In a clash between two unbeaten sides on Wednesday, June 4th, it was Annapolis who came out on top, beating Virginia Beach United (VBU) by a score of 3-1.
Seeing a total of 14 cards handed out, there wasn’t an ounce of passion or aggression left on the pitch.
Akin to the Annapolis’ first match of the season, the Blues found themselves conceding the first goal of the match, coming in the fifth minute. Playing out of the back, Emigdio Tormo Lopez connected with his left center back, Rafael Machado. Machado played a ball out wide to Kobe Keomany. The left back was quickly pressed by United’s right forward, Thomas Campbell. Keomany took one touch and played it back to Machado, who attempted to play a first time pass back to his goalkeeper. The center back’s pass was too heavy, catching Tormo Lopez off guard. Despite his sprint across the box and sliding effort to clear the ball off the goal line, the Elche, Spain, native kicked it over the line and into the back of the net.
Annapolis leveled things in the 20th minute after Matthew Lenert picked the ball up on left wing. Driving towards goal, Lenert muscled his man to the ground and centered a ball for Albi Ndrenika. Ndrenika, a senior at the University of Maryland, made no mistake as he opened his hips and slotted home the first-time finish into bottom right corner, beating an outstretched Griffin Potter.
The first yellow card of the match was awarded to Virginia Beach’s Peekay Stoffle in the 31st minute after the midfielder went into a crunching tackle on De Jesus in the Blues’ defensive half.
In stoppage time of the first half, Annapolis was awarded a penalty kick. As the ball bounced around the right-hand side of the box, Ndrenika played in a cross that found Ryan Belal on the back post. Dribbling away from goal, Belal was pushed in the back by Jonathon Lediding, yielding a blow of the referee’s whistle. Tyler Gabarra, the team’s captain, stepped up to the spot. Taking a short, three-step approach, the left footed Gabarra rifled the ball into the left side netting, sending Potter diving the wrong way.
With two undefeated teams going head-to-head, it was a given that tactical efforts would be on display throughout the match. After the opening goal, Virginia Beach changed to a 4-2-3-1, looking to implement a more defensive-minded tactical approach from its opening 4-4-2 formation. However, this was quickly changed back to the original 4-4-2 following the equalizer. The high press was not featured much in the first half, as the two teams conceded possession until the opposing side crossed midfield.
Both sides finished the first 45 with three shots each, seeing the Blues give up three fouls while Virginia Beach committed eleven. Ultimately, Annapolis ended the half in front, 2-1.
The referee awarded three cards to Annapolis in the 59th minute. Ian Webb-Johnson, Benjamin Fisher and Keomany were all booked for dissent, arguing and disagreeing over a foul called on the Blues.
Just minutes later, the Blues added to its tally. Receiving the ball just inside his defensive half, Gabarra drove into space and towards goal. Splitting the Virginia Beach center back and right back, he played a ball to Max Viera on the right wing. Once inside the box, Viera took one more touch and played a square ball to Ben Madore who took the shot in stride. The second half substitute’s shot trickled into the bottom left corner, despite Potter getting a hand to it, only furthering the success of substitutes for Annapolis under the tutelage of Head Coach Colin Herriot.
The fifth yellow card of the match was awarded to Gabarra in the 75th minute after his attempted tackle in which he went straight through the back of Barrett Saul. Ironically, the next yellow card would be awarded to Saul just two minute later. In the 78th minute, Fisher dove into a studs-up tackle in the middle of the field on Samuel Phillips, yielding a second yellow card, dropping Annapolis down to 10 men after his sending off.
The Blues were able to hold off Virginia Beach from generating any more attacking opportunities and, after six minutes of stoppage time, came away with the 3-1 win to remain undefeated. The Blues, who were just ranked 10th in this week’s USL League 2 Power Rankings, will return to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Saturday, June 7th to face off against last year’s Eastern Conference Chesapeake Division champions Lionsbridge FC at 7:30 p.m.
