Facing off against top of the table Northern Virginia FC, Wednesday’s road match would prove difficult for Annapolis.
Virginia’s home side created the first opportunity just three minutes into the match. James Quill picked up the ball off a stray touch from Rafael Machado. The midfielder then unleashed a shot to the top left corner, beating Blues goalkeeper Zach Cielewich, who earned his first start. However, Quill did not beat the woodwork, with his shot hitting the crossbar and rebounding out, sending an early warning shot.
Chris Niblock found himself with NOVA’s next opportunity. Picking the ball up at midfield, Niblock drove down the left wing with acres of space to go. Upon entering the box, he took on Taku Takahasi. From the corner of the six-yard box, Niblock fired a shot that beat Cielewich at his near post, putting too much pace on it for the goalkeeper, finding the top corner in the 10th minute.
Ian Webb-Johnson received a yellow card in the 37th minute, the first of the match, following a two footed, studs-up tackle in the middle of the pitch. On the cusp of halftime, Max Viera equalized for the Blues. Brady Geho turned the NOVA FC defender at midfield and was in a footrace, darting towards goal. The right back was able to recover and delay Geho as he entered the box, making a diving block on the striker’s shot. The rebound fell right to the feet of Viera, who was inside the box, centrally on the right. Viera took a first-time shot that lasered into the bottom left corner, beating the hand of Andrew Hartman at full stretch.
NOVA took the lead in the 54th minute off a quick attack that caught the Blues off guard. The left winger quickly dribbled down the field before sending in a cross to the center midfielder, roughly 30 yards out from goal. He took a touch to settle and found the feet of James Quill at the top of the box. With his back turned to goal, Quill cut back inside as the defense laid off and gave him space, which he would quickly take advantage of. He fired a shot that found the left side-netting of the goal, making it 2-1.
Shortly after, the wheels started to fall off. With the ball taking a stray bounce after an attempted headed clearance by the Blues’ defense went array, the ball fell to Diego Avelar who chested the ball down, controlled it with his knee and then took aim at goal from seven yards out on the right wing. His finish beat Cielewich at his near post once again, adding onto the lead for NOVA FC. A curling shot from Niblock at the top of the box found the bottom left corner in the 64th minute, making it 4-1.
Annapolis pulled one back in the 72nd minute after a slipped through ball found Geho who calmly slotted home his finish into the bottom left corner, just as he entered inside the box.
A fifth goal was added for NOVA FC in the 79th minute. The Blues attempted to play out of the back when a loose touch was taken by Jordan Savage who took one touch that carried him into the box before poking the ball in, beating Cielewich at the near post. The Blues responded immediately as Geho scored a header off a cross from Viera just one minute later, bringing it to 5-3 with 10 minutes left to play.
With Wednesday’s loss, the playoff hopes have nearly dissipated for Annapolis. The Blues have two games remaining, a road match on July 10 against Christos FC at 7:00 pm and a home match on July 12 against Charlottesville Blues at 7:30pm.
