(NASL 2016 Spring) Minnesota United 1v0 New York Cosmos

Saturday 23rd April 2016

NSC Stadium, Minnesota   Attendance 9,078

For the 2nd week running Cosmos suffered a heartbreaking loss thanks to a late late goal.

Cosmos created a great chance to take an early lead after just 5mins after Flores got on the end of a well worked move involving Arango, but the midfielder shot straight at Ndjock in the Minnesota goal.

Both sides had the ball in the net early on, with both efforts chalked off due to offside's.

Whilst Arrieta's effort was borderline, Minnesota could feel hard done by as Ramirez was clearly onside.

Cosmos controlled the ball well, but failed to trouble the Minnesota goal enough, whilst the home side created several chances on the Cosmos goal.

Minnesota threatened on 20mins as Danny Cruz did well to fashion a shooting opportunity up against Mendes, but could not hit the target. Soon after Damion Low flashed an effort just past Jimmy Maurer's post as Minnesota went in search of the go ahead goal.

Minnesota continued to create the better chances and the Cosmos defence almost got caught out by a long clearance by Ndjock which somehow made it's way to Lance Laing, but Mendes made a sliding challenge to block the effort from Laing.

Cruz broke through in similar fashion in first half stoppage time, this time it was Ayoze who came in with the challenge.

The second half saw Minnesota continue to create chances and Maurer had to be alert to stop an early effort from Ramirez.

But it looked as though the game may swing in the favour of the away side on 53mins when Minnesota were reduced to 10 men when Low received a straight red for a horrible challenge on Lahoud.

Just before the hour mark Danny Cruz almost embarrassed Maurer as seeing the Cosmos keeper off his line he launched an effort from just inside the Cosmos half which almost caught Maurer out.

Cosmos did manage to apply some pressure, but nothing that unduly troubled Ndjock and at the other end United were still threatening as Laing fired a free kick narrowly off target.

Minnesota almost made the breakthrough in the 87th minute when Maurer was caught in no mans land from a long throw. Ramirez diverted the ball goalwards with an acrobatic effort, only for Farfan to clear the ball off the line.

But Minnesota were not to be denied and got the winner in the 90th minute. Justin Davis broke well down the left and found Ramirez with a perfectly flighted ball. Ramirez managed to slip the ball under Maurer.

Kranjcar tried to fashion an equaliser in stoppage time, but after a great dribble his curling shot went narrowly wide as Cosmos slipped to a 2nd consecutive defeat, and a first against Minnesota.