Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez added to his Golden Boot lead on Sunday, scoring his 19th goal of the season as the Five Stripes battled the Seattle Sounders to a 1-1 draw.
The goal puts him seven ahead of Bradley Wright-Phillips for the most in MLS this season, but more importantly, it also put him ahead of pace to break the all-time single season record.
Martinez now has 19 goals in 21 games, giving him 13 games to hit 28 goals and break the record. That record is currently held by Roy Lassiter (1996), Chris Wondolowski (2012) and Wright-Phillips (2014), who all scored 27 goals in a single season. Through the first 21 games of their respective seasons, none matched Martinez’s total.
Goals through 21 games
| Player | Season | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Lassiter | 1996 | 17 |
| Wondolowski | 2012 | 17 |
| Wright-Phillips | 2014 | 18 |
| Martinez | 2018 | 19 |
It should be noted that Stern John had 20 goals in his first 21 games for Columbus Crew SC back in 1998, but finished the season with 26 goals. Landon Donovan also had 19 goals in his first 21 games in 2008, but scored just one more goal for the rest of the season.
Martinez will continue his chase for history when D.C. United visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday (3:30 pm ET | Univision, Twitter — Full TV & streaming info). The Venezuelan international scored against United when the two teams met on March 11, a match which Atlanta won 3-1 at home.
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