The energy at Fitzpatrick Stadium was palpable as fans returned for the first time in 168 days to cheer on Portland Hearts of Pine.
The event hit a snag in the 13th minute when Masashi Wada went to the ground with a leg injury. The moment immediately prompted players from both teams to call for medical attention.
A 14-minute pause ensued, ending with the Japanese playmaker being rushed to a local hospital.
Head coach Bobby Murphy didn't offer many specifics about the injury, though he did say that "he's stable and okay."
"I want to thank all of the people at MaineHealth [Medical Center]," Murphy said. "The doctors and everybody took really good care of him."
Undoubtedly a talented player, Wada is also a beloved teammate who was celebrating his 29th birthday.
The devastating injury conjured plenty of emotions from Hearts players, who wanted to do everything they could to earn three points in Wada's honor.
"It's heartbreaking," Michel Poon-Angeron said. "I'm so gutted that we couldn't get over the line and win it for him, but I think we left our all out there. We played how he would've played. We'll get the next one."
Jaden Jones-Riley understands how difficult it is to be sidelined, having spent the bulk of last year rehabbing an ACL injury. Saturday marked his first start since April 12, 2025, a significant milestone in the road to recovery.
Jones-Riley offered thoughts and prayers for Wada, as well as some advice.
"It won't be easy," Jones-Riley said. "Do the work, listen to the trainers, and you'll be all right."
Wada is a key player for Hearts, having collected nine goals and one assist in 27 appearances last year. This year, he has one goal and one assist in four matches.
Murphy noted that he hasn't had time to think about what this means for the team, though Matteo Kidd did enter for Wada. Right now, he's focusing on the player and his family.
"The first concern is him and his health and helping his wife out, and making sure they're all set and he gets the best care," Murphy said.
"This will be a good test for us as a club, right? We haven't had anybody go through this, so now you have to support them in those times, and we'll do it."
