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Annapolis, M.D. (07/09/2023) – After an hour rain delay on a stormy Sunday evening, the Annapolis Blues took on the Alexandria Reds in both team’s final match of the regular season.
The Reds came sprinting out of the gates, generating the first goal scoring opportunity within the first minute of the match, calling on Blues’ goalkeeper Griffin Hemmindinger to make a save. Blues defender Elton De Oliveira Santos missed his touch on the ball, leading to a one-on-one breakaway opportunity for Reds’ attacker Chris Barnard. Barnard darted into the box and placed his shot to the low bottom corner of the near post; however it was met by the foot of Hemmindinger in a kick-save, resulting in a corner kick that produced no further opportunity.
Six minutes later the Reds would score the breakthrough goal, in the seventh minute. Winning the ball back in midfield, the Reds quickly found the feet of Barnard once again. Barnard dribbled past three Blues defenders before crossing the ball across the six-yard box, finding the knee of Seni Joseph whose shot bobbled off his knee, hitting a Blues defender and finding its way into the back of the net.
The Blues best opportunity of the match came in the 25th minute when Eric Gwadz stripped the ball from the Reds right back in the attacking half. From the left-hand side of the pitch Gwadz cut into the box and finessed a shot to the top right corner, missing just high and wide of the goal. Three minutes later Gwadz found himself with another opportunity. As the ball bounced around in the box, Gwadz drew space from his defender, leaped in the air and connected with the ball in a scissor kick, but his shot was ultimately met by the crossbar.
After an action packed first half, the second half was polar opposite. Neither team generated many significant chances; however, both sides received several yellow cards throughout the contest. In the 62nd minute both sides entered into an on-field scuffle after the Reds defender and Blues attacker clashed for a challenge and exchanged shoves after wards, with Jeffery Aguilar receiving a yellow card for the Reds.
The Blues tied it up in the 74th minute via a goal from second half substitute Nathan Macek. From a long switch across the field, the ball found the feet of on Andrew Schug on the left side of the pitch. Schug then attempted to chip the Reds goalkeeper, Khamari Hadaway. Hadaway pawed the attempt away, but the ball found the feet of Schug again who crossed the ball into Macek for a simple tap in from two yards out. In the 89th minute Gordon Bernlohr found a chance to steal all three points. Off the back of a cross from the right side of the field, Bernlohr received the ball from 12 yards out. Taking a touch, he fired his shot to the lower left corner but was denied by the fully stretched Hadaway, keeping the game at 1-1.
The Reds found the winning goal in the 91st minute through Chris Odoi-Atsem. The former D.C United product found himself through on goal after a ball was slipped in through the midfield. From 35 yards out Odoi-Atsem was in a foot race with Blues’ defender Brian Lenzer. Odoi-Atsem outpaced Lenzer and rolled his shot through the legs of the oncoming Owen Allegro who charged out of his goal.
Head Coach Colin Herriot emphasized the importance of the upcoming few days, as the first playoff game will come within 72 hours after the end of the match against the Reds. Herriot noted the importance of playing well and needing to win each game from here on out, as any loss from here on out will knock the Blues out of the playoffs and end its 2023 inaugural season.
The next game for Annapolis will take place on Wednesday, July 12th against Grove United, scheduled for a 7pm kickoff in Naptown. This will mark the first round of postseason play, as the Blues play host for the Mid-Atlantic Conference Semi-Final match.
