Omar Ciss Strikes Game-Winner as FC Naples Downs New York Cosmos 2-1 on CCPS Takeover Night presented by Arthrex
Back-to-back home wins strengthen FC Naples’ playoff push with four matches remaining in the regular season
NAPLES, Fla. – Oct. 3, 2026 – FC Naples defeated the New York Cosmos 2-1 Saturday night in front of 3,057 fans on an electric night at Paradise Coast Sports Complex. Midfielder #21 Marc Torrellas opened the scoring, and #6 Omar Ciss delivered the game-winner in the 69th minute, earning three critical points as FC Naples pushes toward the USL League One playoffs.
Saturday’s match doubled as a celebration of Collier County students and schools during CCPS Takeover Night: Level Up! presented by Arthrex. Students and families were welcomed to the Great Lawn for pregame activities before turning the spotlight to the pitch. The community’s next generation of athletes was inspired by the professionals on the field and by more than 200 Collier County high school cheerleaders who performed a special halftime routine.
FC Naples set the tone from the opening whistle. Naples native #24 Ty Collins rattled the left post in the 13th minute, and Torrellas broke through in the 21st minute, finishing a left-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom left corner off a feed from #9 Gio Miglietti. The Cosmos answered when Lamin Jawneh finished a fast break in the 49th minute, but FC Naples retook the lead 20 minutes later. Defender #3 Julian Cisneros picked out Ciss, whose right-footed strike from the center of the box found the top of the net. Captain and goalkeeper #1 Edward Delgado sealed the result deep in stoppage time with a save on a Stalyn Acosta header. The victory avenges a 1-0 road loss at Hinchliffe Stadium on July 8 and gives FC Naples a split of the season series with the league newcomers.
For Ciss, who joined FC Naples midseason, the game-winning goal carried added significance in front of the home fans. The Dakar, Senegal, native credited his growing understanding with midfield partner Torrellas, built through months of work on the training ground.
“So excited, because it was a must-win game. We have to push to go to the playoffs, so in this kind of game, we’ve got to do everything, give everything, to win,” said Ciss. “And I’m so excited to score the second goal and get the win here.”
The win marks back-to-back home victories for FC Naples, following a 1-0 result against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on Sept. 26. Interim head coach Zak Gordon pointed to the character his squad has built during the second half of the season.
“I think since mid-July, we’ve shown a lot of character in games. We’ve shown a lot more fight than we did the first 17 matches of the league campaign,” said Gordon. “As a collective, they’ve really bought into the increased competitiveness and winning mindset on a daily basis in the training cycle. We’ve been very demanding with the guys, and it’s been unrelenting. And they’ve really taken it, and they’ve shown that they want to win. They want to put on a good product for the community.”
Veteran midfielder #14 Kevin O’Connor said the crowd lifted the team when the Cosmos pulled level early in the second half.
“I thought the turnout was incredible. They stayed behind us the whole game, which is great. Obviously, when we conceded early, they got behind us and they rallied, so we can’t ask for any more from them,” said O’Connor. “They’ve been great all year. They’ve supported us all year. Hopefully we can give them a good end to the season.”
With four matches remaining, every point counts. FC Naples returns to Paradise Coast Sports Complex in just four days, giving Southwest Florida fans another chance to fuel the playoff push.
Oct. 7 – Oktoberfest Night: FC Naples vs. Richmond Kickers (7 p.m.)
FC Naples celebrates Oktoberfest at Paradise Coast Sports Complex on Wednesday, Oct. 7, when it hosts the Richmond Kickers in a quick midweek turnaround. FC Naples earned a 1-0 road victory at Richmond on March 21 and will look to make it two wins from two against the Kickers this season, this time in front of its home supporters.
Tickets are available at www.fcnaples.com/tickets.
About FC Naples
FC Naples is Southwest Florida’s first professional soccer team, based at the state-of-the-art Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples, Florida. The club’s 2026 roster represents 13 nationalities, and the team is coming off a historic inaugural 2025 season that saw FC Naples finish fourth in the USL League One regular-season standings and become the first expansion team in league history to host and win a playoff match. FC Naples’ mission is to create a world-class family experience and forge a title-contending team to be the pride of Southwest Florida. Learn more at www.FCNaples.com.