MIAMI (May 7, 2016) – Juan Arango and Gabriel Farfán struck in the first half and Jairo Arrieta added a goal in the second half to lift the New York Cosmos to a 3-0 win over Miami FC at FIU Stadium Saturday night.

With the result the Cosmos moved into first place in the North American Soccer League Spring Season Standings, garnering 12 points from six matches.

“It’s where we want to be. We’re back on top, but this is a week-to-week situation and we have to keep on working,” Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese said. “We can be content with some of the results, but it has to be in our core and in our efforts to continue this way.”

The Cosmos (4-0-2) took a deserved lead in the 18^th minute of their first match against the expansion side. Arango latched onto Hunter Freeman’s cross and headed it past Miami FC goalkeeper Mario Daniel Vega from the edge of the six-yard box for his team-leading third goal of the season. 

“Juan had a great header,” Savarese said. “He came free and found an excellent ball by Freeman. He was able to connect perfectly to score the first goal. It was a set play, and it ended up working out.”

In the 34^th minute, Farfán scored his first goal in a Cosmos uniform, settling a headed clearance by Miami’s Jonathan Borrajo and putting in a shot from 15 yards out to double the Cosmos advantage. 

Five minutes into the second half, a long through ball by Ayoze sent Arrieta behind the Miami FC defense. Arrieta took a touch and then slotted the ball into the net from the edge of the 18-yard box to give the Cosmos a 3-0 lead. 

“At that point we could move the ball a little bit better to balance the game in our favor,” Savarese said. “The guys did a fantastic job in order to maintain that.”

Arrieta nearly had his brace in the 71^st minute when again he had time and space, but after cutting inside of Borrajo, the Costa Rican forward was denied by Vega. 

Ten minutes from full time, a clever chip by second-half substitute Lucky Mkosana freed Sebastián Guenzatti on goal. Vega was forced to come off his line and Guenzatti returned the favor with a pass to Mkosana, but the Zimbabwean forward's shot went off the outside netting. 

In the 84^th minute, Mkosana had another chance when he made a near post run and received a pass from Guenzatti, but Vega did well to deny him.

“I think we did a lot of positive things,” said Savarese. “I think the team had a good match. We can still grow and do better things. But I think we were smart today moving the ball around, finding good situations going forward and staying solid defensively.”

New York will head to Canada next for a Sunday, May 15 matchup with FC Edmonton. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET at Clarke Field.