Another slow start for Eddies
Tomi Ameobi’s penalty-kick goal Sunday ended the New York Cosmos’ shutout streak at 368 minutes, but it wasn’t enough to offset another slow start by FC Edmonton.
The Eddies gave up a goal in the second minute of play and trailed 3-1 at the half before losing 4-2 to the Cosmos, who remained the North American Soccer League’s only unbeaten side with a 4-0-2 win-loss-tie record, at Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y.
Edmonton, 1-2-2 in league play, was riding a five-game undefeated streak in all competitions coming into the contest.
“It was a disappointing result,” FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller said in a news release. “We had hoped to get some points in New York, but our defending cost us dearly today.
“We can’t keep giving teams a goal to start and expect to come back. I have to give the guys some credit for their character, though. After everything, they were still trying to get forward.”
Cosmos defender Carlos Mendes opened the scoring when he buried a rebound for his first goal of the season after Raul’s cross found Lucky Mkosana on the back post. Mendes also scored again with a header in the 36th minute after Raul buried a shot after 23 minutes.
Mkosana took advantage of a one-on-one with Edmonton goalie Matt VanOekel to curl a shot into the far post for a 4-1 New York lead early in the second half.
Ritchie Jones scored Edmonton’s other goal in the 74th minute after receiving a pass from Ameobi at the top of the box.
Ameobi is tied for the league lead with three goals.
The Eddies play the opening leg in the Amway Canadian Championship semifinal against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 8 p.m. Wednesday at BC Place.