Seattle Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid was happy with the character and spirit shown by Obafemi Martins on the weekend.
The former Inter Milan and Newcastle United star made his first MLS start for the Sounders in their 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake, going for just over an hour, before succumbing to an unspecified injury.
The problem may keep him out of the CONCACAF Champions League semi-final first leg with Santos Laguna on Wednesday but nonetheless, Schmid was thrilled with his grit and determination despite being unable to find the back of the net in the RSL defeat.
"We'll see how (Martins) is because he went into the game with a little bit of an injury and he gutted it out for us, which shows me that he's got some character and wants to be battle for the team," said Schmid.
"We tested him before the game. There was a thing that he said bothers him, but he thinks he can play through it. So we'll do further tests when we get back to Seattle and see what it is, but it's something that bothered him last week when he played for Nigeria and has lingered on.
"(We are) not quite sure what it is yet.
"He can play better than he did because he wasn't fully 100 percent. I know he had the good chance on (Nick) Rimando in the first half, and I think a 100-percent Oba buries that."
