Sounders again are well represented on international stage

Eddie Johnson, Mario Martinez and Obafemi Martins are set to represent their national teams over the next week.

The Sounders FC will be well-represented at World Cup qualifying matches this week as forwards Eddie Johnson and Obafemi Martins and midfielder Mario Martinez were all called in to their national teams.

Johnson, 28, joins a US squad looking for their first point of the Hexagonal Round after he played a pivotal role in getting the Stars and Stripes through the Group Stage with two goals and an assist in matches against Antigua and Barbuda and Guatemala in October.

Jurgen Klinsmann announced a 23-man roster for matches against Costa Rica in Colorado on Friday and against Mexico in Mexico City on March 26. That roster includes nine MLS players as Johnson will be accompanied by Nick Rimando, Tony Beltran and Kyle Beckerman from Real Salt Lake, Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson, San Jose Earthquakes defender Justin Morrow, Omar Gonzalez of the LA Galaxy and Matt Besler and Graham Zusi of Sporting Kansas City.

Johnson has 14 goals in 46 caps for the US and scored Seattle’s first goal of the MLS season on Saturday in a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers.

Martins, 28, flew to Seattle on Friday to make his Sounders FC debut, only to turn around and fly to Nigeria for their match Saturday against Kenya. Through two matches, Nigeria currently leads their group, which also includes Kenya, Namibia and Malawi. Martins has 18 goals in 38 caps in his international career.

Martinez, 23, will represent Honduras in their matches against Mexico in Honduras on Friday and against Panama in Panama City on March 26. He has three goals in 27 appearances, including five matches already this year in the Copa Centroamericana and a World Cup qualifier against the US.

Others from MLS on the Honduras roster include Earthquakes defender Victor Bernardez, Houston Dynamo midfielder Boniek Garcia and New England Revolution forward Jerry Bengtson.

Johnson, Martins and Martinez will all miss Saturday’s MLS match against the San Jose Earthquakes, but are expected to return for the match on March 30 against Real Salt Lake.