MARS Soccer League Crowns Champion

A fifth minute goal by fleet footed winger Matt Peaslee was all that the Cosmos needed as they shut out the Red Shift 3:0 in the MARS Soccer League Final tonight at the Redstone Arsenal Soccer Field on Patton Road. Two insurance goals by Justin Waldon in the final five minutes put the nail in the coffin over the outmanned Red Shift who were missing key players and had only a single person on the substitutes bench .

Brian Sanders sends in a corner as MARS Soccer President Andy Heaton looks on

Both teams got early chances but it was the Cosmos who found net, as Victor Collazo-Perez swung in a cross that fell to Peaslee's favored right foot. Peaslee lined up the shot and drilled it into the near post past Hajin Kim in the Red Shift goal.

Devon Sanders nearly scores for Cosmos

Red Shift almost equalized a few minutes later, when Ricardo Simmonds was put through alone with Cosmos keeper Ken Morrison to beat. Simmonds found himself in two minds however, and Morrison came up with the big save to deny the opportunity.

Patrick Coleman wins a header for Red Shift

Cosmos continued to press the attack. Their shots found woodwork and side netting, but the second goal remained elusive. A perfectly weighted though ball from Devon Sanders found goal scorer Peaslee in stride but his sliced right footed effort spun just wide of the far post. Soon after, the halftime whistle was blown.

Matt Peaslee narrowly misses the target after a nice through ball from Devon Sanders

Red Shift came out for the second stanza rejuvenated. Forward Paul Lawson nearly struck when after slaloming the Cosmos defense, he sent a powerful drive that Ken Morrison could only parry to the ground. No Red Shift players were on hand to convert the loose ball, and the opportunity was swept away by the Cosmos defenders. Soon after, Boris Simmonds also had a good look from about 20 meters that sailed wide of the mark.

Red Shift's Boris Simmonds settles nicely and launches a shot just wide

The game then bogged down into a midfield battle, but Victor Collazo-Perez created some "Oohs and ahhs" with a nifty lob over goalkeeper Kim who had strayed from his line. The Red Shift defense was alert, however and cleared it out of danger.

As time wound down in the tight game, Red Shift sent players forward in droves and it almost paid off when Ben Donahue nearly hit the target from an acute angle. However, it wasn't to be as the lack of substitutes showed in costly mistakes. An errant back pass was intercepted by Waldon who calmly slotted home to double the score. Just seconds after, it was Waldon again making it 3:0. This time he tucked away a spilled ball off a shot from Sanders, and Cosmos had the title in hand.

MARS Champions: Cosmos