SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Josef Martínez found the net in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to polish off a league-record seventh hat trick, leading the San Jose Earthquakes to a 6-1 romp over D.C. United on Sunday and moving him into the No. 6 spot on the league's all-time goals list.
Martínez scored in the 16th minute after Cristian “Chicho” Arango scored in the 8th to give the Earthquakes (3-3-1) a 2-0 lead. Martínez made it 4-1 in the 81st minute. He capped the scoring after substitute Amahl Pellegrino found the net in the 90th. San Jose's other goal came on a penalty kick by Cristian Espinoza that made it 3-0 in the 20th minute.
Martínez went six years, 259 days between hat tricks — the second longest streak in league history behind Dwayne De Rosario (7 years, 313 days).
Martínez has 120 goals in 190 career appearances since joining the league in 2017, including four in his first season with San Jose. He moved ahead of Bradley Wright-Phillips. Jaime Moreno (133) and Jeff Cunningham (134) are next on the list. Chris Wondolowski is the all-time leader with 171, scoring his final 167 for the Earthquakes.
Arango scored for the fourth time in his first season with San Jose and has 57 goals in 99 career appearances.
Espinoza collected two assists, tying him with Charlotte FC's Pep Biel for the league lead with five. Espinoza's first goal this season came on the PK, giving him 33 in 194 career appearances.
Niko Tsakiris, Jamar Ricketts, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Pellegrino all had assists for San Jose.
DC United (1-3-3) made it 3-1 at the half when reigning Golden Boot Award-winner Christian Benteke scored two minutes into stoppage time with assists from defender Derek Dodson and Gabriel Pirani. It was the fifth goal this season for Benteke after scoring 23 times last year.
Daniel De Sousa Britto finished with nine saves in goal for San Jose. He also had nine saves last week against the Seattle Sounders in a 1-1 draw.
Kim Joon Hong saved three shots for DC United.
DC United returns home to play FC Cincinnati on Saturday. The Earthquakes travel to play Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
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The Associated Press
