The inaugural season for Portland Hearts of Pine is upon us.
The USL League One team will host CD Faialense in Lewiston, ME on March 20th as part of the U.S. Open Cup. They will then travel to face FC Naples on March 29th to begin regular season play.
Here are some storylines to keep you up-to-date.
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Preseason Success
We don’t have many details regarding what happened during preseason, but we do know that Hearts beat a Bermuda Select team 2-0. Goals were scored by Titus Washington (assist from Nathan Messer) and Jake Keegan. Both were late strikes.
Hearts also battled Rhode Island FC to a 0-0 draw. RIFC, of course, reached the USL Championship Final last year.
Hearts have posted some pictures and clips on social media, giving us a preview of the Bandit kit in action.
Hearts continue their preparations for the 2025 season on Saturday when they face Hartford Athletic.
Open Cup Tickets On Sale
Tickets to the Hearts’ first-ever game are currently on sale. The club will be playing at Lewiston High School.
Head coach Bobby Murphy spoke about the beauty of the U.S. Open Cup on social media, calling it “professional soccer’s version of March Madness.”
Tickets can be purchased here.
Episode One Of Docuseries Free To Watch
The story of Hearts is being told in a NESN docuseries called Up The Hearts.
Episode one is now free to watch on YouTube. It discusses the launch of the team and establishment of an identity.
I really enjoyed the part about how the crest was created.
