The captain is back.
 
After being forced to train by himself for a good portion of the first two weeks of preseason camp and missing the first game due to a groin injury, Danny Szetela returned to action in the New York Cosmos' 4-0 exhibition victory over Queens College on Thursday night.
 
Szetela came on for the second half with several teammates at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.
 
He realized he still has a way to go before he finds his full match fitness, but the 31-year-old midfielder was satisfied with his first competitive steps of the year while playing in the rain, cold, and wind.
 
"I love playing with the field a little wet," Szetela said. "So, with the rain, it made the ball move quick, which is good for us. We want to play and move the ball. I felt good. I played 45 minutes. I look forward to our next game on Tuesday."
 
That would be against Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y. at 8 p.m.
 
Earlier this month, Szetela entered camp with what he called "a little groin issue" that he has overcome.
 
"Everything's good," he said.
 
While his teammates went through drills and scrimmages, Szetela trained on his own, usually running around the field. When the team trained at Hofstra, he ran the stairs of the stands.
 
Needless to say, he was welcomed back by coaches and teammates.
 
"It's going to take time to get back into that rhythm," head coach Carlos Mendes said. "Overall, it was good. It was good to get him the 45 minutes. He's going to be a huge piece for us. I thought he obviously needs to get the timing of the game. When you're out a little while and you just start training with the guys, that takes time."
 
Fellow midfielder Darwin Espinal, who paced the Cosmos attack with a pair of second-half goals, has noticed a different environment when Szetela is around.
 
"Now that Danny's back as the captain, he's pushing us more," he said. "We're trying to go out there and just run and get fit, play well and start getting our legs back."
 
The Cosmos' first two preseason results were 4-0 wins; they defeated Hofstra by the same score in their preseason opener on March 15. While the scores looked impressive, Szetela was much more concerned with the team finding its rhythm.
 
"At first it's difficult," he said. "We have only been training for two and a halfweeks now. A lot of new faces. We have to build chemistry. The way to do that is by training and playing games. It's getting a little better and better. Guys are getting to know each other. We just have to continue to play games and Tuesday we have to improve. We have more than a month until our season opener. So, I know we'll definitely be ready. I see a progression already."
 
So has Mendes, who felt the team was pointed in the right direction but realized it still has a long way to go before kicking off its National Premier Soccer League season against the New York Athletic Club at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y. on Saturday, April 27.
 
"I thought the first half was not good enough," he said. "The second half was obviously better. So, things to work on. Overall, some good things, but felt like we let off."
 
The Cosmos scored three of their goals in the second half, two in the waning minutes when the Queens College players were tiring. New York used two platoons of players.
 
Mendes was encouraged by the performance of his back line.
 
"They're starting to understand how we want to play and that's very important," he said. "You talk about the goalscorers. Those guys [defenders] are just as important and I think that we're starting to be on the same page. That's very, very important because you get to that first game, everyone has to have an understanding. We're still not there, but we're working towards that."
 
Szetela also has liked what he has seen. He is among several holdovers from last year's side with many newcomers vying for regular roles.
 
"The vibes have been good," he said. "Everyone's been getting along with each other. Locker room's been great. Everyone's on the field competitive, pushing each other. That's what you want on the team. Everyone's been great so far and hopefully it continues to the end of the year."