(NASL 2013 Fall) Minnesota United 0v1 New York Cosmos

Saturday 5th October 2013

NSC Stadium, Minnesota   Attendance 3,629

A Paulo Mendes rocket early in the 2nd half earned Cosmos a valuable 3pts in a hard fought encounter with Minnesota.

The home side will feel disappointed not come away with at least a draw, as they were the better of the 2 sides for long periods, but Cosmos defended well and Mendes strike made sure the visitors took the spoils.

Minnesota edged a bad tempered first half, although neither side made much in the way of clear cut chances. The home sides high intensity pressing game prevented Cosmos from playing their usual passing game as the NASL Leaders struggled to get into the game.

There were a couple of opportunities, with Cosmos firing wide early on, and the home side responding with an effort that agonisingly went across goal, but no-one was available to convert the chance.

But any hopes of an open game were soon dismissed as the game descended into an aggressive midfield battle, with tempers spilling over following a poor Hunter Freeman tackle, with the Defender accusing his opponent of play acting.

Minnesota looked the side more likely to break the deadlock, but the Cosmos defence were proving difficult to breech, but the New Yorkers had a rare opportunity in first half stoppage time, when a left wing cross almost crept in over the Minnesota Keeper Van Oekel.

The home side continued to look slightly the better of the 2 sides after half time, with Cosmos were not posing much of a threat, but after 8mins for the 2nd half, out of nothing took the lead.

From a long kick out the ball took a fortunate deflection off Dimitrov into the path of Paulo Mendes who smashed the ball past Van Oekel with a fine finish.

Minnesota responded well and had 2 opportunities to level and Pablo Campos had an opportunity with a header, but he could not direct his effort on target, but it was Ambersley who missed a golden opportunity for his side.

He sprung the Cosmos offside trap, but showed too much of the ball to Kyle Reynish who managed to get a hand to the ball and avert the danger as Ambersley attempted to round the Keeper.

Despite the pressure from the home side Cosmos could have doubled their lead, and it took a great save from Van Oekel to stop Paulo Mendes scoring again, this time for a header from  corner, which was well palmed away.

As the game wore on Minnesota penned Cosmos in their own half and created some half chances, and in stoppage time Pablo Campos thought he had rescued a point, only for his effort to go agonisingly just over the bar, but not for the first time Cosmos demonstrated their ability to come out on top of a close match.