by JAKE NUTTING

NASL Beat Writer

New York Cosmos captain Carlos Mendes has been named the NASL Player of the Week after scoring two goals to lead his club to a pivotal 4-2 victory at home over FC Edmonton.

“Carlos is a great captain, and he works hard and shows fantastic leadership on the pitch. It’s great to see him named Player of the Week, and I think it is the perfect end to a week where the Cosmos family became bigger with the arrival of his son James,” Cosmos Head Coach Gio Savarese told NASL.com

It took the center back less than two minutes to get on the scoresheet. When forward Lucky Mkosana’s initial header was blocked by keeper Matt Van Oekel the deflection bounced directly into the path of Mendes, who pounced on the opportunity to take an early lead.

His second tally was the game winner and came off an excellent curling cross into the box from fellow defender Ayoze. Mendes rose high to meet the cross and deftly redirected the ball into the top right corner.

The goals were only Mendes’ third and fourth goals in a Cosmos shirt. Coincidentally, his previous two goals also came in a brace performance. In last year’s Spring’s season, the Long Island native dropped two goals on the Atlanta Silverbacks, an effort that also won him Player of the Week honors.

Mendes may not be a prolific scorer, but his leadership on the Cosmos back line has been essential to the club’s fast start in 2015. New York is unbeaten through six matches and have conceded only three goals, by far the fewest in the league.

It was a celebratory week for the captain off the field as well. On the Thursday before the match, his wife gave birth to their first child.

Sunday’s win widens the gap between the Cosmos at the top of the table and the rest of the league. Five points separate them from second place teams Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. Up next, the Cosmos travel to Carolina where they have struggled in the past to get results.