WHO

  vs.  

WHEN & WHERE

Sunday, May 22 at 6 p.m. ET | James M. Shuart Stadium

• Carlos Mendes Bobblehead Night: A bobblehead of the Cosmos captain will be a special giveaway at the match! Pick yours up as you walk in.
• Portuguese and Croatian Heritage Night: For details, click here.
• Cosmos B Doubleheader: Before the first team kicks off, reserve side New York Cosmos B will take on the Seacoast United Phantoms at 3 p.m. ET. Come early and take in two matches for the price of one.
• #ForeverGreen Fan Selfie Contest: Find out how you can win tickets to the Copa America Centenario Quarterfinal at MetLife Stadium next month.

WATCH & FOLLOW

• Watch LIVE on ONE World Sports and ONEWorldSports.com
• Follow @NYCosmos_Match and #NYCvTBR on Twitter for play-by-play updates

THE STAKES

With three games remaining in the Spring Season – including Sunday’s match against the Rowdies – the Cosmos are looking to return to the win column, following a close 2-1 loss against FC Edmonton. In last weekend’s match, the Cosmos held 63 percent of possession, but a goal from Eddies defender Papé Diakité was the difference. Prior to the loss in Canada, the Cosmos were riding high, fresh off a 3-0 win against Miami FC. Undefeated at home, the Cosmos are looking to improve to 4-0-0 (W-D-L) at James M. Shuart Stadium in the Spring Season.

Sunday’s match will be one of two remaining Cosmos home games in the Spring Season; expansion side Rayo OKC comes to town the following Saturday, May 28. With the NASL’s three top teams separated by just one point in the Spring Season Standings, each game holds huge weight as the Cosmos make a final push to win the Spring Season and gain a guaranteed spot in the postseason.

The Rowdies are coming off of a 1-1 draw against Rayo OKC. With nine points, Tampa Bay could tie New York in point total with a win at Hofstra Sunday night.

MATCHUP HISTORY

Since the Cosmos’ reboot season in 2013, the team is 4-2-2 matching up with the Rowdies. The two teams met in the Cosmos’ final regular season game last fall, and New York picked up a 2-0 home victory on Oct. 31 before competing in The Championship Semifinals.

While the Cosmos have a better goal differential so far in 2016, both teams’ defenses and goalkeepers have been stingy. Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer and his counterpart, Matt Pickens, have each allowed less than one goal per game.

NOTES

We meet again: Both the Cosmos and Rowdies boast star midfielders with English Premier League success. Croatia international midfielder Niko Kranjčar has appeared in six matches for the Cosmos this Spring Season, scoring once and adding an assist. Kranjčar was an English FA Cup champion with Portsmouth FC, and also had successful stints with Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers. Earlier this  month, Tampa Bay landed three-time Premier League champion Joe Cole. The England international made his Rowdies debut last weekend in a 1-1 draw against Rayo OKC. 

Star showings: The Cosmos and Rowdies both featured one player on the NASL Team of the Week for Week 7. Winger Yohandry Orozco provided the Cosmos with a goal in last weekend’s match against the Eddies, while Tampa Bay midfielder Juan Guerra played 90 minutes and won eight duels in a draw against Rayo OKC.

Juan vs. all y’all: In six games, the Rowdies have scored five goals while allowing five. Throughout seven games for the Cosmos, the team has outscored opponents 11-5 with three of those goals coming from team-leading veteran midfielder Juan Arango. Forward Jairo Arrieta has two goals of his own. The Rowdies do not have a leading goal scorer, as multiple players are tied with one goal thus far.