Johnson, Martinez and Martins to Miss San Jose Match
RENTON, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC announced today that forwards Eddie Johnson and Obafemi Martins and midfielder Mario Martinez have been called in by their national teams for 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The three players will miss Seattle’s next match at San Jose.
Johnson, 28, joins the United States for two qualifiers, beginning with Friday’s match against Costa Rica at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. The U.S. will then play Mexico on March 26 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The U.S. is currently the only team with no points through the first match of Round Four of qualifying.
Johnson has 46 caps and 14 goals for the United States. He helped the team advance to Round Four of qualifying with two goals and one assist in matches against Antigua and Barbuda and Guatemala last October.
Martins, 28, joins Nigeria for a qualifier against Kenya on March 23 at U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Nigeria. He has 38 caps with 18 goals. Nigeria recently won the African Cup of Nations, beating Burkina Faso on February 10.
Martinez, 23, joins Honduras for qualifiers against Mexico in San Pedro Sula on March 22 and against Panama in Panama City on March 26. He has 27 caps and three goals for Honduras.
Sounders FC visits the San Jose Earthquakes in the first road match of the season on Saturday, March 23. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT from Buck Shaw Stadium.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (6): Tony Beltran (Real Salt Lake), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Justin Morrow (San Jose Earthquakes)
MIDFIELDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Roma), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Maurice Edu (Bursaspor), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Brek Shea (Stoke City), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur), Herculez Gomez (Santos), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders)
