By Jason Lind (@JasonKLind)

WHO

New York Cosmos (5th in Fall Season Standings, 1st Overall) vs. Carolina RailHawks (8th, 6th)

WHEN & WHERE

Saturday, August 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET | WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina

WATCH & FOLLOW

• Official Viewing Party at Buffalo Wild Wings in Westbury, Long Island (737 Merrick Ave.)
• ONE World Sports
• ESPN3
• Follow @NYCosmos_Match and #CARvNYC on Twitter

THE STAKES

New York Cosmos: After dropping their first NASL match of the year in Jacksonville on July 18, the Cosmos have calmly amassed a 3-2-0 (WDL) record in their last five. In doing so they've recaptured the top spot in the league's Combined Season Stadings from Ottawa Fury FC, whose 12-game unbeaten streak was snapped by Minnesota at TD Place this past Saturday. The Cosmos are now two points clear of Fury FC and six clear of the Loons, with a game in hand on each side. They'll make a midweek trip to Ottawa for a crucial match following Saturday's road contest in Cary.

In their last game the Cosmos got the best of the San Antonio Scorpions at home for the second time this year. Now they begin a quick road trip - two games in five days, finishing in Ottawa on August 26 - before hosting the RailHawks on Sunday, August 30. That's three games in nine days. The boys in green took seven points from a similarly demanding stretch earlier this month, beating Fort Lauderdale and Minnesota at home, then drawing the Strikers on the road from August 2-8.

August is far and away the Cosmos' most chellenging month of the season from an endurance perspective. They've already played four games and have three more to go before September arrives. But Rovérsio returned to the starting XI against the Scorpions and Marcos Senna subbed on in the 65th minute, appearing for the first time since July 5. The Cosmos are starting to look as healthy as they have all Fall Season, and poised to improve on an already good run of results. 

Carolina RailHawks: The RailHawks are winless in their last four games, most recently dropping a pair of games 3-0 to Jacksonville (August 12) and Edmonton (August 16) during a two-game road trip. They'll return home on a week of rest, though, and they enjoy one of the best home field advantages in the league. Carolina has not lost at WakeMed all Fall Season and has suffered just one defeat there in league play all year.

South African midfielder Tiyi Shipalane has scored in three of Carolina's last four games against New York, and the RailHawks are 3-1-0 in those encounters. They'll have back-to-back chances to knock off this weekend's competition; unlike the Cosmos, the RailHawks have no midweek match between August 22 and August 30.

MATCHUP HISTORY

A truly "Cardiac Cosmos" performance went down at WakeMed in the last meeting between these teams. Down two scores in stoppage time on May 16, first Walter Restrepo forced an own goal to bring the visitors within striking distance. Then, seconds from the referee signaling the end of the game, substitute Andrés Flores teed up a burner from outside the box that somehow cleared a wall of defenders and scooted past Carolina goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap to equalize.

That was the Cosmos' first ever point earned on the road against the RailHawks, who had won the two previous meetings on their home field. This Saturday New York will be angling for its first win against the RailHawks since a 4-0 result on October 12, 2013 at Shuart Stadium.

NOTES

Lots of shots: With 145 shot attempts this season, New York leads the NASL. Ottawa, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa Bay are the only other teams to have attempted over 100.

Comeback kids: In the 2015 NASL Season, the Cosmos have scored nine goals when trailing. Leo Fernandes, Raúl and Walter Restrepo lead the way with two goals each while trailing, followed by Andrés Flores, Sebastian Guenzatti and Adam Moffat with one goal each.