By Tyler Strauss

This weekend New York Cosmos B will play their fourth match of the season as they take on New York Athletic Club at Shuart Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 23. The team is coming off a 3-3 tie with Seacoast United Mariners on May 16.

“It was a tough tie against a team that we beat 4-0 last time,” assistant coach John Fitzgerald told NYCosmos.com Thursday. “We went to their home field but overall, they were a different team, with truly different players. That being said we were pleased with the professionalism the players displayed by chasing the game and getting a result from the game.”

Coach Fitzgerald, who also heads up the NY Cosmos Training and Development Program, works alongside Cosmos B head coach Alecko Eskandarian to develop this new team.

“We can create how we want to run it; there is no script to work from,” he said when asked about the opportunity to build from the ground up. “Although there is nothing to go off, the people that are involved have plenty of experience. Gio is also very involved, which helps to build a direct connection between the first and second team.”

Looking further into the Fitzgerald’s coaching history, it is easy to see why he's the right person for the job. Between his experience with the Long Island Rough Riders and his prior guidance of so many collegiate and professional athletes, he has a strong understanding of the American soccer system. He has over 28 years of coaching experience in the Long Island and Greater New York areas.

While Fitzgerald boasts years of coaching experience, Eskandarian is relatively newer to the coaching game, having spent most of his soccer career thus far between the lines. The No. 1 choice in the 2003 Major League Soccer SuperDraft has been an assistant coach with the Cosmos for some time now, though, and Fitzgerald says he is well equipped to take the reins of Cosmos B.

“He has a good personality, which makes him approachable from a player’s standpoint,” Fitzgerald explained. “Alecko has also played professionally, so he understands what it takes because he’s lived it. He’s young, so he can still he can still step on the field to demonstrate, while also being able to relate to the players. “

Cosmos B find themselves near the top of the North Atlantic Conference in their inaugural NPSL campaign, with 7 points out of three games.

"The season has been good thus far,” said Fitzgerald. “The players are working tremendously hard because they understand that this can be a stepping stone to the next level, hopefully with us.

“The goal is to make Cosmos B a feeder system to bring in talented players that we can grow and help them transition to the next level.”

The team will continue its season this weekend at home. The players have been preparing all week for the match, focusing on their ability to stay in front.

“We are putting them in situations where they have to keep that lead, because that’s very important at the professional level,” said Fitzgerald. “We are playing against New York Athletic Club, who is a quality club from New York, so it’s a bit of a local derby. We are preparing for an emotional, upbeat game.”

Come out and support Cosmos B at Shuart Stadium at 4 p.m. on Saturday as they take on New York Athletic Club. It'll be a doubleheader with the first team, which takes on the San Antonio Scorpions at 7 p.m. ET. Get your tickets here.