(Fr) Gillingham 1v1 New York Cosmos

Friday 26th July 2013 
Priestfield Stadium, Gillingham, England   Attendance - 0 (Behind Closed Doors)

The Cosmos were denied victory by a late late Gillingham strike, with virtually the last kick of the game at Priestfield Stadium. The Cosmos were due to play Watford, but after pulling out at the last minute, Gillingham stepped in as late replacements.

The Cosmos started brightly against a Gillingham side partly made up of 1st team players and those trying to break into the side.

The Cosmos started brightly and Gonzalez had the first effort from a free kick after 3 minutes, which was fired straight at Gills Keeper George Howard.

Marosevic also came close for the visitors as he had a header turned wide for a corner, and from the resulting corner he connected again, but this time his effort went wide of the target.

Gillingham then had a series of efforts on the Cosmos goal, with Reynish saving from Birchall and Veeder clearing a goalbound effort from Birchall which had beaten the Cosmos Keeper.

But it was the Cosmos who took the lead as Dimitrov converted from an accurate cross from Henry Lopez.

The Cosmos striker almost produced another goal 5 minutes later, but this time Marosevic was denied by the woodwork, this time from a Gonzalez cross.

The English side were getting overrun by the NASL outfit, but despite chances at both ends, there was no further score at half time.

Gillingham threatened an equaliser early in the 2nd half and a Joe Carter cross bounced on top of the Cosmos bar, but fell to safety.

The Keepers on both sides were forced into action, with Gills Keeper Howard first denying Dimitrov, and then thwarted Chirishian, who was following up.

Derry had a great chance to bring Gillingham level, following a ball from Haysman, but substitute Keeper Calderone kept his team ahead by denying the Gills player an equaliser.

Cosmos substitute Kashiwase had a chance to put the game beyond Gillingham, but put the ball over from close range, and Birchall made the NASL side pay with an equaliser right at the death.