Cow Bells Ring Loud in VB United’s 3-0 Crescendo Over Charlottesville Blues FC
Virginia Beach United midfielder Alexander Moody celebrating after his goal in the 21st minute.
By Nicholas King — May 19, 2024
In its inaugural game, Charlottesville Blues FC and its fans were hopeful to hear the triumphant melody of victory resound within the Virginia Beach Sportsplex on Saturday night. However, Virginia Beach United spoiled the club’s debut performance, defending their home turf with a resounding 3-0 triumph.
The match began at a lago pace for both teams. Each side cautiously assesses the rhythm of the game, until the Blues’ offensive tempo syncopated in the twelfth minute, creating an opportunity for an open look on goal. Yet, Charlottesville’s crescendoing momentum was abruptly halted at the sight of the official’s flag, spoiling their chance to score.
The Blues had another chance at a score just six short minutes later, but Josh Kirkland clinkered the ball away from the net, quelling Charlottesville’s offense once again. Forward Kome Ubogu of FC lashed the squad’s first official shot a minute later, only to be denied by United’s steadfast goalkeeper, Griffin Potter, who silenced Charlottesville’s ensuing symphony.
Virginia Beach’s offense surged to live in the twentieth minute. ODU commit Micah Wayland rang a shot off the right post, a disappointing tune for United fans. However, the action roared the United cowbells to life, and their clang echoed into the subsequent corner, where the pass by Sam Murphy was headed backward by captain Bomba Hermoso into the laying boot of Alexander Moody. The Virginia Wesleyan product conducted his leg into a forward motion to breeze a shot into the right side of the net, giving Virginia Beach a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute.
However, Charlottesville temporarily silenced the United fans just one minute later. A well-placed through pass to Kome Ubogu from forward Josh Kirkland allowed the ball to tickle the twine to steady the rhythm at one apiece. Unfortunately, Ubogu found himself offside, dampening the cheers from Charlottesville fans.
In the 26th minute, Virginia Beach built the beat once more. A perfect corner kick from Ethan Taylor found stalwart defenseman Jonathan Leiding’s foot, doubling VB’s lead to 2-0 and marking the club's second goal off a corner. After the game, the Lucky Oyster Man of the Match, Alexander Moody, claimed that these set-piece opportunities were “something that we had been trying to work on in training this past week,” indicating why United capitalized so effectively on those chances. Charlottesville was granted one more optimal look at the net before halftime, but Griffin Potter’s solid goalkeeping ensured Virginia Beach’s lead remained intact at the break.
While the first frame took the pace of a swinging tune, the second preceded as more of a tender song. Both sides were slowed by the opposing defense until the 84th minute, where Ethan Taylor laid a beautiful cross up to reserve forward Timmy Ennin for Virginia Beach’s third tally of the match. That score would be the match's climatic note, as the game drew on for twelve more minutes until the final whistle rang and United could resonate in its well-earned victorious melody.
In the first frame, the pace resembled that of a swinging tune, while the second transitioned into a more tender melody. Both teams found their momentum hindered by the opposing defense until the 84th minute when Ethan Taylor delivered a magnificent cross to reserve forward Timmy Ennin, securing Virginia Beach’s third tally of the match. This goal marked the climax of the game, which lamented for another twelve minutes, allowing United to revel in the sound of victory.
Virginia Beach has now won two in a row and will go for three on Wednesday when it hosts Patuxent Football Athletics. United has only won three consecutive games one other time in its five-year history, which came last year in June. The opening kick for the match is 7 pm.