In the end, it all came down to Ryan Richter. Richter, who was on the losing side of The Championship Final a year ago as a member of Ottawa Fury FC, converted a spot kick after 120 scoreless minutes to give the New York Cosmos a second straight North American Soccer League (NASL) title, winning the penalty kick shootout, 4-2, at Belson Stadium on Sunday night.
Shoot Out
Indy went first in the shootout and Nicki Paterson, the Eleven’s final substitute in the game, beat Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer with a shot inside the far post. Jairo Arrieta stepped up for the Cosmos and smacked his shot off the far post and in.
Eamon Zayed was up next for Indy, but saw his shot hit the far post, skitter along the goal line and out. Adam Moffat took the second kick for the Cosmos and put it right down the middle as Indy goalkeeper Jon Busch dove the other way, giving New York a 2-1 advantage.
Match Report
Indy Eleven had the first dangerous shot on goal 11 minutes into the game. Don Smart centered from the right flank to Zayed. Zayed, who scored 15 goals during the season, settled the ball and turned for a shot that was saved by Maurer.
The Eleven were on the attack again three minutes later. Left-side defender Vukovic hit a high diagonal ball that Smart smacked on the volley off the goalpost and out for a goal kick. New York answered back with its best chance in the 18th minute. Juan Arango, the winner of the league’s Golden Ball as most valuable player, found a streaking Yohandry Orozco at the top of the Indy penalty area. But he got under his left-footed shot, which sailed high and wide.
In the 29th minute, Cosmos defender Ayoze dropped a long lead pass over the Indy defense that Arango was able to run on to for a shot that Busch jumped to swat away.
Second Half
Former Mexican international Gerardo Torrado replaced midfielder Dylan Mares for Indy at the start of the second stanza.
In the 54th minute, a shot by New York midfielder Ruben Bover, with his second-favorite right foot, tested Busch from about 20 yards out. The Indy goalkeeper was up to the task, first knocking the ball down in front of him, then smothering it to prevent Arrieta from pouncing.
Cosmos central defender Rovérsio, who has been wracked by injuries this year, was forced from the game because of another knock. He was replaced by Kenyan international David Ochieng in the 60th minute.
Indy had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 70th. Ubiparipovic controlled the ball at the top of the Cosmos penalty area and touched a pass to Smart. Smart ran onto the ball and curved an open, left-footed shot that had Maurer beaten, but rebounded off the crossbar.
The Cosmos came close four minutes later. Richter sent a curving cross into the Indy penalty area that Arrieta met with his head, but his effort fell wide of the near post for a goal kick. Looking for a spark up front, Cosmos coach Giovanni Savarese inserted David Diosa as a replacement for Orozco.
With a little less than 10 minutes left in regulation time, Richter on the right again sent a dangerous ball into the Indy penalty area. Four players, two from each team plus goalkeeper Busch, converged in a jumble as the ball bounced and skipped wide without being touched by anyone.
Extra Time
At the start of second-half added time, an Ubiparipovic free kick from deep on the left flank found the head of Zayed. His effort was deflected over the end line for a corner. Two minutes later, Arrieta crossed from the left to Diosa in the center of the penalty area. His first touch escaped him, but Diosa stayed with the play, turned and hit a right-footed shot that just skipped wide of the near post.
