Cosmos B looked impressive in their season-opening win. (Photo by Chris Aduama)

MALDEN, Mass. — Cosmos B could not have asked for a better start to the National Premier Soccer League season.

Under new coach Carlos Mendes, Cosmos B coasted to a 4-0 victory over Boston City FC at Malden Catholic High School.

Darwin Espinal scored on either side of halftime to pace Cosmos B. Alejandro Penzini and Danny Szetela also found the net.

Goalkeeper Macklin Robinson recorded the shutout in his team debut.

Boston City FC likely will not face such a daunting opponent throughout the regular season.  The Cosmos bossed the midfield through two-time MLS Cup winner with the LA Galaxy Rafael Garcia and former U.S. international Szetela. Espinal is a former striker with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and fellow forward Wojciech Wojcik is also a veteran of professional soccer in the United Soccer League and North American Soccer League.

“Their chemistry is one hundred percent and they were passing and moving it around,” Boston City defender Marcelo Cunha said.  “You can tell they have experience and that they’ve had four scrimmages already.  It’s our first game and I think that if we put it together, we have a strong team.”

Cosmos B rolled to a 3-0 halftime advantage as the visitors struck early and often.

With the game only eight minutes old, Penzini celebrated his 25th birthday with the first goal of the season as he tapped home a low cross from Joe Sanchez following a corner kick.

In the 19th minute, New York doubled its lead as Espinal headed home a high cross from Bledi Bardic.

Szetela got into the act, slotting the ball in a crowd of players past goalkeeper Wouter Dronkers for a 3-0 lead in the 44th minute.

Dronkers made several saves to help keep the game from getting out of hand.

“He’s a great keeper and made some great saves that kept us in the game,” Cunha said.  “I don’t think any of the goals were his fault.”

Espinal put in a rebound for his brace off a corner kick in the 71st minute.

Cosmos B will meet the Brooklyn Italians in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in match at LIU Brooklyn next Sunday, May 6.

New York will host Brooklyn in its NPSL home opener at Hofstra Soccer Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y. May 15.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.