ACC Soccer: Virginia Tech and Virginia Tie in ACC Opener

In front of a sold-out crowd, No. 8 Virginia Tech (2-0-2, 0-0-1 ACC) and Virginia (3-1-1, 0-0-1) battled to a 2-2 draw at Thompson Field Friday night.

The Cavaliers quickly had the first scoring chance just two minutes into the match. Virginia’s Marco Dos Santos took the ball deep into Tech’s box and was challenged by freshman defender Joao Felicio at the edge of the box and the ball was forced out of play. Referee Stephen Foster checked for a potential penalty on Felicio, but it was ruled a clean tackle.

Virginia controlled the pace of play for much of the first 15 minutes of the game, getting opportunity after opportunity to put one past Sam Joseph. Just minutes after the almost penalty, UVA continued the pressure as Albin Gashi crossed it deep inside of the Hokies’ box for what should have been an easy tap-in goal for Samuel Oluouheu but his shot went well over the crossbar.

“It was the worst performance that we had this year, and we’re fortunate to get a 2-2 tie,” said coach Mike Brizendine following the game.

Virginia was finally able to capitalize on the consistent pressure in the 27th minute. After a Virginia corner was successfully defended by Tech, Cavaliers’ Dos Santos quickly regained possession and did a clean 1-2 passing sequence with Umberto Pelà to put Virginia up a goal.

Something had to change for Virginia Tech, so coach Brizendine made some substitutions that included former UVA player Andy Sullins, following Pelà’s goal. That decision turned out to be a success almost immediately as Yanis Belatrache was able to get deep inside of Virginia’s box and cross it for Sullins and was able to deflect it past Casper Mols to even the score.

Suddenly, the momentum quickly shifted to the Hokies, and just before the half was coming to an end, Amir Ariely was able to give his team the lead. The Hokies were given a corner kick that was taken by Ian Marcano and delivered a strong service into the box, which was headed down by Colin Beutel to Ariely, who was able to find the back of the net.

The second half was much slower-paced than the first as neither team was able to find any sort of offensive momentum in the first 10 minutes of the half.

Finally, in the 63rd minute, Virginia Tech had a breakaway led by Colin Beutel whose shot is blocked, but deflected to his teammate Declan Quill who puts a great shot on goal but is deflected off the goalkeeper Mols, but the pressure is still not done as the rebound is picked up by Marcano who delivers another great shot on goal but is denied by Mols.

Quill got another scoring chance just 12 minutes later as he delivered a strike right outside the top of the box that deflected off Mols. Quill then gets his own rebound, and Mols once again comes through and makes a brilliant save to keep the deficit at just one goal.

Mols’ efforts were rewarded as in the 79th minute, the Hokies breakdown defensively as Virginia’s Bacary Tandjigora dribbles from midfield to inside Virginia Tech’s box and crosses it off of the goalkeeper Joseph and Nicholas Simmonds is able to tap it in for an easy goal to even the score.

“A guy dribbled it 40 yards uncontested, and that’s not good defending,” said Brizendine.

Following Simmonds’ goal, neither team really had any other good chances to score before time expired, and the Hokies will disappointingly take just one point Friday night.

The Hokies' next game is Tuesday, September 9th, vs. Furman at home. The game starts at 5 p.m. EST, and coverage will be on the ACC Network.

More Virginia Tech soccer news: