HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (July 30, 2016) – Saturday night the New York Cosmos made history on their home field, winning their first matchup with North American Soccer League (NASL) expansion side Puerto Rico FC 3-0. It was New York’s 10^th consecutive regular season victory at Hofstra’s James M. Shuart Stadium, setting a Modern Era NASL record.

"We had a talk with the group, and we said that we needed to play a complete match,” said Cosmos Head Coach Giovanni Savarese. “We needed to make sure that we did the right things in the game and were able to manage what we had in front of us… I think we had a decent first half, a very good second half and a strong finish, which we needed to have."

Registering an Emirates Cosmos Man of the Match performance, Lucky Mkosana influenced the game’s first goal. The Zimbabwean forward slid a teasing left-footed cross toward strike partner Yasmani Duk, which forced Puerto Rico FC captain Cristiano Dias to make a play on the ball. Dias’ attempted clearance beat his own goalkeeper at the far post, giving the Cosmos a 1-0 lead in the 16^th minute.

“I think we found a team that came to pressure us from the beginning. They made it a bit difficult, which troubled us in the first few minutes,” Savarese said. “But nevertheless we still tried to play from the back and to have the ball. Even though they tried to pressure, the [first] goal came at an important moment for us. It allowed us to control the match a little bit better.”

Héctor Ramos had the cleanest look at goal for the visitors in the first half. The Puerto Rican international slipped behind the Cosmos back line and got his head around a ball sent into the penalty area. But Ramos was unable to hit the target, missing right of Jimmy Maurer’s near post in the 34^th minute. New York went into the locker room with a one-goal advantage.

It was a rain-soaked second half marked by physical play from both sides. In the 84^th minute Cosmos midfielder Juan Arango headed home an insurance tally, making it 2-0 after Mkosana danced around his defender at the right corner flag and fired in a centering pass.

Two minutes into second-half stoppage time Mkosana turned finisher, sprung free by Arango’s through ball. He rounded Puerto Rico FC goalkeeper David Meves and walked in the third and final goal of the match.

“I felt great,” said Mkosana. “This was a good effort from the entire team. We want to try to build off this game.”

With the win the Cosmos (4-1-2 Fall, 10-1-6 Overall) regain first place in the NASL Combined Season Standings. They’ll return to Shuart Stadium next Sunday, August 7 for a 4 p.m. ET kickoff against Rayo OKC.