For the fourth time this year, a stellar offensive performance from Obafemi Martins earned the Sounders FC forward a spot on the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week. Martins was the lone Seattle representative this week after his two goals opened up a 4-0 first-half lead in a 4-2 victory over Chivas USA on Wednesday.
It was Martins’ third brace of the season as he moved into the team scoring lead with 12 goals to go with his team-leading nine assists.
Martins was joined on Team of the Week by goalkeeper Bill Hamid (D.C. United); defenders Jamison Olave (New York Red Bulls), Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union) and Sheanon Williams (Philadelphia Union); midfielders Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Justin Meram (Columbus Crew), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution) and Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers); and forwards Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) and Giles Barnes (Houston Dynamo).
Although he wasn’t voted to the Team of the Week, LA Galaxy’s Landon Donovan earned Player of the Week honors after notching two goals and two assists in a 6-0 win over the Colorado Rapids.
Sounders FC’s representatives on Team of the Week have been:
Week 1: DeAndre Yedlin.
Week 3: Djimi Traore.
Week 5: Clint Dempsey.
Week 6: Clint Dempsey, Sigi Schmid.
Week 7: Obafemi Martins, Chad Marshall.
Week 8: Clint Dempsey, Sigi Schmid.
Week 9: Chad Marshall.
Week 11: Obafemi Martins.
Week 13: Marco Pappa, Sigi Schmid.
Week 14: Lamar Neagle.
Week 16: Gonzalo Pineda.
Week 18: Chad Marshall, Marco Pappa.
Week 24: Chad Marshall, Obafemi Martins.
Week 25: Zach Scott.
Week 26: Obafemi Martins.
PAPPA SHINES AT COPA CENTROAMERICANA
Sounders FC midfielder Marco Pappa wasn’t at the StubHub Center for Seattle’s first-half offensive explosion against Chivas USA on Wednesday, but that didn’t stop him from showing a goal-scoring burst of his own.
Pappa scored two goals in the Copa Centroamericana opener for Guatemala in a 2-1 win over El Salvador on Wednesday, then came back for another great attacking performance in the second match on Sunday, a 2-1 win over Belize. Guatemala will play its third Group Stage match on Wednesday against Honduras at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.
ACADEMY ALUM EARNS PAC-12 PRAISE
For the second straight week, a Sounders FC Academy product earned Pac-12 Player of the Week honors. San Diego State University freshman David Olsen scored three goals, including both game-winners in victories over Clemson and Denver for the Aztecs.
The Fircrest native followed up a Player of the Week performance by former teammate Seyi Adekoya for UCLA the previous week. University of Washington forward Darwin Jones was among those also receiving votes this week after he posted one goal and two assists in two matches for the Huskies.
ON THE AIR
This week on Seattle Soccer Talk on Sports Radio 950 KJR, Mike Gastineau will be joined by Sounders FC defender DeAndre Yedlin. The show will broadcast live from the George and Dragon in Fremont and can be heard on Sports Radio 950 KJR from 7-8 pm on Tuesday. It will also be available to hear via podcast after the conclusion of the show at www.sportsradiokjr.com/sst.
