FC Frederick Ends Virginia Beach City Hex in 1-1 Draw

For the first time in four seasons, FC Frederick took a point from Virginia Beach City FC. Yet, for the home-standing team, there weren’t many smiling faces.

Shawn Baker’s last-second shot was cleared off the line by Virginia Beach’s Kareem Gharbi, leaving FC Frederick and Virginia Beach City in a 1-1 tie Sunday evening at Thomas Athletic Field on the campus of Hood College.

Only 19 minutes earlier, Baker finished a pass from William Eskay to knot the game at 1.

“To fight back showed great character,” FC Frederick coach Chris Spinks said. “But coming off the field with a tie (in a match like this) feels like a loss.”

FC Frederick outshot Virginia Beach City 14-7 in a foul-filled contest that was delayed 1 hour, 45 minutes due to thunder in the area.

FC Frederick dominated early play, generating five shots in the first 19 minutes. But against the run of play, Gharbi sent a pass to Prince Idornigie, who scored on Virginia Beach’s first shot of the contest.

FC Frederick had a shot go just wide of goal and another cleared off the line before the game got testy late in the first half. Three of the four yellow cards issued in the match came in the first half.

Virginia Beach had a little better of the play in the second half, before Baker’s strike tied the match at one.

In the closing seconds, Baker had a second crack at a wide-open net, but his shot was cleared away by Gharbi, and as the Virginia Beach keeper helped him to his feet, the final whistle sounded.

FC Frederick goalkeeper Camden Cook had four saves in his NPSL debut. Virginia Beach City’s Christian Coulson made five stops.

FC Frederick committed 15 fouls, while Virginia Beach City had 14 in what is becoming quite a tense rivalry between these programs. Prior to Sunday’s result, Virginia Beach City owned a 6-0 all-time record over FC Frederick.

“We created a lot of good chances and [Coulson] made some big saves,” Spinks said. “This time we didn’t finish the chances. That’s the difference at this level. We didn’t have that problem Friday night [a 7-0 win], but tonight we left a lot out there.”

Contributor: Sheldon Shealer/FC Frederick
Photo Credit: FC Frederick