said he hopes Gordon can play on

SEATTLE -- Snubbed from a World Cup camp invite by Nigeria, Obafemi Martins was determined not to sulk about missing out on a trip to Brazil. Martins said earlier this week his World Cup is the next two months playing for the Seattle Sounders. And it started with his finest goal since joining Major League Soccer. "I just want to score goals," Martins said. "Thats what I did and Im glad." Martins scored in the eighth minute to give the Sounders a 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night as both teams began a possible two-month stretch with some of the top players in the league off competing at the World Cup. Martins goal will be in the discussion for best of the season as the year progresses. His goal came from a shallow angle just 4 yards off the end line. Instead of settling Gonzalo Pinedas pass, Martins chipped the one-hopper with his left foot over San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch and just inside the far post. It was the fifth goal of the season for Martins. Instead of the usual backflip that has accompanied his previous goals, Martins simply shook his head possibly a little surprised his difficult attempt found the net. "Its an athletic ability. You cant teach that. Its something that somebody has," Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said. "Its definitely as good a goal thats been scored here." Busch said shots from that shallow an angle usually end up coming at the near post or end up on top of the net. "So now he finds the back post. Tip your hat to him. Nothing you can do," Busch said. "Doesnt matter who you are or where you play, thats a good goal." The Sounders (8-3-1), who remained the MLS points leader, opened the whole stadium for the first time this year and drew 49,746, the largest crowd for any MLS game this season. Seattle was without three U.S. World Cup hopefuls, while the Earthquakes were minus two. Clint Dempsey, Brad Evans and DeAndre Yedlin were gone for Seattle and San Jose (2-4-4) played without Chris Wondolowski and Clarence Goodson. Also gone for the Earthquakes was Honduran hopeful Victor Bernardez. The Sounders could have been without Martins as well, but he was not selected to join Nigeria for its World Cup camp. Teaming with Dempsey at the top of Seattles attack, Martins has a resume this season that would have been worthy of a call. Instead hes being asked to be the offensive catalyst for Seattle with Dempsey gone. Seattle controlled the match and likely should have scored two or three more times if not for stellar goalkeeping by Busch. He stopped attempts from Lamar Neagle twice in a seven-minute span of the second half and turned away Osvaldo Alonsos attempt in the 84th minute. "My job is to make saves and keep us in the game. I did my job," Busch said. All the shots being peppered toward Busch made for a quiet night at the other end for Seattles Stefan Frei. With Wondolowski and Bernardez gone, the Earthquakes were missing seven of the 11 goals they have scored this season. The only player in San Joses starting lineup with a goal was midfielder Cordell Cato. San Joses only official shot on goal came on a free kick in the 90th minute from Khari Stephenson that Frei smothered. It was the second shutout of the season for Seattle and important after giving up five goals last Sunday to New England. "The commitment of the team this week after last week was playing to zero," Schmid said. Wholesale Ultra Boost . What they did need, the Devils got from Patrik Elias. Elias scored a power-play goal 40 seconds into overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars. Cheap Ultra Boost Shoes . It was well worth the wait. Manning and the Denver Broncos waited eight long months, then another 33 minutes to get the season started because of a lightning storm. http://www.cheapultraboostshoes.com/ .S. womens soccer team to a 2-0 win over China in Colorado in the afternoon. Ultra Boost Discount . Not only that, when Julian de Guzman first stepped on the pitch for Deportivo de la Coruna he became the very first Canadian to play in Spains top tier. Adidas Ultra Boost 2018 .Y. -- Syracuses streak lives on -- barely.ATLANTA -- Anthony Davis said he still wasnt at full strength after missing one game with an illness. New Orleans All-Star forward would have difficulty convincing the Hawks. Davis had 34 points, including 13 in the Pelicans fourth quarter, and New Orleans beat Atlanta 111-105 on Friday night. Atlanta led 71-69 before New Orleans scored 42 points in the final period. The Pelicans took the lead with a 12-0 run that began at the end of the third quarter. Davis led the scoring but Luke Babbitt and Austin Rivers combined for 15 points off the bench in the fourth quarter. "Guys stepped up -- Luke, Austin -- and thats were going to need when guys go down," Davis said. New Orleans guard Eric Gordon did not return after leaving the game in the first quarter. Coach Monty Williams said Gordons tendinitis in his left knee flared up. Williams said he hopes Gordon can play on Saturday against Miami. Tyreke Evans had 21 points for New Orleans, which completed a two-game sweep of the season series. Davis set career highs with 40 points and 20 rebounds in New Orleans 121-120 overtime win over Boston on Sunday and then missed a loss to Toronto on Wednesday with a respiratory infection. "Im still under the weather, but I didnt want to miss any more games," Davis said. The Hawks five-game winning streak ended as they failed in a chance to move into a seventh-place tie with Charlotte in the Eastern Conference. Jeff Teague led Atlanta with 26 points and eight assists. Paul Millsap had 20 points. Led by Davis, the Pelicans outscored the Hawks 42-34 in the fourth period. With Davis scoring on three jams in the fourth quarter, the Pelicans made 12 of 16 shots from the field and 16 of 17 free throws in the period. Brian Roberts had 16 points and Babbitt had 11, while making three 3-pointers. Hawks guard Kyle Korver was held out with back spasms which developed during pregame warmups. Shelvin Mack sscored 18 points as Korvers replacement.dddddddddddd Atlantas DeMarre Carroll said the late lineup change "kind of threw us for a loop. Kyle is a big part of our team." Macks 3-pointer at the end of the first half pulled Atlanta into a 44-44 tie after New Orleans led most of the half. Atlanta used an 11-0 run, including seven points by Teague, to take its big lead at 67-60 in the third quarter. Babbitt entered the game late in the third quarter and made a 3-pointer to start the 12-0 run. He opened the final period with another 3-pointer to give the Pelicans the lead. A steal and jam by Davis capped the run which left New Orleans with a 78-71 lead. "At the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter, our defence didnt execute," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "Luke Babbitt came in and hurt us and of course Anthony Davis hurt us all night." Babbitts driving basket and 3-pointer from the corner pushed the lead to 93-85. Davis added to the lead, grabbing a rebound of a miss by Babbitt with his right hand and jamming the ball on the same motion. New Orleans outscored Atlanta 43-27 from the free-throw line. "We just didnt give the effort we needed to give," Carroll said. "We werent aggressive. It backfired on us tonight." NOTES: Hawks G Lou Williams had two points and two turnovers after missing seven straight games, including one when he was not with the team. ... New Orleans blocked six shots, including two by Alexis Ajinca. ... The Pelicans 42 fourth-quarter points were the most allowed in any quarter by Atlanta this season. ... The Pelicans open a four-game homestand against Miami on Saturday. ... The Hawks honoured Robin Roberts, a former Atlanta TV sports reporter and host of ABCs "Good Morning America," for her battle with myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood and bone marrow disease, and her efforts in promoting bone marrow donations. ' ' '