-1.
A week later, Martinez continued his scoring ways with a brace in Atlanta’s 4-0 victory over the Chicago Fire at Bobby Dodd Stadium on March 18. Atlanta would take a 2-0 lead in the 60
th
minute when Martinez fooled diving goalkeeper Jorge Bava and finished in front of an empty net (
Watch Goal
). Martinez scored his second goal of the day with a left-footed shot from a difficult angle, earning him AT&T MLS Goal of the Week honors, and giving Atlanta the 4-0 lead in the 82
nd
minute (
Watch Goal
).
Atlanta United next travels to face Toronto FC at BMO Field on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, TSN4/5/MLS Live).
MLS Player of the Month is voted upon by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.
