(NPSL 2019) Greater Lowell Rough Diamonds 1v7 New York Cosmos B

Friday 17th May 2019
Veterans Stadium, Massachusetts,   Attendance - 

It was a rough night for the Rough Diamonds as Cosmos came into town and wiped the floor with them, in a perfect response to their US Open Cup exit only 3 days prior. Cosmos have visitors on the back foot from the start of the game, but initally there was resistance from the Rough Diamonds back line which prevented any dangerous efforts on goal. On the rare occasions the home side were managing to pose danger on the counter attack, with Cosmos keeper Jesse Corke forced into 2 saves. At the other end a well worked move finally saw Cosmos get behind the home defence as a clipped ball found a player in space, but the shot was saved.

Cosmos pressure finally told after being awarded a penalty. A long ball led to an attack down the left wing and the defender who was caught the wrong side of Pedro Galvao who was brought down in the area. and Junior Burgos made no mistake from the spot to open the scoring.

The goal seemed to open the floodgates as having made the breakthrough they were navigating their way through the opposition defence with increasing regularity. Cosmos almost managed a quickfire second goal in the next attack, striking the post.

But Cosmos did not have to wait long for the second and again it was a move down the left wing that led to the goal. The ball crossed over to the other flank which saw David Diosa in space. Diosa unselfishly squared for Charlie Ledula who made no mistake.

Cosmos effectively killed the game off before half time with a third goal. Cosmos were allowed time inside the Rough Diamonds half to pick a pass and found Ledula in space who made it 3v0. The Cosmos attacks kept coming and it could have been 4v0 before the interval but a chance was blazed over after the home side were caught in possession in their own half.

The second half was more of the same and Ledula forced a save from the home goalkeeper before the home side managed to get on the scoresheet. A Rough Diamonds player was taken down in the box and Neves fired the ball past Corke which was the first goal conceded by Cosmos in the NPSL this campaign.

But normal service soon resumed and Giuseppe got on the scoresheet just after the hour mark. His free-kick was intended as a cross into the box, but home goalkeeper Jack Rivers made a mess of trying to cut it out and palmed it into the net.

Rivers was at fault again as Cosmos made it 5v1, as he fumbled a cross from Ledula and the ball dropped to Alhassan who had the simple task of putting the ball into the net. Tenjo replaced Corke in goal and made a good stop from a well struck Diamonds effort. but soon after it was 6v1 when Alhassan fired in a second after getting on the end of an accurate low cross from AnsI Agolli.

Shots  continued to rain in on the home sides goal and Bardic completed the scoring from close range, converting a low cross from the right wing.