The New York Cosmos remained unbeaten in National Premier Soccer League action, scoring all their goals in the second half en route to a 5-0 victory over Boston City FC on Saturday night.
Salvadoran international midfielder Junior Burgos, making his league debut for the Cosmos, connected on a pair of second-half free kicks for the Cosmos (3-0-0) before 5,121 spectators at Mitchel Athletic Complex. Burgos was voted Man of the Match.
Darwin Espinal, Charlie Ledula, and Joey Sanchez also scored.
Goalkeeper Santiago Castano recorded the team’s third shutout of the young season, his second clean sheet. The Cosmos haven’t given up a goal in NPSL play.
Espinal tallied his first goal of the season in the 50th minute. Burgos attempted a long shot from the right side that goalkeeper Jason Katz punched out. The ball landed in front of Espinal on the left side and the midfielder powered a shot into the net.
Last year Espinal scored two goals in the Cosmos’ 4-0 win over Boston City FC.
The Cosmos weren’t finished as halftime substitute Charlie Ledula took a long pass on the right side and tucked a shot into the lower right corner from close range to double the score in the 62nd minute.
Burgos got on the scoresheet in the 75th minute, powering home a 27-yard free kick to the upper left corner to up the margin to 3-0.
After Katz made a terrific save on David Diosa’s shot, Sanchez (Uniondale, N.Y.) slotted home the rebound for a four-goal margin in the 85th minute.
Burgos completed a memorable match by hammering home a 25-yard free kick from the left side on the final kick of the game.
The Cosmos hit the road for three consecutive matches.
They will meet Hartford Athletic in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup second-round match in Hartford, Conn., on Tuesday night.
New York returns to New England for a pair of NPSL games, visiting the Greater Lower Rough Diamonds on Friday night, May 17, and then Hartford City FC in Hartford, Conn., on Sunday afternoon, May 19.
The Cosmos come home to host FC St. Paul in an international friendly at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium in New York City on Thursday, May 23, at 7:30 p.m.
Their next NPSL encounter at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y. will be against Hartford City on Saturday, June 1, at 8 p.m.
