ATLANTA — Josef Martinez set an MLS record with his sixth career hat trick and Atlanta United rallied to beat D.C. United 3-1 on Saturday.
Martinez has a league-leading 22 goals in 22 appearances this season. With 12 matches to go, he's on pace to break the MLS season scoring record of 27 held by Roy Lassiter, Chris Wondolowski and Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Martinez tied it at 1 for Atlanta (13-4-5) in the 30th minute, beating goalkeeper David Ousted to Hector Villalba's cross and finishing with a header from close range. Martinez headed home the deflection off Andrew Carleton's cross in the 54th minute, then rounded Ousted on a breakaway for an open-net finish in the 73rd.
Zoltan Stieber scored the opening goal for D.C. United (3-8-5) in the eighth minute.
