RECAP | Cosmos 2, Scorpions 1

The New York Cosmos rallied from a first-half deficit to defeat the 10-man San Antonio Scorpions, 2-1, Saturday night at Shuart Stadium.

The Cosmos extended their unbeaten streak to five matches and have not lost at home in over a year – now totaling 16 games.

The Cosmos took a 2-1 lead two minutes into the second half when Hunter Freeman’s free kick deflected in off San Antonio defender Brad Rusin.

The Scorpions scored the game’s first goal in the waning seconds of the first half when Milton Palacios received a cross from Billy Forbes and put his shot in off the far post to give the defending champions a lead. It was Palacios’ first NASL goal.

The advantage would be brief, though, as Leo Fernandes followed up a long distance volley off the crossbar by Raúl and headed in the equalizer seconds later for his sixth goal of the year.

Fernandes had a similar chance to score in the 40th minute when he pounced on the rebound of a saved Adam Moffat shot, but the midfielder was ruled to have played the ball in an offside position.

New York emerged from the locker room and immediately threatened. A dangerous Hunter Freeman free kick near the left corner flag was knocked in by the Scorpions for an own goal, which put the Cosmos up, 2-1.

Ayoze took a feed from Mkosana and nearly tacked on to the lead in the 64th minute, but his first-time shot was wide to the left of the goalkeeper.

In the 83rd minute, Moffat took a dangerous shot toward goal, but it deflected off a San Antonio defender for the Cosmos’ fifth corner kick.

One minute later, former Cosmos midfielder Joseph Nane was given a straight red card for a tackle in the midfield on Marcos Senna.

An unmarked Fernandes nearly had his second goal in second-half stoppage time, but Daniel Fernandes dove to his right to make the save.