PREVIEW: NEW YORK COSMOS B (HOME) VS. NEW JERSEY COPA FC (AWAY)

Game Details: Wednesday, July 20th, 7:30 pm at Hofstra Soccer Stadium (Mack Sports Complex)

Ticket Details: Admission is free

New York Cosmos B

The defending national champions had an excellent 2016, finishing the regular season with a 12-2-2 record.  They won the Atlantic Conference title and earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Cosmos B were dominant in league play and came away with an amazing +30 goal differential.  Their offense was first in the conference with 30 goals.  Forward Ivan Berterame registered seven goals and two assists in nine appearances (eight starts).

Their defense was also tops in the conference, allowing just 19 goals in 16 games.  Right back Kyle McTurk and goalkeeper Hector Guerrero are the anchors there.  McTurk registered two assists in ten starts and appeared in the Cosmos first team’s friendly match against SD Eibar in Las Vegas on May 25.  Guerrero had eight starts in eight appearances.

Notable Quote: “We will be now playing out of our region for the most part and it’s quite difficult to know what to expect. We played some tough games this season and were aggressive and it paid off because we came out on top. When you get to the knockout stages it’s important to be a little more conservative, but at the same time you need to remember that the team needs to score goals to win games and that’s something we managed to do throughout the season. We have good balance going into this game and if everything goes well, along with some luck which is always part of the game, we will be able to have a notable role in our upcoming matches.” – Fernando Barboto, New York Cosmos B Head Coach

New Jersey Copa FC

NJ Copa FC finished second in the Keystone Conference with a 6-1-5 record and a +12 goal differential.  Their first-round match with Fredericksburg FC was a marathon, taking nearly six hours and two venues to complete. New Jersey would advance 9-8 after nine rounds of penalty kicks.

The team’s attack is led by striker Maximiliano Garcia, who finished the regular season with six goals and four assists.  The defense is anchored by center back Marcus Hackett and goalkeeper Matt Perrella.  Hackett made 11 starts, while Perrella made 27 saves and 2.5 clean sheets on the way to a 0.86 GAA.

Notable Quote: “We are thrilled to continue our rookie year in the NPSL by advancing to the regional semifinals. To have this match be against the defending National Champions, the New York Cosmos B, is an even more exciting opportunity which we look forward to embracing in every way. Our goal from day one as a new franchise was to qualify for the playoffs, and now that we are into the second round and into the semi-finals, we have set our goal to win the Northeast Regional title. We have the utmost respect for the NY Cosmos B and their organization, but we believe we have what it takes to compete and win in this upcoming round.” – Roberto Aguas, New Jersey Copa FC Founder, Owner, and Head Coach