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Cosmos Draw Michigan Stars in Fall Season Opener at Mitchel

Published Aug 15, 2020

The New York Cosmos opened their National Independent Soccer Association fall season with a 1-1 draw with Michigan Stars FC at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Saturday night.

Second-half substitute Zach Reynolds scored two minutes into stoppage time to equalize for Michigan (1-0-1, 4 points) in the closed-door match.

The Cosmos could not clear the corner kick downfield as the ball came to Reynolds near the top of the box, who fired a 22-yard shot through several players and past a diving goalkeeper Jesse Corke into the lower right corner.

Forward Bledi Bardic had given Cosmos the lead in the 72nd minute, taking advantage of a mistake in the penalty area. Cosmos captain Danny Szetela sent a ball in that goalkeeper Tatenda Mkuruva came out to catch as he collided with defender Andres Chalbaud. Bardic took possession of the loose ball and slotted it into an empty net from 10 yards.

The Cosmos had the better of the opportunities in a scoreless opening half but could not convert.

In the fourth minute, Shavon John-Brown, running onto a fine feed from Ansi Agolli, fired his shot over the crossbar.

Bardic had the next two chances. He headed a shot to Mkuruva in the sixth minute. Only six minutes later, the striker backheeled a left-wing pass from Darwin Espinal into the net but was called for being offside.

Bardic became a playmaker in the 22nd minute, sending Espinal a pass that the midfielder forced Mkuruva to knock out of bounds for a corner kick. On the ensuing set piece a minute later, an unmarked Matt Lewis sent a header wide left.

Michigan took its lone opportunity in the half in the 27th minute when Steven Juncaj attempted a shot that Corke easily gathered in.

Only 75 seconds into the second half, the Cosmos made Mkuruva work some more as he saved right-back Pedro Galvao's free kick.

The hosts played without a pair of scoring threats. Isaac Acuna, who scored in the 1-1 draw against Maryland Bobcats FC last week, suffered a hamstring injury in training on Friday. Aly Hassan was in Weston, Fla. for the funeral of his father, who passed away earlier in the week.

The Cosmos play next against expansion side New Amsterdam FC at the Hudson Sports Complex in Warwick, N.Y. on Friday, Aug. 14 at 6 p.m. The teams played to a 1-1 tie in the NISA Independent Cup at the venue on Aug. 2.

They return home to face Detroit City FC at Mitchel on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.