In the final game of the NASL season, the league’s dominant team over the past four seasons will meet an up-and-coming first-year squad looking to cap off a dream season with a title on the line. 

The New York Cosmos enter Sunday’s tilt confident, having knocked out top seeded Miami FC in a penalty shootout to reach their third straight Final. On the other end, the San Francisco Deltas will end their inaugural season on their home field, looking to accomplish a feat the Cosmos achieved in 2013, win a championship in their first season.

This season, the Cosmos and Deltas have played four times, with each team winning once at Kezar Stadium while both matchups at MCU Park resulted in a draw. 

The 8:00 pm matchup will feature a coaching rematch of the 2015 final, when Giovanni Savarese’s Cosmos edged Marc Dos Santos’ Ottawa Fury 3-2. Now, Dos Santos’ Deltas will host The Championship Final after knocking out North Carolina FC 1-0 in the semifinals last weekend.

The Deltas feature a couple players Cosmos fans may remember from previous seasons, including multiple members of that 2015 Ottawa Fury squad that fell to the Cosmos. If the Cosmos are going to bring the Soccer Bowl trophy back to New York, they will need to be on top of these players on Sunday night. 

Goalkeeper: Romuald Peiser

One of the most reliable goalkeepers in the league during his NASL career, Romuald Peiser, will get another shot at facing the Cosmos in The Championship Final. The keeper had a resurgent season in 2017, recording 12 clean sheets to finish second in the NASL while playing in all but one game for the Deltas.

For Peiser, a chance to face the Cosmos in the Final will be a shot at redemption. In that 2015 final with the Fury, the Frenchman recorded just one save as the Cosmos earned a 3-2 win. That season, he earned the Golden Glove award after setting a league record with a 648-minute shutout streak. 

The 38-year-old was in net for all four games against New York this season. In The Championship semifinals last weekend, Peiser did not have to make a save, as North Carolina FC did not record a shot on target. The Cosmos will need to apply pressure on Peiser, as they know they are able to beat him if given a shot.

Defender: Reiner Ferreira

A mainstay on the back line, Reiner Ferreira, has been a force for San Francisco in his first year playing in the United States. In 31 Regular Season games, the defender finished with 127 clearances to rank fifth in the NASL.

The Brazilian is strong in his own end, as he’s won 37 of his 42 tackles while also recording 83 interceptions and blocking 11 shots. Although he’s not known for his offense, he has shown an ability to put the ball in the net. In two NASL games where Ferreira has scored, San Francisco has won both by a combined score of 5-1. The defender has also taken multiple shots in 12 games, including The Championship semifinal against North Carolina. 

Midfielder: Kyle Bekker

Another NASL rookie, Kyle Bekker, has been an offensive creator for San Francisco in 2017. The Canadian ranked in the NASL’s top 10 for the Regular Season in chances created and total crosses while scoring three goals and adding four assists. In the semifinal matchup last weekend, he assisted on Tyler Gibson’s goal as the Deltas won 1-0.

However, Bekker was the only player in the NASL this season to be given two red cards. If New York can pressure the 27-year-old, they could find success. Bekker has conceded 18 fouls on the season and won only 38 of 116 duels.

The midfielder began his professional career in Major League Soccer and played for Toronto FC, FC Dallas and the Montreal Impact between 2013-16. He has joined Cosmos defender Dejan Jaković on the Canadian national team on numerous occasions.

Forward: Tommy Heinemann

One of the best attacking forwards in the NASL, Tommy Heinemann, has been known to elevate his game when he plays against the New York Cosmos. 

Over his four-year career in the league, Heinemann has scored against the Cosmos at least once in each season for a total of six goals against New York. Also a member of the 2015 Ottawa Fury, the Missouri native scored twice for Ottawa in the second half of the 2015 Final as the Fury fell 3-2, making him the only player to score against the Modern Era Cosmos in a Final. He will look to continue that streak and avenge for his 2015 defeat. 

This season, the Deltas have put Heinemann in an attacking role, and he has delivered with a career-high nine goals to tie for sixth in the league. If the Cosmos want to hold Heinemann off the board, they will need to try and keep him to the outside, as all nine of his goals have come from inside the box.

The Championship Final will be televised nationally on beIN SPORTS (English), beIN SPORTS en Español (Spanish), beIN SPORTS CONNECT (Digital), and NASL.com.