Kosmos Greek-American 1994 take Boys Under-19 State Open Cup final

(Via Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association) – Kosmos Greek-American 1994 of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL) won the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association’s (ENYYSA) Boys-Under-19 State Open Cup championship in an extra time thriller over Manhattan Ajax.

After regulation against Manhattan Ajax of the Westchester Youth Soccer League (WYSL) was scoreless, the final played at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview on June 7 went into overtime and the epic final will be remembered for a long time to come.

Kosmos looked to have the game won when Lawrence Nikaj scored a goal in each overtime period. But Manhattan had other ideas and scored two goals in the last two minutes of the second overtime to tie the score, 2-2. The first Ajax goal got by Kosmos keeper Alex Taliotis, who injured himself on the play, and he was replaced by substitute keeper Martin Cedillo, who became the unlikely hero as he saved three of four penalty kicks to give Kosmos a 3-1 shootout win.

“The game could have gone either way. We had a lack of concentration allowing those two goals at the end of the second overtime,” said Kosmos coach Andreas Touros. “I’m really happy for Martin going in goal and saving those three penalty kicks, especially as his mother just died two weeks ago.”

Kosmos’ lime green uniforms will certainly stand out playing in the Regionals from June 26 to July 1 in Kingston, Rhode Island and they received a $2,000 check from Eastern New York to defer the costs of their participation.

Kosmos also received the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award as selected by the match officials. Now retired, Mr. Rubenstein was seemingly involved in every facet of New York soccer for decades and is a member of the Halls of Fame of Eastern New York, the US Amateur Soccer Association and the Long Island Junior Soccer League.