Strikers Fall 2-1 in Championship Semifinal

Published on November 7, 2015 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release


Brooklyn, N.Y. (Saturday, November 7, 2015) - The Fort Lauderdale Strikers lost 2-1 to the New York Cosmos on Saturday afternoon in the semifinal round of The Championship -- the North American Soccer League's four-team postseason tournament -- at MCU Park in Brooklyn, N.Y. The loss ends the No. 4 seed Strikers' season and sends No. 1 seed New York on to The Championship Final next weekend, where they will host either Ottawa Fury FC or Minnesota United FC.

Spanish icon Raúl completed the come-from-behind win for the Cosmos with a second-half strike after Gastón Cellerino canceled out the opening goal by Strikers midfielder PC,

Fort Lauderdale -- along with Minnesota -- earned a trip to the postseason a record four times in five NASL seasons, and finishes with 11 wins on the year. The loss puts the Strikers record against the Cosmos at 0-2-7 (W-T-L) in the NASL Modern Era.

PC, returning to the lineup after missing the final three matches of the regular season with a head injury, opened the scoring in the 16th minute. The 21-year-old Brazilian received a square pass from Marlon Freitas on the right corner of the penalty area, and then fired a low shot between the legs of defender Ayoze and across goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer into the far post. The goal was the culmination of solid defensive play from the Strikers, as Walter Ramirez dispossessed Hunter Freeman after a long ball forward by Jordan Graye.

The lead was short lived as New York netted the equalizer in the 37th minute. Marcos Senna's free kick from 30 yards out was parried away by goalkeeper David Meves, but the rebound struck Cellerino, who was perfectly positioned to level the match at one.

Raúl scored the game winner shortly after the hour mark when he slipped past the defense unmarked and converted on a close-range shot that hit the post and bounced in. Daniel Szetela provided the assist on the play. Raúl -- along with teammate and compatriot Marcos Senna -- has announced that he will retire after the season. The pair will play their final professional matches next Sunday when the Cosmos host The Championship Final..

The Strikers spent the remainder of the second half looking for the equalizing goal, and they nearly found it. Second-half substitute Jose Angulo found the back of the net in the 89th minute, but the goal was disallowed for an offside call.

"I'm extremely disappointed," said head coach Günter Kronsteiner. "Even the other coach told me that we scored a regular goal; it's more than a little disappointing. I think we were the better team. Then, in the second half, we weren't so strong anymore. We didn't deserve to lose this game -- that's for sure. I feel sorry for the guys -- extremely sorry -- because they played a great game. I feel like we got robbed. To play against (the Cosmos) in New York with the way they play, is extremely special. Everyone involved has my respect."

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The Strikers will return to game action in mid January, when the cub participates in the Florida Cup, set in Orlando, Fla. and South Florida. Fort Lauderdale will begin play in the nine-team event when they face FC Schalke 04 of the German Bundesliga on January 10 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. One week later, the Strikers will meet Independiente Sante Fe, commonly known as Sante Fe, from Colombia's Categoíra Primera A league at FAU Stadium on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

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