The Fort Lauderdale Strikers surrendered three goals in the second half and fell to the New York Cosmos 3-0 at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday night. The Cosmos have won all three meetings against the Strikers since the 37-year rivalry was renewed last year.
Fort Lauderdale(4-4) had numerous scoring chances in the first half. Cosmos defender James Nealis saved a ball on the sideline and fell down in the 20th minute. Strikers midfielder Shawn Chin then fired a shot from 35 yards away over the head of Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer who was 15 yard off his goal line, however the ball hit the crossbar and did not go in.
Strikers forward Mark Anderson received a lead pass in the penalty area during the 25th minute and flicked a shot on the run from nine yards out which was blocked by Maurer. Chin hooked a shot with the left foot from the right side 16 yards away and that barely went over the net.
Play was stopped when the stadium lights on the press box side lost power during the 50th minute and the game was resumed 15 minutes later after the delay. Strikers midfielder Darnell King crossed a ball from the right side and forward Marius Ebbers missed wide right on a 14-yard shot in the 53rd minute.
The Cosmos picked up the momentum in the 63rd minute when forward Mads Stokkelien was tripped on the left side of the box by defender Rafael Alves and was rewarded a penalty kick. He converted it with a shot into the low left corner by Strikers goalkeeper Oka Nikolov for a 1-0 lead.
New York(5-2-1) added to their lead during the 75th minute. Strikers defender Stephane Guillaume headed the ball out of the six-yard box and Cosmos defender Jimmy Ockford rocketed a ball from 15 yards out on the right side into the left side of net for a 2-0 margin. Cosmos midfielder Daniel Szetela gave his team a three-goal cushion with a goal in the 85th minute to put the game away.
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