New York Cosmos 1 Ottawa Fury
Venturing from their home field at the Hofstra University campus, the Cosmos brought their brand of soccer to the fans of Brooklyn at MCU Park on May 2, in a game featuring former Real Madrid star “Raul,” as they took on the Ottawa Fury.
The last time that a soccer game was held at a Brooklyn baseball stadium was in May of 1957 at Ebbets Field when the American All Stars met the Israeli Hopael team in an international “friendly” competition in which Marilyn Monroe officiated at the pre-game coin toss.
Although no match for starlit Monroe, Brooklyn did deliver with a luminary of its own as soccer supporter Borough President Eric Adams was on hand for the MCU coin toss.
Along with 5,270 fans, a group of 200 die-hard Cosmos supporters came from Long Island dressed in green and white to cheer their current first place (3-2-0) leaders. Taking up residence in the outfield bleachers, the transplanted Hofstra stadium faithful waved banners, beat drums and chanted throughout the game.
The bleacher supporters’ cheers were rewarded early as the Cosmos scored just 14 minutes into the game. After several early attacks on Ottawa’s goal, the Cosmos put a point on the scoreboard as midfielder Leo Fernandes found streaking forward Lucky Mkosana who sent Fernandes’ perfectly placed pass into the Ottawa net.
For the Cosmos, the combination of Mkosana — who was Dartmouth’s Ivy League Player of 2011 — and Stony Brook’s all-time scorer Fernandes would turn out to be the game’s only offensive connection.
In the closing minutes of the game, the fans almost got what they came to see when “Raul” crossed a pass to Walter Restrepo who sliced the ball into the Fury net for the apparent second goal of the game. However the goal was nullified on an off sides call, despite the vehement protest of the international star.
Judged on the attendance and the reception the Cosmos received, this appears to be the beginning of bringing “the world’s sport” to Brooklyn for future games by the management of the New York Mets and the Brooklyn Cyclones.