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New York Cosmos, the club made famous by Pele, came twice from behind to force a penalty shootout and defeat South China in the Lunar New Year Cup on Thursday.
Substitute Andres Flores scored two minutes from the end to allow the visitors to draw level at 2-2 and force the game into penalty kicks. South China skipper Chan Wai-ho and defender Jack Sealy missed from the spot as Cosmos won the shootout 4-2.
“This is a positive start to our season. We play our first league game on April 4th and to come back, twice and win in our first match in pre-season is very satisfying,” said Cosmos coach Giovanni Savarese.

The legend of Pele, who played for Cosmos from 1975 to 1977, might still linger on, but the 19,522 fans who turned up at Hong Kong Stadium on Thursday had come to see another superstar, Spanish forward Raul, and he didn’t disappoint as he created a number of chances.
Savarese had special words of praise for Raul, the former Real Madrid legend, where he won six La Liga titles.
“It was great to see him gelling well with his teammates. He did very well creating a number of chances but what was also pleasing was to see how much of effort he was putting in defence. He was working hard, falling back in defence and when you see that, it motivates the rest of the team too,” Savarese said.

Raul, however could not find the net and it was left to another No.7, South China’s Chan Siu-ki, to take the spoils in the first half when he bundled home a rebound to give his side a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute.
The goal was created by hard-working right winger Awal Mahama who was easily the best player on the field for the Caroliners. Mahama was a constant threat on the right flank with his strong bursts of speed, and one such move saw him take the ball into the area and cross to Lo Kong-wai whose shot came off the post and fell into the path of Chan who knocked it home.
Cosmos equalised three minutes later from an acrobatic aerial kick from Sebastian Gvenzatti which left South China goalie Cristian Mora rooted.

Mahama scored a richly deserved goal 15 minutes into the second half to give South China the lead again when he squeezed a shot past Cosmos keeper James Maurer on his second attempt.
South China sat back and defended that lead but a last-gasp effort from Flores, whose floated right-foot shot eluded the custodian, pushed the game into penalty kicks.

“Lady Luck wasn’t on our side today, but I’m pleased with the way we played,” said South China coach Roberto Gomez. “This performance has taken the team to another level which bodes well for us.
“We led twice but Cosmos came back strongly. To finish with a draw at the end of 90 minutes is a positive thing. But it is sad we couldn’t do better in the shootout,” Gomez added.


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Lunar New Year

New York Cosmos beat South China on penalties in Lunar New Year Cup

New York Cosmos' forward Raul Gonzalez (C) vies with South China Football Club's Chak Ting Fung (L) and Bojan Malisic (R). Photo: EPA

New York Cosmos' Sebastian Guenzatti vies with South China Football Club's Chak Ting Fung. Photo: EPA

New York Cosmos' forward Mads Stokkelien (R) vies with South China Football Club goalkeeper Cristian Mora (L). Photo: EPA

New York Cosmos' forward Raul (3L) and team mates react during the penalty shootout. Photo: EPA

New York Cosmos' Luckymore Mksosana, (L), vies with South China Football Club's Malisic Bojan. Photo: EPA

Sport

Football

Nearly 20,000 fans come out to see former Real Madrid star Raul


New York Cosmos, the club made famous by Pele, came twice from behind to force a penalty shootout and defeat South China in the Lunar New Year Cup on Thursday.


New York Cosmos beat South China on penalties in Lunar New Year Cup

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Nearly 20,000 fans come out to see former Real Madrid star Raul

Nearly 20,000 fans come out to see former Real Madrid star Raul