(NASL 2014 Fall) Tampa Bay Rowdies 3v1 New York Cosmos

Saturday 16th August 2014
Al Lang Stadium, St Petersburg   Attendance -  4,273

The Cosmos poor Fall Season form continued as they slumped to a 3v1 reverse in Tampa in a dire performance against the Rowdies.

The Cosmos made  bright start to the game as Jemal Johnson tried to catch the Rowdies keeper out early with a near post shot, but the effort was turned past the post. Moments later after a spell of pressure Stokkelien was presented with a decent chance only for the striker to shoot into the side netting.

But the bright start soon faded as Rowdies took control and could have gone ahead when Hristov got beyond the Cosmos defence, only to shoot wide. Soon after Walker outpaced the away defence, but Maurer did well to prevent an opening goal for the home side.

A goal looked on the cards in such an open game and the home team drew blood first. The shaky Cosmos defence were opened up again by Walker as he outmuscled his marker and squared for Savage who managed to steer the ball in. Cosmos were struggling to get to grips with Walker who brilliantly brought the ball down in the area moments later and looked set to make it 2v0, but shot straight at Maurer who made the save. Shane Hill then drove  long range effort at the Cosmos goal which had Maurer scrambling.

The Cosmos had created nothing since the opening minutes but should have levelled it when a deep cross found Johnsen who had an open goal after the Rowdies Keeper was badly positioned, but the winger squandered the opportunity by shooting wide.

Cosmos again wasted another chance to level the score late in the 1st half as Stokkelien blazed over after the ball fell in his path following a goalmouth scramble.

Rowdies extended their lead in the second half after a mistake by Jimmy Maurer. The Cosmos keeper failed to cut out a cross fro Shriver and the Rowdies defender was on hand to fire into an empty net. It could have got worse for the Cosmos as they were caught out with a swift counter attack by the home side, but substitute Frimpong fired wide after being put through.

Cosmos did throw themselves a lifeline with a 81st minute goal when the 2 substitutes linked up to good effect when Dennisen slipped a pass to Dimitrov who produced a neat finish over the Keeper. But any hopes the Cosmos had of snatching an ill deserved draw were dashed with a third Rowdies goal in stoppage time. The ball broke to Wagner who rifled the ball past Maurer to wrap up the first victory for the Rowdies against their rivals in the modern era.