Atlanta • Josef Martinez scored three goals for a first-half half trick and Atlanta United beat the nine-man New England Revolution 7-0 on Wednesday night in the second game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Atlanta (12-8-6) hasn’t lost in eight straight home games — with seven victories. New England (10-13-5) hasn’t won on the road this season.
Martinez, on loan from the Italian club Torino, has scored 13 goals in 12 games. He opened the scoring in the second minute of the game by running to Miguel Almiron’s through ball on a give-and-go, and powering a shot past Cody Cropper from a difficult angle.
Martinez added two more goals on penalty kicks — eight minutes apart — for a 3-0 lead. In the 31st, Je-Vaughn Watson was called for a handball on Greg Garza’s shot from distance, and Martinez caught Cropper going the other way. In the 39th, Antonio Mlinar Delamea was given a red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity, and Martinez calmly rolled it off the crossbar and in.
Anton Walkes scored in the second minute of first-half stoppage time for a 4-0 lead. Kevin Kratz, Yamil Asad and Hector Villalba all scored in the second half.
The Revolution received their first red card in the 16th minute after Xavier Kouassi’s aggressive challenge on Asad.
Last Sunday, Atlanta opened its new stadium with a 3-0 win over FC Dallas in front of a sold-out crowd of 45,314.
Whitecaps beat Minnesota to take MLS West lead
Yordy Reyna and Brek Shea each had a goal and an assist and the Vancouver Whitecaps beat Minnesota United 3-0 on Wednesday to join Portland atop the Western Conference standings.
Erik Hurtado also scored for Vancouver (13-9-5). The Whitecaps and Timbers each have 44 points, but Vancouver has the tiebreaker with one more victory — and has played two fewer games. Seattle is third with 43.
David Ousted made just one save for his sixth shutout of the season.
Reyna opened the scoring in the fifth minute, and teamed with Shea to set up Hurtado’s goal in the 31st. Shea scored in the 88th.
Minnesota dropped to 7-15-5.