Saturday 25th October 2014
Hofstra University, New York Attendance - 8,565
Two Jimmy Maurer errors, including one in the 90th minute
earned Tampa a draw, in what is expected to be the last Cosmos home game of the
season. The draw ends hopes of stealing the 2nd seed spot in the playoffs from
San Antonio, although it proved irrelevant in the end as news came in of a
Scorpions victory over Minnesota, which would have ended their hopes
anyway.
Gio Savarese had plenty of player availability issues, with
Roversio & Ockford out through injury and Szetela and Mendes unavailable
through suspension, not to mention Connor Lade being recalled by the Red Bulls.
The defence had an unfamiliar look with Freeman having to
fill in at centre back, with Gorskie given a rare start and Mulligan brought in
for his debut.
It was not only the defence that was much changed, Dennisen
was brought in to partner Mwanga up front, with Stokkelien benched after 4
games without a goal.
Maurer had a shaky start to the game as he passed the ball
straight to the opposition, gifting them a shooting opportunity after just 3
minutes. Maurer redeemed himself by pulling off a save to deny the visitors an
early goal. The Rowdies continued in a positive manner and Russell had an
effort from long range that went over, but was close enough to force Maurer
into scrambling for it.
But the Cosmos soon settled down and tested the Rowdies
Keeper on 10mins with Ayoze's well struck effort. Tampa were still a threat and
Frimpong stung the hands of Maurer after a swift counter attack. The visitors
took the lead on 25mins after Maurer failed to cut out a free kick played into
the Cosmos box. Frimpong beat Maurer to the ball and his header rolled into an
unguarded net with the Cosmos keeper in no mans land.
The Tampa lead was short lived as Hagop Chirishian provided
an equaliser2mins later, again from a defensive mistake. The Rowdies were
caught in possession deep in their own half and Chirishian managed to squeeze
the ball between the Rowdies Keeper and the near post to make it 1v1.
The
Cosmos dominated the rest of the half and should have gone in ahead, but Danny
Mwanga somehow managed to miss a tap in after a cross from the impressive
Mulligan just before half time. Cosmos came out and continued to press in the
2nd half and were rewarded after just 4mins into the 2nd half when Senna curled
a beautiful free kick in to put Cosmos ahead.
Tampa
almost replied straight away, but Shriver could only direct his header at a
comfortable height for Maurer. Stokkelien had been brought on for the
disappointing Mwanga, but like the man he replaced, he missed a sitter of his
own just after the hour mark. Chirishian and Nane linked up well and the ball
was played across to Stokkelien, who just had to put the ball on target.
Amazingly he managed to direct the ball onto the post and it frustratingly
rolled across the goaline before Tampa scrambled it away.
It
looked like the game would end 2v1, however there was to be a dramatic
ending. Maurer had to make a good save
from Mkosana late on, but there was little other threat until stoppage time
when Maurer gifted another goal to the Rowdies.
Maurer
had punched a free kick clear when the ball was struck back towards the Cosmos
goal. It should have been a routine save, but Maurer spilled it and Mkosana was
on hand again to capitalise as he rolled the ball into an empty net.
After
the final whistle a scuffle broke out which ended in red cards for Senna and
Russell, leaving the Cosmos talisman now in danger of missing out on the end of
the season through suspension.
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