New York Cosmos B Remains Unbeaten with Victory over Napa Valley 1839 FC

By Matthew Levine/New York Cosmos

Forward Isaac Acuna scored in the 58th minute to lead the 10-man New York Cosmos B to a 1-0 victory over Napa Valley 1839 FC in an NPSL Members Cup match at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Saturday night.

 The undefeated Cosmos (3-0-1, 10 points) remained atop the competition while Napa Valley (0-5-0, 0 points) remained winless.

 The hosts played the final 29 minutes a man down after center back Emmanuele Sembroni was red carded in the 61st minute.  Sembroni, who rode the back of forward Ivan Sakou before pushing the forward to the turf, will miss the team’s next game.

 Goalkeeper Jesse Corke, playing in his first match of the Members Cup campaign, recorded the shutout.

 For a good portion of the match, Napa Valley kept as many as 10 players behind the ball in an effort to frustrate the Cosmos and escape Mitchel with perhaps its first point of the season.

 But Acuna made sure of that when he tallied his first goal of the Members Cup, heading home a left-wing cross from Ansi Agolli from close range past goalkeeper Alonso Lara Barajas.

 The Cosmos almost added an insurance goal in the 89th minute as David Diosa volleyed second-half substitute Bledi Bardic’s right-wing cross off the crossbar.

 The Cosmos outshot Napa Valley, 12-5.

 The Cosmos host Michigan Stars FC next Saturday, September 14 at Mitchel at 7:00 pm.

Photo Credit: Matthew Levine/New York Cosmos and Steve Hamlin/New York Cosmos