Lucky Mkosana may have said it best; "I needed a goal". That is what the 28 year old Zimbabwe native told himself going into the first half of the Cosmos match against Ottawa Fury. Perhaps Lucky's thoughts reflected the attitude of the entirety of the Cosmos first team. After what many considered to be a disappointing end to the Spring campaign, it was important to set the tone early on. And set the tone, Lucky did:
The challenge ahead is against Miami FC. A team that won only a single match in the Spring and finished last in the league. However, this is not the same team the Cosmos decimated 3-0 back in May. Miami FC recently traded for the massive Kwadwo Poku, a player many New Yorker soccer fans will be familiar with. Poku fell out of favor with Patrick Vieira due to his work rate at practice but remained a favorite among New York City FC fans. He showed that he can change any game on his own, providing flashes of brilliance at times. In addition to Poku, new additions and former Cosmos loan players Michael Lahoud and Gabriel Farfan will most likely be thrown onto the pitch to face their old teammates. They are both very familiar with Gio Saverese's system and that might prove advantageous.
Players to watch
Former Philadelphia Union product Michael Lahoud will undoubtedly get the start against NY. Fans will remember the irritation when Lahoud was recalled from Cosmos and sold to Miami FC. It will be interesting to see how this plays out as it could give the edge to either team.
Juan Arango found the back of the net last time these two teams faced off back in May. While the former Venezuelan captain took a rest against the Ottawa Fury, look for Arango to jump back into the mix. If anyone will know how to slowdown the stalwart Poku, it will be the international veteran.
Prediction
A 3-0 Cosmos win, like the one back on May 9th, might prove to be difficult to repeat. However, if the midfield remains strong and can control the pace of the game, the Cosmos can absolutely see this away match through.
I expect the Cosmos to come away with a 1-1 draw.