PLAYER OF THE WEEK | New York Midfielder Ruben Bover

The New York Cosmos are postseason bound for a fourth straight year, and Ruben Bover played a key role in getting them there this past week. The midfielder scored in each of New York’s wins in Week 14 of the Fall Season to earn North American Soccer League (NASL) Player of the Week honors.

The Cosmos picked up a pair of 2-0 victories last week, beating the Carolina RailHawks at WakeMed Soccer Park on Wednesday before returning to Shuart Stadium to down the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Sunday. Bover scored the club’s second goal in the win over Carolina and tallied the opener against Fort Lauderdale.

"I'm very happy to be named NASL Player of the Week,” Bover said. “Not only we were able to secure a spot in The Championship, but we had convincing performances both home and away. I would like to thank Gio and the coaching staff for trusting me and encouraging me and my teammates to reach our full potential."

New York was largely frustrated in its midweek visit to Carolina, but after midfielder Adam Moffat converted a penalty in the 71^st minute, Bover quickly added a second goal less than a minute later. The Spaniard’s shot from outside the box surprised RailHawks goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre and gave the Cosmos an insurance goal in the 2-0 triumph.

Playing at home against the Strikers on Sunday, the 5-foot-10 midfielder buried a cross from teammate Juan Arango to give the league’s defending champions a 1-0 lead in the 57^th minute. One of Bover’s counterparts in the midfield, Andrés Flores, doubled the hosts’ lead late in the game to seal all three points for New York.

"Ruben had a tremendous week, and his contribution to the team allowed us to get valuable points against Carolina and Fort Lauderdale,” said Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese. “He’s a player that continues to grow every game, and I'm sure that he will continue to surprise us with many more outstanding performances."

A native of Mallorca, Spain, Bover has been tremendous in his first full season with the Cosmos’ NASL squad. The young midfielder spent a good portion of last season with New York Cosmos B, the club’s reserve side that competes in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). After breaking into the first team last season, Bover has been a regular for the Cosmos in 2016, tallying four goals and two assists in 20 league appearances (16 starts).

Prior to joining the Cosmos organization in 2015, Bover spent over two years across town with the New York Red Bulls, where he made 22 league appearances. Bover left RCD Mallorca’s academy at the age of 17 to go to England. It was there he played with Kidderminster Harriers, Halesowen Town, and Charlton Athletic from 2009-2013.

New York pays a visit to Ottawa Fury FC on Sunday as it continues its push for the Fall Season title. Despite having already clinched a spot in The Championship, the league’s four-team postseason tournament, the Cosmos still have a lot to play for. The title of Fall Season Champion comes with the ability to host a semifinal game, so New York will need to keep its momentum going to make that a reality.

Sunday’s game in Ottawa kicks off at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN3 (U.S.) and NASL.com (Canada).