Hearts Take Down Rhode Island FC in New England Cup Matchup at Fitzy
Published on May 16, 2026 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Portland Hearts of Pine News Release
PORTLAND, Maine - Hearts of Pine earned a 2-1 cupset over Rhode Island FC on sun-filled Saturday afternoon at a packed Fitzpatrick Stadium, picking up three points in Prinx Tires USL Cup play in front of a loud crowd of 6,307.
Facing a regional opponent from the USL Championship, Portland came out with purpose and struck almost immediately. In the third minute, Matteo Kidd opened the scoring, finishing a ball across the box from Ollie Wright to give the Hearts an early 1-0 lead in just the 3rd minute of the match.
Hearts continued to threaten in the opening half. In the 21st minute, Titus Washington broke down the left side and nearly doubled the lead, lifting an effort over the onrushing goalkeeper that bounced just wide of the far post.
Portland was able to double the advantage in the 27th minute. After Diogo Barbosa was brought down in the box, Wright stepped to the spot and converted the penalty, giving Portland a 2-0 lead and sending Fitzy into a frenzy.
Rhode Island brought pressure after the break, pushing numbers forward and testing Portland's back line throughout the second half. Hunter Morse was called into action repeatedly and delivered one of his strongest performances of the season, making seven saves on the afternoon, including several key stops to protect the lead.
"I think we stuck together as a group," said defender Kemali Green. "We were organized, we were constantly communicating, and the most important thing for us was not taking breaks. When we're engaged, we can deal with stuff. Hunter was huge as well. It's just growth for us, to keep improving."
Rhode Island broke through in the 61st minute, when Logan Dorsey headed in a corner from Amos Shapiro-Thompson to cut the lead to 2-1.
Portland held firm through the final stretch to see out the result and claim their first win against Rhode Island. This one felt particularly sweet as it was the first time Hearts had hosted Rhode Island at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
For Morse, the result was another step forward.
"The best teams just keep going up," Morse said. "They don't start here and then drop off. The best teams just keep going up, and that's what we're going to do all year. Just keep going."
The match brought real New England energy to Fitzpatrick Stadium, with a strong group of traveling Rhode Island supporters making the trip north and adding to one of the best atmospheres of the season. For Portland, the result was more than a cup win. It was a chance to prove itself against a higher-division regional opponent and put a first result in the books against a familiar side.
"Today was what we needed. We needed a result. We needed to stick together, we needed to suffer, and we needed to come through it. Omaha was a step in that direction, and today was another step," said Portland Head Coach Bobby Murphy.
"I think this is a closer group than it was two weeks ago," Murphy said. "Part of the first step of rectifying that is acknowledging that it exists, and then really taking strides. I saw it in Omaha, and I saw it again today."
With the win, Hearts move to four points in Group 5 of the Prinx Tires USL Cup. Portland continues group play on June 7 at Brooklyn FC before returning home to face the New York Cosmos on July 11.
Click here for game highlights
https://youtu.be/xvSFR_71xx
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