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NASL Rewind: Cosmos jump to top of table; RailHawks fall; and more

Arrieta Celebration

As teams around them dropped points, the New York Cosmos leapt to the top of the table with another resounding result.

Following two straight losses, the Cosmos have now picked up two straight victories, with the most recent triumph coming in a  3-0 dispatching of Miami FC. With the win, the Cosmos now assume the role of league leaders after the Carolina RailHawks were upset by a previously-winless Fort Lauderdale Strikers team.

Minnesota United also dropped points over the weekend, as the Loons earned a 2-2 road draw against Ottawa Fury FC. The weekend also provided another positive result for Indy Eleven, who remain the league’s lone unbeaten following a 1-1 draw with FC Edmonton.

Finally, Rayo OKC picked up the club’s second win in three games with a defeat of the Jacksonville Armada.

Here’s a closer look at this weekend’s NASL action:

COSMOS CRUISE PAST MIAMI FC AND INTO LEAGUE LEAD

A trio of offseason additions led the way as the New York Cosmos reclaimed the top spot on the NASL table.

Juan Arango, Gabriel Farfán and Jairo Arrieta each provided a goal for the Cosmos, who defeated Miami FC, 3-0, at FIU Stadium. The win propels the Cosmos to the top of the league with 12 points through six games, while Miami FC now sits dead last with just two points from six. Arango opened the scoring for the Cosmos, as the Venezuelan star provided his third goal of the season in the 17th minute. Farfan doubled the lead in the 34th minute before Arrieta’s finish shortly after halftime all but ended Miami FC’s chances of a comeback.

Following the win, the Cosmos will look to extend their league lead next Sunday against FC Edmonton, while Miami FC aims for its first win against the RailHawks one day prior.

RAILHAWKS DROP SECOND STRAIGHT GAME WITH LOSS TO STRIKERS

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers appeared to be the perfect bounce-back opponents for the Carolina RailHawks, but the previously winless Florida side proved too much to handle for the Spring Season contenders.

Led by goals from Maicon Santos, Nana Attakora and Matheus Carvalho, the Strikers shocked the RailHawks, 3-1, at WakeMed Soccer Park. The loss was the RailHawks second straight after securing victories in each of the club’s first four games of the season. The RailHawks did find a consolation from Brian Shriver in the second half, but it would prove too little, too late for a RailHawks team now behind the Cosmos on tiebreakers.

The RailHawks will look to bounce back against winless Miami FC on Saturday, while the Strikers get a chance to make it two straight wins when the club hosts Indy Eleven.

MINNESOTA UNITED SETTLES FOR DRAW WITH FURY FC

Twice, Minnesota United had the lead at TD Place, and twice, the Spring Season contenders conceded in what ended as a disappointing draw.

Minnesota United benefitted from Christian Ramirez’s league-leading fourth goal of the season, but the Loons dropped a pair of points in a 2-2 draw with Ottawa Fury FC. The reigning NASL runners-up battled back from deficits on two occasions, with Marcel de Jong’s late leveler earning a split of the points.

The Loons sit two points off of the league lead ahead of a meeting with the Jacksonville Armada, while Fury FC will remain idle until a May 22 clash with he same opponent.

INDY ELEVEN REMAINS UNBEATEN WITH DRAW

Indy Eleven remains the league’s lone unbeaten side, but Saturday’s efforts should have produced more for a team still hoping to leap into the title race.

The Eleven took the lead in the 22nd minute through a Greg Janicki finish, but conceded just five minutes later in what turned out to be a 1-1 draw against FC Edmonton. Jake Keegan second goal of the Spring Season proved vital for the Eddies, who  earned their eighth point of the season with the result.

With the draw, Indy Eleven sits on nine points with a visit to the Strikers looming, while the Eddies now look forward to a home match against the Cosmos.

FINDLEY GOAL LEADS RAYO OKC PAST ARMADA

Former U.S. Men’s National Team forward Robbie Findley made the biggest of impacts off the bench for Rayo OKC on Saturday.

Findley, who entered the game in the second half for Georgios Samaras, provided Rayo OKC’s lone goal in a 1-0 defeat of the Jacksonville Armada. The game-winner came on an assist from red-hot Michel, who slid a pass in between the Armada defense for Findley to fire home for the game-winner.

Rayo OKC will now prepare for a clash with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, while the Armada look towards a visit to Minnesota United.

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