(Fr) Emirates Club 2v1 New York Cosmos

Saturday 16th March 2014

Emirates Club Stadium, Dubai, UAE   Attendance

Cosmos finished their tour with a 2v1 reverse at the hands of Emirates Club in an eventful match. Cosmos were reduced to 10 men after only 15mins after Ayoze was dismissed for handling a goalbound effort, although Emirates Club would also have man sent off later in the game.

Despite the man disadvantage, Cosmos could easily have won the game but hit the woodwork late on as the game eluded them.

Dimitrov could have put Cosmos into an early lead with 2 headed efforts in the first 10mins, but the Emirates Keeper came to his sides rescue on both occasions. The on 15mins came a major turning point in the game as Ayoze stopped a goalbound effort following a corner. The Referee adjudged that it was with his hand, and despite the game being a friendly, Ayoze was given his marching orders.

Herrera converted the penalty to put his side ahead, although Maurer came close to stopping the effort, the sending off also forced Cosmos into an early substitution with Marosevic making way for Jimmy Nealis.

The rest of the half was a midfield tussle, with few chances created from either side.

The Dubai side doubled their lead just 8mins into the 2nd half after Cosmos lost possession and Emirates Club took advantage of a defensive breakdown as Ibrahim beat Maurer from 10 yards, to put the home side in a commanding position.

Just past the hour mark the head count was level at least when Luiz was ordered off for Emirates Club, for bringing down Dimitrov, with Senna close to making the home side pay from the resulting free kick, which was deflected wide.

It didnt take long for Cosmos to reduce the deficit now both teams were on level terms, with new signing James Ockford converting a loose ball, for his 2nd goal in 2 games.

Cosmos piled the pressure on in the closing stages of the game, with Senna striking the post with a thunderbolt with just 6mins left, and 4mins later it was Szetela's turn to be denied by the woodwork as he hit the crossbar, but the equaliser was not to come as Cosmos slipped to a narrow defeat.