Portland Hearts of Pine

On a night no one could have scripted, Hearts send Mikey Lopez off with a four-goal win

PORTLAND, Maine – Portland Hearts of Pine closed their second season with a 4–1 victory over Charlotte Independence on Saturday night at Fitzpatrick Stadium, as captain Mikey Lopez scored in the final match of his professional career. Aboubacar Camara added two goals and Diogo Barbosa contributed another in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,400, giving the Hearts a fitting finish to an emotional evening at Fort Fitzy.

Before kickoff, Lopez was recognized alongside his family and friends, receiving a framed jersey as chants of “Thank you, Mikey” rang out from the stands. The celebration set the tone for a night that brought players and supporters together to honor their captain and close another chapter in the Club’s young history.

Portland carried that energy into the opening minutes, pressing Charlotte’s back line and moving the ball with purpose. Diego Gonzalez threatened early with a cross that was blocked inside the penalty area, while Camara nearly forced a breakthrough when he charged down a clearance from the Charlotte goalkeeper. The ball deflected off Camara and flew back toward goal before landing behind the net.

The Hearts continued creating opportunities throughout the first half. Joshua Drack delivered a dangerous cross from the left that produced a close-range effort, but Charlotte’s goalkeeper made the stop. Portland also generated several corner kicks, keeping the visitors under pressure while its defenders worked to limit opportunities at the other end.

The breakthrough came in the 41st minute through a perfectly weighted pass from Michel Poon-Angeron. From near midfield, the midfielder lifted the ball over Charlotte’s defense and into Camara’s path. Camara raced into the penalty area and slipped his finish past the advancing goalkeeper to give Portland a 1–0 lead.

Charlotte answered just before halftime, connecting on a near-post header from a corner kick that found its way past Hunter Morse. Despite Portland’s strong opening half, the teams entered the break level at 1–1.

Murphy said the message at halftime was to stay composed and trust the way the Hearts had been playing.

“There was a mistake on the set piece. Somebody vacated an area they shouldn’t have, which happens at times. … Don’t let that derail you at this point. If you keep playing the way you’re playing, you’re going to win the game. … I thought the response was fantastic.”

The Hearts regained their advantage in the 54th minute with a moment that belonged to their captain. Lopez won possession in Portland’s defensive third and sent a long ball forward for Walter Varela, who was brought down by the Charlotte goalkeeper inside the penalty area.

Lopez stepped forward to take the penalty in his final appearance. His low attempt toward the left corner was saved, but he followed the rebound and drove the ball into the net to put Portland ahead 2–1.

Fitzpatrick Stadium erupted as Lopez’s teammates surrounded him. Injured midfielder Ollie Wright joined the celebration on crutches, while another chorus of “Thank you, Mikey” poured down from the stands. For a captain whose final night had begun with a tribute, the goal gave his teammates, family and supporters a moment they won’t soon forget.

In the 57th minute, Jay Tee Kamara entered the match for Lopez, who left the field to a standing ovation. After embracing teammates and opponents alike, he made his way to the sideline to find his coach one final time.

“He was just telling me, ‘Have fun, enjoy, take it in.’ And I think when I came off, I think he was crying a bit,” said Lopez. “That’s just the type of person that he is and what he means to me, and hopefully that’s what I mean to him as well.”

In his post-match interview, Lopez reflected on what playing for Hearts of Pine meant to him and the full-circle moment of ending his career under Bobby Murphy, who first coached him at age 13.

“I can’t thank him enough for bringing me here and having me be a part of this with him, and just being a part of this club as well. Just extremely, extremely thankful, grateful, appreciative…the passion and love that Maine and Portland have for the club; I haven’t been in many clubs where it’s this passionate. And it’s truly, truly inspirational, and truly something that I will always cherish to the day I die, and it’s something that I’m always going to remember.”

Portland continued pushing forward while protecting its lead. Matteo Kidd made an important sliding intervention in the 62nd minute to break up a dangerous Charlotte pass, then threatened at the other end moments later with a low shot that forced another save.

The Hearts maintained their attacking pressure as the half progressed, with Gonzalez testing the goalkeeper and Portland searching for a third goal to create some breathing room.

Barbosa provided it in the 82nd minute. The second-half substitute anticipated a pass from Charlotte’s goalkeeper, intercepted the ball and advanced toward the penalty area before lifting a composed finish over the stranded keeper. His celebration brought another roar from the crowd as Portland extended its lead to 3–1.

“Of course, we had a lot of motivation,” said Barbosa. “We said, ‘We’re going to play for you (Mikey).’ He said, ‘Don’t play for me. Play for the fans, play for your family.’”

Camara capped the evening with his second goal in the 90th minute. Joshua Drack advanced down the left and lofted a pass toward Camara near the top of the penalty area. The forward allowed the ball to bounce before unleashing a powerful shot into the left side of the net, leaving the Charlotte goalkeeper with little chance and sealing the 4–1 victory.

