Image Credit: Jeremías Pérez Artiga
NEW YORK – The New York Cosmo dropped their second straight home match, falling to the Carolina RailHawks, 1-0, Saturday night at Shuart Stadium. After going undefeated at home in the 2013 Fall season and losing just once in the 2014 Spring campaign, the Cosmos are now 0-2 at Shuart Stadium in the 2014 Fall season.
“Today, I think we were poor in the attacking third and we’ve said previously that’s an area where we need to improve in,” said Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese.
The Cosmos (1-2-1) had the better of play in the first half, yet went into the locker room trailing 1-0 as a result of a special solo effort by RailHawks midfielder Ty Shipalane. The South African knifed his way through the Cosmos defense before beating goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer with a low shot from 12 yards out in the 38th minute.
It was the only scoring chance for Carolina (2-3-0) in the opening half.
“I thought in the first half we had control of the game,” Savarese said. “We had the ball, we were moving the ball all around. I think they only had one chance, which was the goal…I think it was just something Shipalane created by himself.”
Playing in his first match since arriving on loan from the New York Red Bulls earlier in the week, midfielder Connor Lade was one of New York’s most dangerous players in the first half. In the third minute, Lade nearly capitalized on a Carolina defensive miscue. He took a pass from striker Hans Denissen, but chipped his shot just over the bar.
In the 34th minute, his cross for Denissen was punched away by RailHawks goalkeeper Scott Goodwin, who made seven saves to earn the clean sheet. However, Lade’s evening ended shorter than he hoped when he was replaced in the 57th minute by midfielder Marcos Senna after suffering a separated shoulder.
“I felt very fortunate to come in here and start tonight,” Lade said. “I tried to leave it all out on the field and I think my shoulder is still out there somewhere.”
Senna, who also came off the bench in the team’s previous game against Fort Lauderdale on July 26, is still shaking off the rust from a groin injury suffered on May 24.
“Unfortunately today we weren’t able to score a goal, but what can you do?” said Senna. “You have to keep your head up and try harder for the next game, think about tomorrow’s game.
“In my case, I’d like to get back on the field as soon as we can…to get over this loss today.”
Also making his debut Saturday night was midfielder Andrés Flores, who is on loan from Salvadoran powerhouse Isidro Metapán.
“[Flores] made good decisions,” Savarese said. “He didn’t lose the ball too many times, he was good defensively, and he did a lot of good things going forward.”
The Cosmos will return to action on Wednesday Aug. 6, when they host FC Edmonton at Shuart Stadium.
