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NEW YORK (Tuesday, September 10, 2019) – Atlanta United forward Josef Martínez was voted the MLS Player of the Month presented by EA SPORTS™ by members of the media for the month of August of the 2019 MLS season.
Martínez finished August with six goals over five regular season matches played. The reigning MLS MVP has scored 23 goals this season, tied for second-most in the league, to go along with two assists. Martínez has also scored in an MLS record 13 straight matches, a mark that ranks third all-time across the global game. Atlanta sits third in the Eastern Conference with 48 points (15-10-3 overall record).
In the first match of the month on Aug. 3, Martínez converted a penalty kick in 72nd minute to help Atlanta defeat the LA Galaxy 3-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (watch goal). A week later on Aug. 11, Martínez notched a brace to lead Atlanta to a 2-1 home victory over New York City FC. The Venezuela National Team star soared for a header to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute (watch goal), before doubling the lead with a penalty kick goal in the 63rd minute (watch goal).
The 26-year-old scored a brilliant goal from outside the box in the 46th minute of Atlanta’s 2-0 road victory over the Portland Timbers on Aug. 18 (watch goal). Atlanta won its fourth consecutive match with a 1-0 road victory over rival Orlando City SC on Aug. 23 behind yet another Martínez goal from just outside the box (watch goal). Martínez capped the month in Atlanta’s 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 31 with a stunning give-and-go combination with Darlington Nagbe to score in his 13th consecutive MLS match (watch goal).
Outside of regular season play, Martínez scored the game-winning goal in Atlanta’s 3-2 Campeones Cup victory over Liga MX side Club América on Aug. 14, finishing a penalty kick to give the club its second ever trophy (watch goal). Two weeks later, Martínez played a full 90 minutes in the U.S. Open Cup Final 2-1 victory over Minnesota United FC on August 27, helping Atlanta win its third trophy and secure a berth to the 2020 Concacaf Champions League.
Atlanta returns to regular season action when hosting Columbus Crew SC on Saturday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
MLS Player of the Month presented by EA SPORTS is voted upon by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.
