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. Benson Mayowa Cardinals Jersey . 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. Arizona Cardinals Jerseys .ca NBA Power Rankings. Winners of 15 straight, with a healthy roster, the Spurs have overtaken the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder for the number one ranking. Brice Butler Jersey . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. http://www.uscardinalslockroom.com/Black-Friday-Mason-Cole-Jersey/ . - Joao Plata scored twice in the final 24 minutes, including the winner in stoppage time, to help Real Salt Lake remain unbeaten with a 3-2 victory over the winless Chicago Fire on Saturday night. ACAPULCO, Mexico -- Dominika Cibulkova beat American Christina McHale 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 on Saturday to win the Mexican Open. The top-seeded Slovak, runner-up in the Australian Open in January, won her fourth career title and first since Stanford in 2013. "It was tough match, Im really tired, I had to dig deep physically and mentally", Cibulkova said. "She was very agressive and kept coming back, but its a final and thanks to my experience I was able to do it". The 21-year-old McHale, ranked 70th, reached her first tour title match. Previously, her best results where two semifinals in Quebec, in 2010 and 2011. "Im a little bit sad because I didnt win, but at the same time I know thatt Dominika is a very good player and I fought until the end," McHale said. Josh Rosen Cardinals Jersey. "I learned that I have the capacity to go far in tournaments, that Im capable of playing against the best so Im going to keep working every day to get better". McHale is one of six Americans aged under 25 who are between 18 and 70 in the WTA rankings, along with Lauren Davies (64), Alison Riske (46), Madison Keys (38), Jamie Hampton (31) and Sloane Stephens (18), and they represent the next generation of U.S. talent as the Williams sisters come toward the end of their careers. "There are several American going up in the rankings, we are pushing each other to be better", McHale said.