HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (November 5, 2016) – In a vintage “Cardiac Cosmos” performance, the New York Cosmos scored twice in the second half to defeat Rayo OKC in an NASL Championship Semifinal on Saturday night at Shuart Stadium.

“I always believe that the guys are going to pull it out and be able to get the victory, but it wasn’t easy,” said Cosmos Head Coach Giovanni Savarese. “It was another tough game today. In four games we’ve played against them, they were all tough. But the guys believed that they could win.”

The victory sets up a meeting in The Championship Final with Indy Eleven, who prevailed 1-0 over FC Edmonton in the other semifinal. The Cosmos will host the match at Belson Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University next Sunday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. ET.

In a first half filled with end-to-end action, Rayo OKC struck first through Futty Danso. The 6-foot-3 center back lunged to connect with Michel’s free-kick service into the penalty area, putting a glancing header past Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer in the 37^th minute.

Down a goal, the Cosmos continued to apply pressure, and their leading goal scorer netted the equalizer in the 73^rd minute. Ayoze aimed for the near post with his corner kick, and an onrushing Juan Arango powered his header down and in to level the contest.

“As a team, I believed that if we kept pushing and playing the way we were, we were going to get a goal,” said Maurer.

Arango and Ayoze would again pull the strings for the match-winning goal seconds from stoppage time. The Venezuelan midfielder raced toward the left edge of the penalty area to catch up to Ayoze’s ball in, then turned to pick out Yohandry Orozco with a pass into the heart of the box. Orozco clanged his shot off the far post and in to put New York ahead in the 90^th minute.

Now the Cosmos will prepare for their second straight Championship Final, looking to become the first back-to-back champions of the NASL Modern Era.

“It’s going to be a tough match for us,” Savarese said. “Each year is unique. This year so many different things shaped us to be who we are as a team.”

Tickets for The Championship Final are on sale now. Click here or call 855-71-COSMOS to secure your seats.