The New York Cosmos suffered a 4-1 defeat to North American Soccer League Fall Season leaders Ottawa Fury FC Tuesday night at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.

“It’s very difficult to swallow being at home,” Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese said after the game. “But I think it’s a good game for us to learn a lot of things and be prepared for what is coming in the postseason.”

Ottawa (9-1-4) jumped in front in the 31st minute. Richie Ryan played a free kick into the 18-yard box to Colin Falvey, who headed back across the box to Paulo Junior. The Brazilian forward then rifled past Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer from 10 yards.

Two minutes into the second half, Andrés Flores leveled for the Cosmos (6-3-5) on his third goal of the season. The Salvadorian international latched onto an Ayoze cross and headed inside the far post to tie the score at 1-1.

The Cosmos had ample opportunities to take the lead, including a shot on frame by Flores eight minutes later that Ottawa goalkeeper Romuald Peiser parried away for a Cosmos corner kick.

Paulo Junior netted his second goal of the match in the 56th minute. Sinisa Ubiparipovic played a quick one-two before lofting a ball into the box, where Paulo knocked it inside the far post for his brace.

“It was our game,” said Savarese. “We were controlling, creating chances, having a good tempo, doing excellent. I think that second goal was very difficult for us to bounce back from. We worked hard to get the first goal and tie.”

“Definitely the second goal kind of killed our momentum. We were doing pretty well when we were tied, but I feel like after that second goal they had the momentum over us,” forward Lucky Mkosana said. “When you get an equalizer like that, you have to keep working hard so they don’t score another goal.”

With the Cosmos pushing numbers forward in search for the equalizer, Ottawa pounced and went in front 3-1 on an own goal by defender Carlos Mendes, who slid to challenge a Tom Heinemann shot in the 77th minute.

One minute later, Ubiparipovic sent a cross to Heinemann, who put the game away with a low shot from the edge of the 18-yard box.

“The second goal from them just put us in a difficult situation,” Savarese said. “We went forward and they caught us on two chances with the counterattack.”

The Cosmos now trail first-place Ottawa by eight points in the Fall Season Standings with six games remaining, but have a one-point lead over Fury FC in the Combined Standings.

New York next heads north of the border to take on FC Edmonton this Sunday at 4 p.m.

The Cosmos also finished off their unbeaten regular season series Saturday night against Minnesota United FC via a scoreless road draw.

The best opportunity for the Cosmos to break through came in the first half. In the 19th minute, a ball was played inside the penalty area to Lucky Mkosana. 

The Zimbabwean forward dished over to Walter Restrepo, who cut back to his left leg and shot just high of the goal.

New York (6-5-2) once again had a chance to break the scoreless tie in the 53rd minute off a corner kick. The Cosmos played the ball to the deep post for Raúl, but the Spanish legend’s shot was saved by United goalkeeper Sammy N’Djock.

“It was a game that could’ve gone to either side,” said Cosmos midfielder Ruben Bover, who made his second start of the year. “Some moments we played a bit too slow, but once we start playing our game, we were doing a really good job.”

Minnesota (6-5-2) was playing its third game in eight days. The Loons built their best scoring opportunity in the 84th minute. Substitute Alejandro Vela secured the ball eight yards out, but his right-footed strike was saved by the left hand of Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer.

In the 69th minute Minnesota’s Daniel Mendes scored on a redirection of a free kick, but the goal was called back due to a handball.

 “I saw clearly that one of their players touched the ball with his hand,” said Savarese. “The referee did a good job of disallowing it.”

Loons striker Christian Ramirez netted another in the 73rd minute, but was ruled in an offside position.

With the result New York extended its unbeaten streak against United FC to eight matches. The Cosmos have yet to drop a game to Minnesota in the reboot era.