Josef Martinez's week came to a screeching halt, but he gave himself plenty of time to make an impact before an untimely departure.
The Atlanta United forward scored two goals as the Five Stripes won two games in Week 29, and has been voted MLS Player of the Week as a result.
The Venezuelan's goals came in the first game of the week, a 2-0 win over FC Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium. In fact, the home side were pushing for a go-ahead goal, but Martinez's second-half brace completely flipped the result to his team's benefit, as he extended his MLS-record consecutive scoring streak to 15 games.
Then Atlanta made it a six-point week when they defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 3-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday. Martinez did not get on the scoresheet, but he put in another battling shift, keeping Quakes defenders on their heels before he was injured late and forced out, with initial reports claiming he'll be out for several weeks, although he could return for the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The Player of the Week selection is Martinez's third of the season, after also picking up the honor in Week 14 and Week 23. In addition to his 15-game consecutive scoring streak, snapped against the Earthquakes, Martinez is third in the Golden Boot presented by Audi race, with 26 goals for the season.
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.
