Josef Martinez found a breakthrough goal Sunday night to give Atlanta United a 1-0 lead over the New York Red Bulls in the 32nd minute of the first leg of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference final.
The goal was Martinez’ 34th of 2018, breaking the league record for goals in a single season. Roy Lassiter set the previous record of 33 goals in 1996.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium erupted when Martinez found space in the box between two defenders, received a long ball from teammate Jeff Larentowicz and controlled it briefly before firing past Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles.
Bradley Wright-Phillips nearly equalized for the Red Bulls in the 53rd minute, but the goal was waved off following video review. And then in the 71st minute, Atlanta’s Franco Escobar extended the home side’s lead to 2-0.
MAKE. IT. TWO. 🔥
Miggy ➡️ Julian ➡️ Franco https://t.co/udTwdW6Q1J
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) November 25, 2018
Atlanta coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino replaced Martinez with Hector Villalba five minutes after the second goal.
Villalba punctuated Atlanta’s victory with a stoppage-time goal in the 95th minute for a 3-0 final score, a massive lead entering Thursday night’s second leg at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
AN ABSOLUTE ROCKET 🚀@TitoVillalba15 makes it 3!!! https://t.co/07t1zC9yZB
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) November 26, 2018
The match kicked off just past 5 p.m. ET. See the full match recap and highlights here, and catch up on all the MLS Cup Playoffs results here. You can also review match stats.
The Portland Timbers host Sporting Kansas City later at 7:30 p.m. ET in the first leg of the Western Conference final.
Incredible night.
But the job's not done. #UniteAndConquer pic.twitter.com/rjoN6zmcdv— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) November 26, 2018
Make it 3-0 Atlanta United Tito Villalba with 1st goal of playoffs pic.twitter.com/nBrcNu39EH
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) November 26, 2018
TITO VILLALBA YOU BEAUTIFUL HUMAN OH MY GOD
3-0 ATLANTA IT'S A DAMN ROUTE IN THE A
— Dirty South Soccer (@DirtySouthSoc) November 26, 2018
Chants of "dos a cero!" ringing around the supporters' section at the Benz after Franco Escobar makes it 2-0. Five Stripes would be in excellent position if this score holds with road goals the first tiebreaker in home-and-home series. pic.twitter.com/u3QiKdnG1W
— Justin Felder (@Justin_FOX5) November 25, 2018
Starting on the right foot…
Thanks to Josef's left 😉 pic.twitter.com/n3tcaQ7SJP— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) November 25, 2018
70k Rowdy & Proud 🙌#UniteAndConquer x @ATLUTD pic.twitter.com/XH289E1nOM
— Mercedes-Benz Stadium (@MBStadium) November 25, 2018
Atlanta United takes the lead as Josef Martinez grabs the record (34) for most goals in a single season/playoffs combined.
(📹:@ATLUTD) https://t.co/aO9ygDrjiJ— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) November 25, 2018
That was Jeff Larentowicz's first playoff assist since 2009.
Two-thousand-and-nine. Y'all. #atlutd
— Mitchell Northam (@primetimeMitch) November 25, 2018
Do we say Tim Parker got smoked by Josef Martínez?#ATLvRBNY#RBNY#UniteAndConquer
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) November 25, 2018
Josef Martinez. So prolific, he can even survive #CurseOfRog 🙌 🍑 pic.twitter.com/3tJfWJJFt0
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) November 25, 2018
That’s that man Josef!!!!! @ATLUTD
What a pass by Jeff
— John Michaels (@JohnMichaelsU) November 25, 2018
Best defence in the league not the best at all for the goal, which was finished expertly by Josef Martinez. HT #ATLvRBNY 1-0 #MLSCupPlayoffs
— James Nalton (@JDNalton) November 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/dalzher/status/1066827129436950528
https://twitter.com/lppny/status/1066826804651020288
My reaction when I saw that Josef Martinez goalllllllllllll!!! @ATLUTD #UniteAndConquer #ATLUTD pic.twitter.com/dYXRxXuibH
— ThomasDBradley (@ThomasDBradley) November 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/LaloHernandez9s/status/1066831176424280064
https://twitter.com/24__DawgAx/status/1066831124406652928