When asked about Camara’s performance and growth over the season, Coach Bobby Murphy said, “He deserves a huge amount of credit for the goals he scored tonight, but I think credit not only in the way he took them, but in the way they came about. It shows his maturation. And for me, the goals always stand out, and goals change games, and they’re hugely important. But he just never quit running tonight.”

The final whistle brought Portland’s season to a close with a performance built on relentless pressure, connected passing and decisive finishing. On a night filled with thank-yous, the Hearts gave their supporters one more reason to celebrate.

“The focus all week was, people in this community have shown up and supported us,” said Coach Bobby Murphy. “Everybody in the locker room was disappointed that the season ends tonight. … From our perspective, from a mentality perspective, it was doing our best to reflect back the love and the support that we’ve been given all year, to try and show that through our play, and put all the other stuff away.”

“I think the Mikey situation gave them a little extra boost as well. They wanted to make sure that they sent him off well.”

The Club’s 39th consecutive sellout offered another reminder of the bond that has grown between the Hearts and the community they represent. By the time the final whistle blew, the night had taken on a feeling of its own. Camara had scored twice, Diogo Barbosa had floated a finish over the goalkeeper and celebrated with a dance in front of a roaring Fitzy, and Mikey Lopez had found the net in the final match of his career. It felt less like the end of a season and more like one of those games that will keep getting retold, the details growing more familiar every time someone says, “Remember that night?”

With plans for a new stadium and Maine Wildness preparing to begin play next May, the organization’s next chapter is already taking shape. Saturday’s farewell carried the sadness of an ending, but also the pride and possibility of what this soccer community continues to build together in Maine.

The Portland Hearts of Pine couldn’t find a way past the stingiest defense in USL League One on Saturday night, falling 2-0 to Forward Madison at Breese Stevens Field in Wisconsin.

Portland fought valiantly all night, but it ran into the reason Forward Madison has allowed fewer than one goal per game this season. Madison’s high press and strong back line kept smothering the Hearts’ attack, especially in the final third. Portland managed just one shot on goal and lost the corner kick battle 10-1. 

Forward Madison’s Ryan Carmichael, who recently set the club’s single-season goal scoring record, scored a pair of goals, giving him 14 for the season and putting him in the race for the Golden Boot award.

Portland took the initial kickoff and controlled play in the very early stages, keeping Forward Madison on its side of the field. But the Madison quickly began finding opportunities to spring their forwards down the wings, and suddenly, only four minutes into the match, a Forward Madison counterattack led to a shot in close by Hakim Karamoko. Hearts goalkeeper Kashope Oladapo made the save but the ball deflected to Carmichael, who scored in the open goal. 

Forward Madison kept pushing, repeatedly winning corner kicks. But Portland stood tall, protecting the box from the set pieces against the taller Forward Madison players. Madison lead the league this season in set piece goals but on this day, Portland stopped each attempt.

In the 15th minute, Portland’s Michel Poon-Angeron was booked for a tackle but the play likely stopped a Madison breakaway. Meanwhile, midfielder Diogo Barbosa made several strong tackles to thwart Forward Madison’s offense.

Throughout the match, Portland players would create turnovers and send the Hearts on attack. But each time, Forward Madison had the answer defensively. 

Oladapo, making his third start of the season, made a tremendous save, tipping a nifty shot by Karamoko that then struck the crossbar and bounced out harmlessly. A little later, a Portland turnover led to a counterattack. Karamoko launched a curling pass that Carmichael struck cleanly and appeared to be heading into the goal, but Oladapo threw himself sideways and knocked the ball away.

Late in the first half, Karamoko broke through the Hearts’ defense. Portland defender Joshua Drack caught Karamoko’s back foot and both players tumbled to the ground. The referee gave Drack a yellow card, awarding a penalty kick that Carmichael converted for his brace in the 40th minute. Oladapo nearly saved the shot, flicking his right leg upward as he dove, deflecting it but not enough to keep it out of the goal. A few minutes later, Carmichael almost got his hat trick but he shot wide.

Portland had a couple of late opportunities in the first half off of set pieces but came up empty.

To start the second half, Hearts center back Serigne Faye entered the match for Aboubacar Camara and immediately had an impact, making several defensive headers and tackles, along with two hard fouls. One of the fouls led to a free kick just outside of Portland’s box, but Matteo Kidd blocked the shot with his body, sending it out of play.

Several minutes into the second half, Brecc Evans passed 13,000 USL1 regular season minutes for his career, becoming one of very few players in the league to ever reach the mark. 

Portland’s most dangerous opportunity came soon after. Midfielder Diego González drove a free kick from 35 yards out directly toward the upper right corner. But Mingos goalkeeper JT Harms was able to stretch just enough to keep the ball out of the net. 

The match slowed down from there as both teams struggled to find much offense. 

For much of the match, the Karamoko-Carmichael tandem put a tremendous amount of pressure on Portland’s defenders. In response, Evans in particular gave a yeoman’s effort defensively, both in the air with his head and on the ground with his feet.

Mikey Lopez entered the game in the 82nd minute and made an impact immediately, stealing a ball and sending fellow sub JayTee Kamara down the right side. Kamara passed to Walter Varela, who seemed to be run over, but no call was made and the ball was turned over.

A little later, Kamara made one of his patented attacks with the dribble, starting at midfield as he weaved his way down the pitch before eventually losing the ball. It was the final offensive threat for Portland, which was shut out for the sixth time in 31 league matches.

Portland concludes its season with a match against the Charlotte Independence at 5 p.m. next Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium.

PORTLAND, Maine – Portland Hearts of Pine battled back from a second-half deficit but conceded a late goal in stoppage time, falling 2–1 to AC Boise on Saturday night at Fitzpatrick Stadium. Diego Gonzalez’s 74th-minute equalizer brought the Hearts level and gave the home side hope of completing a comeback in front of another sold-out crowd.

On a brisk fall evening at Fort Fitzy, both sides came out with intensity, fighting for possession and looking to establish an early attacking rhythm. Portland created one of its first promising opportunities when Jay Tee Kamara worked his way into Boise’s defensive third and connected with Diego Gonzalez, who delivered a cross into the box but was unable to find a teammate. Moments later, Kamara created space just outside the penalty area and fired a shot narrowly over the crossbar.

Boise responded with attacking pressure of its own, testing Portland’s back line with crosses and set pieces. In the 20th minute, Hearts goalkeeper Hunter Morse was called into action, standing strong to deny a powerful shot from inside the box. Portland continued to push forward, with Aboubacar Camara nearly breaking the deadlock in the 41st minute after connecting on a header from Kamara’s corner kick, but the Boise goalkeeper was able to make the save. Despite opportunities at both ends, the teams entered halftime scoreless.

“We pushed to get the equalizer. And I thought we had a really good chance with Abou,” said Hearts defender Kemali Green. “I could have bet a million dollars that he would score that. And the ball goes, and I’m like, yes, we did it, you know? But then obviously they scored, and it’s gut-wrenching for sure. It’s tough.”

The second half brought a shift in momentum as Boise broke through in the 54th minute. Following an initial effort that Morse managed to stop, the ball deflected back into the penalty area, where Boise’s Tumi Moshobane collected the rebound and quickly sent a shot past Morse to give the visitors a 1–0 advantage.

Portland continued searching for an answer while holding off Boise’s attacking pressure. The visitors nearly doubled their lead in the 64th minute when a cross into the box found a Boise attacker, whose header sailed just wide of the right post. The Hearts remained within striking distance, and their persistence eventually paid off.

In the 74th minute, Gonzalez brought Fitzpatrick Stadium to life with a well-placed equalizer. Substitute Diogo Barbosa threaded a perfectly timed pass through two Boise defenders to find Gonzalez near the top of the penalty area. Gonzalez took a quick touch, turned around his defender and fired a shot into the right side of the net to level the match at 1–1, sending the home crowd into celebration.

With the match tied, Portland continued pressing forward in search of a winning goal. The Hearts moved the ball through Boise’s defensive third and created opportunities around the penalty area, while their back line worked to contain the visitors’ counterattacks.

As the match entered four minutes of stoppage time, Boise increased its attacking pressure. Morse came up with another important save to keep the score level, while Portland’s defenders turned away several dangerous deliveries into the box. However, the visitors eventually found the decisive breakthrough when a Boise attacker drove into the penalty area and played a short pass across goal, allowing Thomas Amang to finish from close range and restore the visitors’ lead at 2–1.

Despite the late setback, the Hearts continued fighting until the final whistle, pushing forward for one last opportunity to equalize. Portland managed another attacking move into Boise’s penalty area, but could not find an answer before time expired.

“We’re still trying to ask ourselves why it happens to us,” said Mohamed Mohamed, fresh off of international duty with the Somali national team. “Sometimes that’s just the way the game goes. I felt like we had the game for the majority of it, especially with the momentum towards the end. Once they scored that goal, it was kind of heartbreaking, so it’s been tough.”

“My frustration is they play their hearts out. They do so much good, and then we don’t respect the moments that it takes to get something from the game,” said Portland’s head coach Bobby Murphy.

“I thought we were great. We had so many moments, but the game comes down to moments, and in those moments, we’ve probably come up short far too often this year. We keep sticking our hand in the hot flame, and I don’t know, nobody wants to think that might burn me.”

The defeat marked a frustrating finish to an otherwise competitive performance for Portland, which showed resilience in battling back from a goal down. With the season nearing its conclusion, the Hearts will look to build on that effort when they travel to face Forward Madison next week for their final away match of the regular season.