Two more goals from Josef Martinez lifted Atlanta United to a 2-1 victory over Montreal on Saturday during a rainy, weather-delayed night in Canada at Saputo Stadium.
The goals were Martinez’s league-leading 23rd and 24th this season in just 23 games and moved him into a tie for sixth on the MLS single-season scoring list. He needs three to tie the record held by three players. If form holds, Martinez won’t need long because he has scored in six consecutive matches, which is tied for the fifth-longest streak in league history. Portland’s Diego Valeri set the record (9) last season.
The win moves Atlanta United (14-4-5) to a league-leading 47 points, four ahead of NYCFC and six ahead of the New York Red Bulls, in the race for the Supporters’ Shield. The victory was the team’s league-best seventh on the road this season. After hosting Wednesday’s MLS All-Star game against Juventus at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the team will host struggling Toronto on Aug. 4.
While Martinez couldn’t stop scoring, goalkeeper Brad Guzan wouldn’t let Montreal score until the 87th minute when Ignacio Piatti put a shot into the top corner from a tight angle. Guzan made several tough saves on low, hard shots that skipped across the wet grass. Piatti’s goal came when he was left open on the back post to receive a cross.
“We needed three or five minutes more,” Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino said. “Because at Dallas, in final five minutes we lost. Now, one goal.”
Martino gave Eric Remedi his first start, pairing him with Jeff Larentowicz as the holding midfielders charged with limiting Ignacio Piatti’s influence. Starting Remedi meant Martino moved Julian Gressel from the center of the midfield to the right, and Hector Villalba from the right to the left. It was Villalba’s first start on the left this season.
That decision would prove wise.
With help from Villalba, Martinez struck first, putting in his eighth header this season to give Atlanta United a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute.
It started with a very smart play by Martinez, who was offside on a long pass from Miguel Almiron. Martinez knew he was offside, so he stopped his run when he saw Villalba catching up to the pass. Martinez not chasing the ball resulted in the assistant referee keeping his flag down. Instead, Martinez turned and ran down the middle, 30 yards away from the ball. Villalba caught up to the pass and played it into Martinez, whose header went off Evan Bush’s hands and into the top of the net.
Martinez struck again in the 57th minute, putting in a cross from Gressel who was put through on goal following a long, determined run by Franco Escobar, who before that wasn’t having the best game trying to defend Piatti. But he made up for it on a run of at least 60 yards in which he was dispossessed, won the ball back, and then passed it into space for Gressel.
“We like attacking full-backs and we were confident that Franco could give us that,” Martino said. “He’s still getting used to the team but every game he gains more confidence.”
And as for Martinez...
“There’s nothing else to do when a player performs like that,” Martino said. “We just pray it lasts the entire season. When a goal scorer is performing at such a high level, you just have to let him be.”
Guzan wasn’t happy with how Atlanta United performed after that second goal.
“After we scored the second goal, it’s almost as if we stopped playing a bit and invited pressure,” Guzan said. “And when you give someone like Piatti a chance, he’s going to punish you. The one time I’m able to stay big and put it out for a corner when he gets behind us, he scores one on his next chance.”
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