History at Fitzy: Hearts Clinch Playoff Berth with Tie against Westchester
USL1 Portland Hearts of Pine

History at Fitzy: Hearts Clinch Playoff Berth with Tie against Westchester

Published on October 18, 2025 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Portland Hearts of Pine News Release


PORTLAND, Maine - Portland Hearts of Pine (10-7-11) made Fitzy history on Saturday night, becoming just the fourth expansion team in USL League One history to make the playoffs in its inaugural season.

With a 2-2 tie against Westchester SC (5-15-9), Portland joins Union Omaha, who qualified for the 2020 playoffs, Spokane Velocity FC, who qualified in 2024, and FC Naples, who managed the feat this season, as the only first-year teams to advance to the postseason in their first attempt.

The evening started in appropriately celebratory fashion, with Hearts turning Fitzpatrick Stadium into the "Fitzy Fair." The sold-out crowd of 5,856 enjoyed a petting zoo, carnival food and games, and the opportunity to soak the likes of Portland defender Jaden Jones-Riley, NESN broadcaster Tom Caron, and Hearts founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson in the dunk tank before soccer legend Michelle Akers joined the teams at midfield for the coin toss.

After an opening 45 minutes that saw neither side find the back of the net, Portland wasted no time getting on the board after the restart. Just 36 seconds into the second half, Ollie Wright launched a long ball over the top of the Westchester defense, hitting Jake Keegan in stride. When Josh Drack brought Keegan down from behind in the penalty area, referee Amin Hadzic showed Drack a yellow card, then pointed to the penalty spot. Up stepped Ollie Wright, who promptly pulled off a cheeky Panenka to give Hearts a 1-0 lead.

Westchester got one back in the 72nd minute through Golden Boot leader JC Obregón, though the 1-1 tie lasted just three minutes. In the 75th minute, Nathan Messer launched a cross in from the left wing, looking to pick Sean Vinberg out in front of the goal. Vinberg, sandwiched between a pair of Westchester defenders, was unable to get his head on the ball, but it rebounded off an opponent and rolled towards the near post, where Masashi Wada pounced on it and knocked it home.

Obregon tied the match again in the 90th minute with a superb free kick from long range, but a single point was all Hearts needed. As the final whistle sounded and the opening strains of Cher's "Believe" rang out throughout Fitzpatrick Stadium, head coach Bobby Murphy led the Portland team on an exhausted yet elated victory lap.

Mission accomplished? Not quite. With two home matches still to come next week, Hearts are still alive in the hunt for a top four spot in the standings, which would see Fort Fitzy play host to playoff soccer in November.

Believe, indeed.

"I told the guys before the game that we had a chance tonight to accomplish something that a lot of people hoped would happen, and we knew would happen," said Coach Bobby Murphy. "To be able to go out and do it with a couple of games left in the season, for an expansion club is a huge accomplishment."

Check out the Portland Hearts of Pine Statistics

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United Soccer League One Stories from October 18, 2025


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