Cosmos Defender Carlos Mendes Has An Unforgettable Performance Days After The Birth Of His First Child
New York Cosmos defender Carlos Mendes scored a goal in the second minute of the club’s 4-2 win over FC Edmonton on Sunday in a Mother’s Day matinee. Mendes then netted a second goal in the 36th minute.
It was the second time he scored twice in a match for New York, replicating the feat in a 4-0 win against the Atlanta Silverbacks on April 13, 2014.
The 34-year-old defender hasn’t been known as a goalscorer, only scoring five times in over 200 matches throughout his professional career.
After the match, head coach Giovanni Saverese had just the reason for the rare attacking outburst from his captain.
“It was the baby effect,” he said after the match.
Mendes’ wife, Jill, gave birth to their first child, James Ryan Mendes, only days prior to the Cosmos’ victory.
With his wife watching from home and his own mother in the stands, the Cosmos’ captain had to shake off a lack of sleep and the emotions of the week to perform on Sunday.
After the first goal went in for Mendes, it was already setting up to be a special day.
“Once I scored, it hit me after, I had to do the baby celebration,” Mendes told NASL.com. After the goal, he put the ball under his jersey and rubbed it to acknowledge the birth of his son. “It was so early in the game that you can’t get too excited about.”
Then the day got even better when he headed the ball past on-rushing FC Edmonton goalkeeper Matt VanOekel from Ayoze’s cross.
“After the game is when it really sunk in, and I really enjoyed it. Not just with my wife, but my parents were there, so it was really special,” he said.
Mendes noted it was the best week of his life, but did he credit his performance on the pitch to the baby effect as well?
“I guess so, I really don’t know, to be honest,” Mendes said. “It was such a crazy week, it was incredible. You can’t describe the birth of your first child. Everything happened so fast. After the game, you’re like ‘Wow!’
“We won the game, Mother’s Day was perfect, and I guess you can credit that to the baby effect.”
Mendes and the Cosmos look to carry their momentum and continue their unbeaten run in a place they’ve never won, WakeMed Soccer Park, on Saturday, May 16, at 7:30 p.m.
