Cosmos capture NASL spring title

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Needing at least one point in last Saturday night’s finale to capture the North American Soccer League (NASL) spring season championship, the New York Cosmos settled for a wild 3-3 draw with the expansion Jacksonville Armada before a crowd of 7,353 at Hofstra University’s James M. Shuart Stadium.

The Cosmos, who allowed only six goals in their previous nine matches, gave up three in the final 31 minutes but still completed an undefeated spring (5-0-5) to take the title and guaranteed themselves a spot in the four-team NASL playoffs in November.

“To win it in front of the fans was special,” said defender Carlos Mendes, a former Wheatley High School standout who played six of eight Major League Soccer (MLS) seasons with the New York Red Bulls before joining the Cosmos for their rebirth in 2013. “I think we have some of the best fans in the league, the support matters and obviously we do well at home,” he added. “For us to win the championship here, it’s special, so we want to thank the fans of course.”

The crowd was already in celebration-mode at halftime after the Cosmos built a 2-0 against a Jacksonville club that hadn’t scored in three previous matches. The first tally came in the sixth minute and was ruled an own goal after New York’s Raul sent a 35-foot shot towards the Armada cage and got a little help. The ball clanged off the crossbar, dropped straight down and ricocheted off the leg of Armada keeper Miguel Gallardo and into the net to set the tone for the offensive fireworks throughout the evening.

Hagop Chirishian, who recently returned from injury and scored in the Cosmos’ Internationally publicized 4-1 victory in Cuba on June 2, tallied in the 26th minute when he took a long pass from Danny Szetela, one-touched it away from a charging Gallardo and slid it into the cage.

“We had a great first half,” Cosmos coach Giovanni Savarese said. “In the second half, we made a few mistakes and the game became a little complicated.”

Jacksonville got on the board in the 59th minute when Pascal Millien converted a nifty give-and-go with Jamal Johnson. Millien struck again in the 73rd minute when he capitalized on a turnover just outside the box and beat Cosmos keeper Jimmy Maurer, who had five shutouts in the spring season, with a low shot to stun the crowd.

New York moved back in front with less than five minutes remaining when Lucky Mkosana directed a beautiful crossing pass from David Diosa past Gallardo, but the Armada got the equalizer in the 89th minute when Joseph Toby converted Millien’s corner kick.

“We have to correct some things,” Savarese said. “The guys know how to handle high points and low points. 

“It’s great to accomplish the first goal we set out to achieve,” he added. 

The Cosmos, who play 20 games in the fall portion of the NASL season beginning July 5 at Hofstra against the Indy Eleven, enjoyed a plus-9 goal differential in the spring. Raul led them in goals with four, followed by Mkosana and Leonardo Fernandes with three apiece. Fernandes also had two assists. Mendes, Ayoze, Roversio and Hunter Gorskie are the defensive leaders.

Last year, the Cosmos finished 11-7-9 overall and made the playoffs following their incredible run to the league title in 2013. They lost in the semifinals last fall to the eventual champion San Antonio Scorpions.

“We’ve had some special moments over the years,” Savarese said.

The franchise began play in 1971, spending 14 seasons in the NASL, winning five Soccer Bowl trophies and bringing some of the biggest names in world soccer to the USA, such as Pelé, Giorgio Chinaglia and Carlos Alberto. Throughout its absence of nearly two decades, the club maintained a loyal and dedicated fan following.

This year’s home opener, a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies, drew a record-crowd of 12,550 at Hofstra. The average home attendance in the spring season was more than 6,700, including a 1-0 win over the Ottawa Fury FC on May 2 in a match played at MCU Park in Brooklyn that drew 5.279. The club had more than 5,000 fans at Hofstra on May 23 when they avenged last year’s playoff loss to San Antonio with a convincing 3-0 triumph.     

If the Cosmos continue their winning ways, they could find themselves hosting the NASL Championship Game in November.

“We have some of the best fans in the league,” Mendes said. “The support matters and obviously we do well at home. Hopefully there’s more to come.”