New York Cosmos edged AV ALTA FC 1–0 in USL League One action on Saturday, with Sebastián Guenzatti scoring the only goal of the game in the 61st minute.

The first half produced little in the way of goals but plenty of needle. Ozzie Ramos picked up a yellow card for the Cosmos in the 39th minute, and the tension carried into the break with the sides deadlocked at 0–0.

The second half turned feisty in a hurry. AV ALTA FC collected four bookings in the space of 16 minutes — Christian Ortiz in the 52nd, Brian Kleiban two minutes later, Nicholas Relerford in the 58th, and Kaloyan Pehlivanov in the 67th. The visitors' discipline unraveled, and the Cosmos made them pay.

Sandwiched between AV ALTA's booking spree, Guenzatti broke the deadlock. Lamin Jawneh played the ball into a dangerous area and Guenzatti finished it off to put the hosts ahead. It was a clinical moment amid a stretch of the match that AV ALTA FC spent more time arguing than attacking.

Cesar Bahena Jr. added a fifth yellow for the visitors in the 86th minute, capping a frustrating afternoon for AV ALTA FC, who never found an equalizer. The Cosmos managed the closing stages comfortably, seeing out the narrow victory without significant alarm.

The win gives New York Cosmos three valuable points at home and extends a difficult run for an AV ALTA FC side whose lack of composure proved as costly as any tactical shortcoming.