PREVIEW | Cosmos Aim To Pick Up First WIn Against Armada FC

The New York Cosmos host the first side to beat them in league play in 2015, Jacksonville Armada FC, at Shuart Stadium. The Cosmos have yet to beat the first-year side in the previous two meetings.

TEAM OVERVIEW

New York Cosmos: The Cosmos' second loss of the season came this past Saturday, a 2-0 result against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium. Both defeats have come on the road in the state of Florida; Tampa Bay joined Jacksonville as the only other team to best the Cosmos in NASL play this year. New York remains unbeaten at home, having not lost at Shuart Stadium since August 2 of last year.

The Cosmos caught a bit of a break with one league result this past weekend. Minnesota United FC scored in the 11th minute against FC Edmonton on Sunday and went up a man in the 25th when Eddies defender Michael Nonni was shown his second yellow card of the match. But the Loons gave up a dangerous free kick opportunity in the 94th minute and Daryl Fordyce capitalized, blasting low through the Minnesota wall and past Sammy Ndjock to earn a point for the home side.

That means the Cosmos and Loons are tied on points for second place in the Fall Season standings, though Minnesota owns a two-score edge in the tiebreaker of goal differential. Ottawa Fury FC tightened their grip on the Fall Season lead with a 1-0 win in San Antonio Satruday night. As it stands, the Cosmos are five points behind Ottawa for the fall and four points ahead of Fury FC overall.

Jacksonville Armada FC: Jacksonville quelled an inauspicious start to the Fall Season (three straight losses to Ottawa, Atlanta and Minnesota) by becoming the first NASL side to defeat the Cosmos this year on July 18. Since then the Armada are 2-2-3 (WDL) with wins against the Silverbacks and Carolina RailHawks.

In its last four matches Armada FC have scored just one goal though, and they've been shut out in their last three, most recently suffering a 3-0 defeat against Indy Eleven in Indianapolis. The Cosmos are also coming off a shutout loss, but they've scored 23 times in 10 NASL home games this year.

Leading goalscorers Alhassane Keita, Pascal Millien and former Cosmos forward Jemal Johnson all missed the match against Indy. If any or all of them are fit to return, expect a more potent Armada attack angling to earn a road win for the first time this season. Time is winding down on a postseason push for the 2015 expansion club.

MATCHUP HISTORY

Jacksonville Armada FC is nearing the end of its inaugural NASL Season. The Cosmos and Armada FC have only played two prior matches: a 3-3 draw on June 13 that helped New York clinch the Spring Championship and a 1-0 win for Jacksonville at home on July 18. Armada FC became the first NASL team to beat the Cosmos this year with the win in July.

NOTES

Sunshine State Showdowns: With last weekend's loss in St. Petersburg New York is now 3-2-2 against their Floridian NASL opponents in 2015. The Cosmos’ final two games against Sunshine State competition both come at Hofstra’s James M. Shuart Stadium: first Jacksonville Armada FC on Saturday, then the Rowdies return to New York for the Fall Season finale on Halloween.

Home And Away: The Cosmos’ August 26 road draw against Ottawa Fury FC marked the last time they would play back-to-back road contests this Fall Season. The final nine Fall Season fixtures alternate between home and away, including a quick two-game series against the Atlanta Silverbacks at home (October 4), then on the road (October 7).

Outshooting The Competition: In 21 NASL matches this year New York has a league-high 179 shot attempts, averaging just over 8.5 per game. Peppering the opposing goal seems to have paid off so far; the Cosmos are the second-highest scoring team in the league with 35 goals, trailing only Minnesota United FC (37). Midfielder Leo Fernandes leads the team with seven league scores, while Raúl and Lucky Mkosana each have five.

Golden Era Games: The Cosmos matched up with the Jacksonville Tea Men four times in the 1980s during the NASL’s previous incarnation, winning twice and losing twice. Giorgio Chinaglia scored five goals in four games against the Tea Men. The final game, on May 2, 1982, saw Chinaglia and Vladislav Bogićević score in a 2-0 Cosmos triumph.