Raul set up his side’s third goal with a delicate flick as Gaston Cellerino completed his hat-trick and wrapped up the Cosmos’ win.
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The Real Madrid legend marked his retirement from professional football with the decisive assist in a 3-2 victory over Ottawa Fury on Sunday, but he is determined to maintain his passion for the game, fuelling rumours that he is destined for coaching.
“I ” m very happy”, Raul said.
“I’m very proud for everything I did and thank you to the club, my teammates and the fans for this awesome year”. For me now, I start a new life with another project. “I’m happy, but I’m also very sad”.
Raul played one season with the Cosmos, who also won the NASL title in 2013 with a 1-0 win over the Atlanta Silverbacks on a goal by the Brazilian-born Senna. “It is like a dream”, Raul said. “He’s a player that is a game-changer”.
Tom Heinemann levelled matters just two minutes later, but the match then saw Cellerino fire home from close range to give the Cosmos the lead once more from a Walter Restrepo centre with 72 minutes gone.
New York Cosmos player Raul Gonzalez (C) celebrates with teammate Marcos Senna (L) and other teammates following their team’s win over the Ottawa Fury for the NASL Championship in Hempstead, New York, November 15, 2015.
Ottawa was reduced to 10 men in the 68 minute when Mason Trafford was given a straight red card by referee Alan Kelly for a stomp on Sebastian Guenzatti.
After netting 40 goals in 98 matches for Germany’s Schalke 04 and helping the Bundesliga side to the 2011 Champions League semi-finals, he departed in 2012 for Qatari side Al-Sadd and retired in 2014 only to make a comeback late a year ago with the Cosmos.
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NY 3 Ottawa 2.
