Jesus Augusto Sarcos Romero: Josef Won’t Stop Breaking Records




BY SERGIO SILVA | CARACAS.- Josef Martínez started the second half of the Major League Soccer season at full speed. Yesterday, the Venezuelan front got a double in the Toronto FC 2-2 draw match against the Atlanta United, at the season’s renewal after the All Star Game.

The Vinotinto attacker, chosen as July’s Best Player at the M.L.S., solidified his place as one of the most important players in his position after 26 goals, placing him only one goal away from the previous best record in a North American season, title that still belongs to Tampa Bay Mutiny’s Roy Lassiter, who earned it back in 1996.

Martínez is set to break that record, just as he recently did by becoming the player with more triples (6) in M.L.S. history, beating Landon Donovan, from the US, Sebastian Giovinco, from Italy and Trinidad & Tobago’s Stern John, who had previously held the record at 5.

Yesterday, at the Atlanta Mercedes Benz Arena, Martínez started his goal count after scoring a penalty at the 52nd minute, and later a header at the 76th one. The Canadian team hit back with goals of their own, scored by Italian Sebatián Gionvico (45+1) and Canadian Tosaint Ricketts (m.90+1)

Martínez has 26 goals struck in 24 matches, while the Atlanta United remains at the front of the M.L.S.’s Eastern Conference with 48 points, 5 more than the next team on the list, New York City, who is two matches behind.