HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (September 22, 2015) – The New York Cosmos suffered a 4-1 defeat to North American Soccer League Fall Season leaders Ottawa Fury FC Tuesday night at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.

“It’s very difficult to swallow being at home,” Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese said after the match. “But I think it’s a good game for us to learn a lot of things and be prepared for what is coming in the postseason.”

Ottawa (9-4-1) jumped in front in the 31^st minute. Richie Ryan played a free kick into the 18-yard box to Colin Falvey, who headed back across the box to Paulo Junior. The Brazilian forward then rifled past Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer from 10 yards.

Two minutes into the second half, Andrés Flores leveled for the Cosmos (6-5-3) on his third goal of the season. The Salvadorian international latched onto an Ayoze cross and headed inside the far post to tie the score at 1-1.

The Cosmos had ample opportunities to take the lead, including a shot on frame by Flores eight minutes later that Ottawa goalkeeper Romuald Peiser parried away for a Cosmos corner kick.

Paulo Junior netted his second goal of the match in the 56^th minute. Sinisa Ubiparipovic played a quick one-two before lofting a ball into the box, where Paulo Junior knocked it inside the far post for his brace.

“It was our game,” said Savarese. “We were controlling, creating chances, having a good tempo, doing excellent. I think that second goal was very difficult for us to bounce back from. We worked hard to get the first goal and tie."

“Definitely the second goal kind of killed our momentum. We were doing pretty well when we were tied, but I feel like after that second goal they had the momentum over us,” Cosmos forward Lucky Mkosana said. “When you get an equalizer like that, you have to keep working hard so they don’t score another goal.”

With the Cosmos pushing numbers forward in search for another equalizer, Ottawa pounced and went in front 3-1 on an own goal by defender Carlos Mendes, who slid to challenge a Tom Heinemann shot in the 77^th minute.

One minute later, Ubiparipovic sent a cross to Heinemann, who put the game away with a low shot from the edge of the 18-yard box.

"The second goal from them just put us in a difficult situation," Savarese said. "We went forward and they caught us on two chances with the counterattack.”

The Cosmos now trail first-place Ottawa by eight points in the Fall Season Standings with six games remaining, but have a one-point lead over Fury FC in the Combined Standings.

New York next heads north of the border next to take on FC Edmonton this Sunday, September 27 at 4 p.m. ET.