Goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer Helps Cosmos Lift The Soccer Bowl Trophy After Watching From The Sidelines In 2013

New York Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer had a great view when the side won the title in 2013. That view, however, wasn’t the one Maurer had in mind.

That season, Maurer watched from the bench as the backup to Kyle Reynish – who won the Golden Glove – as the Cosmos won in Atlanta, 1-0, over the Silverbacks.

“As a professional you want to be in final,” Maurer said before The Championship Final. “In 2013 it was awesome being a part of the team and winning, but it’s always a little bit different when it’s your team, when you’ve been playing all year.”

Last season, the goalkeeper narrowly missed out on winning his own Golden Glove award and a chance to play in a final when the Cosmos fell in extra time, 2-1, to the eventual champion San Antonio Scorpions in the semifinal.

Watching from the sideline and coming just short in 2014, provided even more hunger for Maurer to reach the pinnacle of the NASL.

“Having that sensation to win it in 2013 was so awesome – winning it in the first year back,” Maurer said. “Knowing how it felt and then last year how bad it feels when you’re on the other side to not even make the final and watching another team lift up the trophy. We definitely brought a lot of motivation into this year.”

That loss of course came on the road at Toyota Field, but this season the Cosmos were afforded their first home postseason match and they took full advantage. They first came from behind to beat the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, 2-1, in the semifinal.

“We talked about it a lot this year, especially how we fell off last season at the end and had to play on the road in the semifinals,” Maurer said. “It’s a huge advantage to be able to play in front of your home fans.

“If the game drops a little the fans are there to pick you up.”

Again missing out on the league’s top ‘keeper award – which went to Ottawa’s Romuald Peiser – Maurer got both hands on the NASL’s ultimate prize – the Soccer Bowl trophy – after a 3-2 win over Peiser and Fury FC in The Championship Final.

“To be able to play in a final was great,” Maurer said. “It was a great atmosphere – thanks to our fans. It was a little closer than we would’ve liked. It seemed like at one point we were going to make it a little more comfortable.

“It was great to be able to play that game at home. It was a special feeling.”

Another special element to the second title triumph for the Cosmos in three years is that the core of the team has been together since the reboot and are still key members of the lineup. Of the 11 Cosmos starters in this year’s final, eight have been with the team since 2013.

“Thanks to the staff that they really valued the core group together and it’s really given the team a good, strong foundation not having crazy changes after a year,” Maurer said. “Last year didn’t go as well as wanted, but they still wanted to keep the core around.

“It shows that you keep consistency, you keep a strong core – there’s always going to be changes, that’s the nature of the business – but it’s been a great foundation to have a solid group of guys. We continue learning, continue growing, but we stay together.”