Photo by New York Cosmos

By RYAN TOLMICH

The New York Cosmos continued to make pushes this week, both in the standings and in the city of New York.

The Cosmos continue to be class of the league, securing yet another victory in an unfamiliar home in Brooklyn. With a three-point lead atop the standings, the Cosmos have proved to be a force wherever they play, whether it’s at Shuart Stadium, on the road or even under the lights of a historic amusement park.

Hot on the Cosmos’ heels are a series of teams with standout performers leading the way, but one team that continues to struggle is the league’s reigning champions, the San Antonio Scorpions, who look all but doomed in the Spring campaign.

Here are some of SBI’s takeaways from NASL Week 5:

COSMOS FORAY INTO BROOKLYN PROVES TO BE A SUCCESS

While deliberations continue on the club’s Belmont stadium project, the New York Cosmos now know that Brooklyn is fully prepared to welcome the team with open arms.

Brooklyn borough president Eric Adams has stated his desire to permanently bring the Cosmos to the borough, which hosted the Cosmos’ first home game outside the friendly confines of Shuart Stadium.

On the field, the Cosmos cruised to a dominant 1-0 victory over Ottawa Fury FC in a game that saw the Cosmos deserved more than the scoreline indicates. Taking place at Coney Island’s MCU Park in front of 5,279 fans, last Saturday’s atmosphere proved to be an interesting one as the game on the field was played with a backdrop of the famous Cyclone and Wonder Wheel.

The surroundings made for a unique experience in terms of spectacle, but head coach Giovani Savarese was one of many to praise the playing conditions, going so far as to say the field at MCU Park compares favorably with that of current home Shuart Stadium.

At the end of the day, the trip to Brooklyn could serve as little more than a one-time chance to reach out to a new area of fans. However, the opportunity also presented the knowledge that the Cosmos have made significant inroads in now-welcoming area of the city.

LAING ASSERTING HIMSELF AS ONE OF LEAGUE’S MOST DYNAMIC PLAYERS

Lance Laing’s team may not be showing to be contenders quite yet, but the FC Edmonton star has surely asserted himself as one of the league’s players to watch.

The Jamaican international banged home a spectacular free kick on Sunday, his second goal of the season, to help lead the way in a 2-2 draw with Minnesota United.

In addition to his pair of finishes this season in NASL play, Laing has provided three assists in four games, while also contributing a goal in the Eddies’ victory over Ottawa Fury FC in the Canadian Championship.

Laing seems to have found a home in Edmonton, one which has seen him flourish for one of the best stretches of his career. Whether it be with his playmaking, creativity on the ball or set piece prowess, Laing continues to be FC Edmonton’s engine, and is playing himself into the conversation as one of the league’s more dynamic attacking options.

CEUS ADDS TO ALREADY STRONG SILVERBACKS BACKLINE 

Through five games, the unbeaten Atlanta Silverbacks have allowed just three goals, establishing themselves as one of the best defensive teams in the league. However, that defense looks like it could only get better with the introduction of goalkeeper Steward Ceus.

Ceus played his second game of the season on Saturday, making four saves against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in what turned out to be a 0-0 draw.

With Saturday’s performance, Ceus has now made 11 stops on the year, and has yet to concede since making his return from offseason knee surgery. Ceus has looked virtually impenetrable to this point, making every save from routine to spectacular, including one like Saturday’s stop that saw the goalkeeper smash into the post.

Ceus’ form just adds to an already strong Silverbacks backline, led by captain Simon Mensing and veteran Rauwshan McKenzie. With a series of anchors at the back, the Silverbacks should continue to compete and could prove to be contenders if the goals start arriving.

SCORPIONS DIGGING MAJOR HOLE FOR FALL CAMPAIGN

The NASL’s current set-up sees four playoff positions, with one being awarded to the Spring Season winner. For last year’s champions, the focus will now have to turn to the Fall.

The San Antonio Scorpions’ struggles continued Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the league’s newest team, the Jacksonville Armada. With the loss, the defending champions have secured just one point through four games while also allowing nine goals, most in the league.

Following the loss, the Spring Season is all but hopeless for the Scorpions, although there is still plenty to play for. With two playoff positions being awarded to the best teams aside from the Spring and Fall champions, the Scorpions need to amass points to avoid being forced to rely on claiming the Fall crown.

The question now becomes whether or not that hole has become too big to climb out of. Trailing the league-leading Cosmos by 11 points with a game in hand, even the non-champion playoff spots will be a major struggle. The time is now for the Scorpions to start collecting points or face the alternative: a frenetic Fall Season that becomes do-or-die.