PORTLAND, Maine – Portland Hearts of Pine (1-2-5) took an early lead on the road against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (4-1-4) through a fifth-minute Azaad Liadi strike, but could not hold on, falling 2-1 at CHI Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.
Chattanooga took sole possession of fourth place in USL League One with the win, while Hearts remain just three points out of playoff position.
Portland came out firing in Tennessee and put the hosts on the back foot from the opening. Ollie Wright’s fifth-minute free kick from outside the penalty area curled behind the Red Wolves backline, where a lunging Chattanooga defender could do little more than get a toe on it and deflect it to Liadi. The Hearts striker uncorked a one-time shot that gave Portland a 1-0 lead—but the goal also shocked the Red Wolves into action.
Declan Watters tied things up for Chattanooga in the 28th minute when Hunter Morse parried a long-range Wynand Wessels strike into his path, leaving the center back an easy tap-in from point blank range.
Just seven minutes later Joshua Ramos forced a turnover, dribbled into the penalty area and took a shot that deflected skyward off Morse. Pedro Hernandez outjumped a pair of Hearts players and headed home to give the Red Wolves the lead at 2-1.
While Hearts dominated possession in the first half, holding a 64%-36% edge, Chattanooga held a 7-3 advantage in shots to go with the lead on the scoreboard.
Portland piled on the pressure in the second 45 minutes, stretching its possession advantage to 74%-26% and taking eight shots to the Red Wolves’ one, but was unable to break through Chattanooga’s resolute defense and the match finished 2-1 in favor of the home side.
Up next: On Sunday, June 15, Portland Hearts of Pine return home to Fitzpatrick Stadium, where they are undefeated during their inaugural season. The Mainers face defending league champions Union Omaha, with the match kicking off at 6:00 p.m. and airing live on NESN and ESPN+.
GOALS
POR – Azaad Liadi 5’
CHA – Declan Watters 28’, Pedro Hernandez 35’
DISCIPLINE
YC – Wynand Wessels (CHA 13’), Nathan Messer (POR 40’), Mikey Lopez (POR 45’), Sean Vinberg (POR 49’), Declan Watters (CHA 56’)
RC – NONE
LINEUPS
PORTLAND HEARTS OF PINE – Hunter Morse, Nathan Messer, Sean Vinberg, Kemali Green (Samuel Mahlamäki Camacho 61’), Colby Quiñones (Michel Poon-Angeron 62’), Mikey Lopez ©, Masashi Wada, Mickey Reilly (Titus Washington 61’), Ollie Wright, Azaad Liadi (Jake Keegan 80’), Walter Varela (JayTee Kamara 61’)
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – Kash Oladapo, Shandon Wright
CHATTANOOGA RED WOLVES SC – Ricardo Jérez ©, Jordan Ayimbila, Eric Kinzer, Declan Watters, Omar Gómez, Joshua Ramos (Owen Green 73’), Matthew Bentley (Greyson Mercer 90’), Wynand Wessels (Michael Knapp 65’), Ualefi Rodrigues, Pedro Hernandez (Zahir Vasquez 65’), Omar Hernandez (Alhassan 73’)
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – Jason Smith, Tobi Jnohope, Gharett Morris, Yanis Lelin
Damian Foley
Director of Fan Experience