(NASL 2014 Fall) San Antonio Scorpions 1v0 New York Cosmos

Sunday 1st November 2014
Toyota Field, San Antonio   Attendance -  8,205

Scorpions grabbed a winner in stoppage time to clinch the Fall Championship at the death. With the 2 sides already scheduled to meet in the playoffs the following week, both clubs rested many starters for this game. The Cosmos 2nd string made a decent start to the game and should have taken the lead on 13 minutes Stokkelien did well to hold off the attentions of his marker to play in Diaz, only for Diaz to fail to hit the target. Cosmos continued to look the side more likely to break the deadlock and Gorskie threatened the home goal as a header from a Diaz free kick went wide, much to the relief of the Scorpions Keeper who was rooted to the spot.

The home side had been strangely quiet for most of the first half, but came close on 26mins with a header that had Zobeck scrambling across his goal, but thankfully the ball went wide of the target.

But the Scorpions Keeper was the busier of the two and he did well to keep out a Diaz effort after a low cross from Johnson.

Scorpions created the first opportunity of the 2nd half when Gentile looked set to score after good work from Forbes down the San Antonio right wing, only for Mulligan to come to the rescue for the Cosmos, flinging himself in front of the effort to prevent the opening goal.

Possibly spurred on by news of Minnesota's draw in Carolina, the match rose in intensity, with Scorpions given the carrot of the Fall Championship with a win in this match. Just shy of the hour mark Forbes threatened again with Gorskie on hand to clear the danger for the Cosmos.

The Scorpions were a much improved side from the second half and Castillo thought he had put his side ahead on 60mins, but having slotted the ball past Zobeck his effort was ruled out due to offside.

The home side were ramping up the pressure and Zobeck made a smart save from a Castillo header, but the Cosmos rode out the period of pressure from the hosts, although were struggling to create any opportunities on goal themselves, something that even the introduction of former Scorpion Hans Dennisen couldn't change.

The game looked set to end scoreless, but the Scorpions grabbed a last gasp winner as San Antonio Captain Adrian Cann scored with the last kick of the game after a goalmouth scramble following  corner. The goal gave Scorpions the win and the Fall Championship, but the real prize will be played for next week when the 2 sides meet again in the playoffs.