Overlooked by Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, in his 30-man provisional World Cup list, Obafemi Martins was determined not to sulk about missing out on the trip to Brazil.
Martins, who earlier last week said his World Cup is the next two months playing for the Seattle Sounders, started with his finest goal since joining Major League Soccer.
The striker — he has scored 18 goals in 39 appearances for Nigeria — scored in the eighth minute to give Sounders a 1-0 win over San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night, as both teams began a possible two-month break with some of the top players in the league off competing at the World Cup.
“I just want to score goals,” Martins said afterwards.
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“That’s what I did, and I’m glad.”
Martins’ goal will be in the discussion for goal-of-the-season as the year progresses.
His goal came from a narrow angle. Instead of controlling Gonzalo Pineda’s pass, Martins chipped the ball with his left foot over San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch just inside the far post.
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It was his fifth goal of the season.
“It’s an athletic ability. You can’t teach that. It’s something that somebody has,” Seattle coach, Sigi Schmid, said.
“It’s definitely as good a goal that’s been scored here.”
With this victory, Sounders maintain their number one position on the log with 25 points from 12 games in the Western Conference of the Major League Soccer.
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