Soccer News: Cosmos Remain Undefeated While Rowdies and Minnesota United Climb
The league-leading New York Cosmos remain unbeaten after scoring two goals in second-half stoppage time to salvage a point against the Carolina RailHawks at WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday night.
A dramatic equalizer scored by Cosmos midfielder Andrés Flores wiped out a strong performance by the RailHawks, who are without a victory in their last six matches. The Cosmos remain unbeaten after their seventh match of the NASL’s 10-game Spring Season.
Minnesota United FC won its second consecutive tilt, topping Indy Eleven on the road, while the Tampa Bay Rowdies were victorious in the Florida Derby against intrastate rival Fort Lauderdale. The Atlanta Silverbacks scored inside the first minute on Saturday night, but visiting Jacksonville Armada FC battled back to take a point in a match that ended in a draw.
Carolina RailHawks 2, New York Cosmos 2
The New York Cosmos (4-3-0, 15 points) entered Saturday’s match having never won at WakeMed Soccer Park and after 90 minutes, it looked as if another loss was coming their way. Playing in front of 7,217 fans, Carolina (1-4-2, 7) took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute when Tiyi Shipalane crossed from the right flank into the goalmouth where Neil Hlavaty scored in a scramble for the ball. Shipalane made it 2-0 in the 75th minute when he bent a left-footed shot past Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer. New York benefitted from an own goal in the first minute of added time when Futty Danso put the ball in his own net, and then Flores scored on a shot from the top of the penalty area as time expired to tie the match.
Indy Eleven 1, Minnesota United 3
With 10,524 fans on hand at Carroll Stadium, visiting Minnesota (2-3-1, 9) took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute when Kalif Alhassan bent a free kick from 28 yards off the fingertips of Indy Eleven (1-3-2, 6) goalkeeper Keith Cardona and into the upper-right corner. Indy tied the match early in the second half when Sergio Peña scored on a header from a Dylan Mares corner kick, but in the 63rd minute, the Loons grabbed the lead back. Aaron Pitchkolan led Pablo Campos into the area for a shot that Cardona parried into the path of Justin Davis, who tucked it home. Brazilian midfielder Juliano Vicentini added a third, ensuring United its second straight win after opening the season with a loss and three draws.
Tampa Bay Rowdies 1, Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0
On a wet Saturday night in St. Petersburg, the Rowdies grinded out a 1-0 victory over the Strikers in the year’s first Florida Derby – the name of the annual rivalry matches between the two sides. Venezuelan youngster Robert Hernandez scored on a rebound to give the Rowdies the lead in the 55th minute, and that goal would stand as the difference at Al Lang Stadium. The result helped the Rowdies (3-3-1, 12) pick up ground on the first-place Cosmos, while the Strikers (2-1-3, 7) lost for the third time this season.
Atlanta Silverbacks 1, Jacksonville Armada 1
Hans Denissen, who was making his first start in the NASL since last October when he was with the Cosmos, scored only seconds into the match as Atlanta (1-5-1, 8) ended a goal drought that lasted three matches. Visiting Jacksonville (3-1-2, 10) ended Silverbacks goalkeeper Steward Ceus‘ home shutout streak when Alhassane Keita‘s fourth goal of the season evened the score in the 20th minute. Playing before a crowd of 4,736 at Silverbacks Park, Gary Smith‘s side created plenty of chances in the second half, but couldn’t find the net. The result represented the Silverbacks’ fourth straight draw at home.
FC Edmonton vs. San Antonio Scorpions
Fresh off a hard-fought 1-1 mid-week draw against Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps, FC Edmonton returns home to Clarke Field to host the NASL’s defending champions on Sunday afternoon. The last-place Scorpions head north of the border on the heels of their first victory of the season – a 1-0 result against the RailHawks last weekend. The Eddies boast one of the league’s strongest scoring attacks, but have conceded a league-high 12 goals going into the weekend.
