Hearts of Pine Hold League Leaders to Draw on Road in Debut Match

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USL1 Portland Hearts of Pine

Hearts of Pine Hold League Leaders to Draw on Road in Debut Match

March 30, 2025 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Portland Hearts of Pine News Release


Naples, FL - It took until week four of the USL League One season for Portland Hearts of Pine (0-0-1) to step onto the pitch, but for the newcomers it was more than worth the wait as they held league leaders FC Naples (2-0-2) to a scoreless draw in Florida on Saturday night.

Naples, who hadn't conceded a goal since their season opener against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on March 8, always promised to be a tough team to break down.

It was little surprise then that the hosts-who were already playing in their fifth match of the season, with a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup win also under their belts-held Hearts to just two shots in a cagey first half, with neither Walter Varela in the 12th minute nor Azaad Liadi in the 17th forcing a save from goalkeeper Lalo Delgado.

Playing in front of a raucous visiting team section that sang and chanted all night in the Paradise Coast Sports Complex Stadium stands, Hearts grew into the match in the second half and began turning possession into attacking opportunities. The visitors boasted a 6-3 edge in shots in the final 45 minutes, including the final three attempts of the match, and had several chances to snatch a late victory.

The best of those chances came in the 86th minute. Center back Sean Vinberg broke up a Naples counter attack and played an outlet pass to fullback Jaden Jones-Riley, who promptly looked to put the pressure right back on the hosts. Riley-who had come on as a substitute for Colby Quiñones, making his first appearance of the season after missing Hearts' Open Cup win due to international duty with Puerto Rico-played a perfectly weighted long ball that picked Titus Washington out in the penalty area. Washington's one-time shot from the side of the six-yard box beat Delgado, but the ball flashed wide of the goal.

Up next: Portland now returns home to Maine, and will face USL Championship side Hartford Athletic in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, April 2. The match will be played at Lewiston High School in Lewiston, Maine, and will kick off at 6:30 p.m.

Lineups

Portland Hearts of Pine: Morse, Messer, Green, Vinberg, Quiñones (Jones Riley, 77'), O. Wright, Poon-Angeron, Langlois (c), Varela (Southern 79'), Washington, Liadi (Lopez 77').

Unused substitutes: Oladapo, S. Wright, Reilly, Keegan.

FC Naples: Delgado (c), Cisneros (Fernandes 81'), Evans, Dengler, Glasser, Heckenberg, Ferrín (Pasnik 81'), Onen, O'Connor, Cerro (Prpa 70'), Henderlong.

Unused substitutes: Serrano, Torrellas, Sulia, Rubinstein, Bowe.

Discipline

YC: Glasser (NAP 28'), Ferrín (NAP 35'), Varela (POR 38'), Cisneros (NAP 45+3'), Quiñones (POR 77'), Pasnik (NAP 87')

RC: none

Check out the Portland Hearts of Pine Statistics

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