On a picturesque mid-July evening in front of 6,231 fans, Hearts met New York Cosmos for the third time this season in their final group-stage match of the Prinx Tires USL Cup. Portland controlled much of the match from the opening whistle, creating chance after chance throughout the first half. Despite dictating possession and generating several dangerous opportunities, including headers that struck the woodwork and multiple saves by the New York goalkeeper, Portland was unable to break through before halftime.
“If you don’t take your chances early, you’ll always leave people hanging around,” said Head Coach Bobby Murphy. “I thought we did enough in the first half to probably be up a couple, but you’ve got to take the chances when they come.”
The hosts continued to press after the break, but against the run of play, it was the Cosmos that found the opener in the 60th minute. A quick attacking move left a New York forward with space inside the penalty area, and he finished to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Rather than letting the setback derail the evening, Hearts of Pine responded with renewed urgency. Portland pushed numbers forward, continued to win possession high up the field and kept the pressure on as the supporters at Fitzpatrick Stadium raised the volume with every attack.
Their persistence paid off in the 80th minute.
Substitute Diego González intercepted a pass outside the penalty area, weaved through two defenders and calmly slotted a low shot inside the far post to bring the match level at 1-1. The equalizer sent the crowd into celebration and completely shifted the momentum as Hearts searched for a late winner.
“When I was on the bench, I was thinking, ‘When I come in, I’m going to try to make a difference,” said Diego González, who has scored in 3 of his 4 matches since joining Portland.
“He’s a good player. You see his class. He gets into a one-versus-two situation and doesn’t panic,” said Coach Murphy. “He’s not afraid to go onto his left foot, and he took his chance really well. That’s what we brought him here for.”
Both teams traded chances over the closing minutes, but neither side could find the decisive goal. Hearts’ defense came up with several timely blocks late, while a potential Cosmos go-ahead goal was waved off for offside, preserving the deadlock and sending the match to a penalty shootout, the club’s first of the season.
The atmosphere only intensified as every supporter rose to their feet for the shootout.
Goalkeeper Kash Oladapo opened the shootout with a save on New York’s first attempt before Joshua Drack converted Portland’s opening penalty. After both teams traded successful penalties, Oladapo came up with another save to put Hearts firmly in control. González then stepped up and buried the deciding penalty to the bottom right corner of the net, sealing a 4-2 shootout victory and sending the home crowd into celebration.
“It’s been up and down this year, so this was a really good night,” said Kash Oladapo. “It’s always good to put in a good performance. You can’t let the doubts start creeping in.” “You can only focus on what’s in front of you.”
The victory continues Portland’s strong run of form as Hearts of Pine extended their unbeaten streak to three matches. While the match officially goes into the books as a 1-1 draw, the shootout victory provided an extra point in Prinx Tires USL Cup play and gave supporters one of the club’s most memorable finishes of the season.
“Bobby keeps telling us, ‘Just keep working,” said Diogo Barbosa, who found the back of the net during penalty kicks. “I’m really happy because now we’re three games unbeaten. Hopefully we go to Boise and do the same.”
The win showcased the resilience Portland has built over recent weeks. After dominating much of the match, falling behind on one of the visitors’ few clear opportunities and responding with a late equalizer before holding their composure in the penalty shootout; Hearts of Pine delivered another confidence-building performance in front of their home supporters.
Hearts of Pine now turn their attention back to USL League One play next Saturday when they travel west to face Boise as they look to carry their unbeaten momentum into another challenging road test.
“It’s going to be a great test for us,” said Coach Murphy. “It’s a fantastic atmosphere out there, and we’ve got to make it hard for them. No matter who you play, you’ll get a chance to score. Just make sure you take it when you get it.”