Portland Hearts of Pine 1, Texoma FC 0: Three Thoughts
Wright to Messer, again.
Portland Hearts of Pine extended their unbeaten run to eight when they defeated Texoma FC 1-0 on Saturday night.
Here are three thoughts from the game.
Wright To Messer, Again
Hearts, who often looked to play in transition, managed nine shots in the first 45, but only one was on frame, according to FotMob.
One chance that should’ve led to a goal came when Washington gained possession while Texoma tried to play out of the back. Masashi Wada’s shot missed the target.
Hearts had positive moments, but couldn’t find the final pass or shot. It was a similar story for Texoma, who only had one look on target in five tries.
The trend continued in the second half until Nathan Messer found the game-winning goal in the 75th minute. It was a play we’ve seen many times before as Ollie Wright played an overlapping Messer.
Impact Subs
Head coach Bobby Murphy made two substitutions in the 66th minute, replacing Wada and Jay Tee Kamara with Natty James and Walter Varela.
Varela skipped through the midfield in the 67th minute before playing provider for an Ollie Wright shot on target. Natty James showcased his dribbling skills in the 70th minute and hit a shot. James ultimately had the secondary assist on Messer’s tally.
Jake Keegan, Pat Langlois, and Noah Kvifte came on for Wright, Michel Poon-Angeron, and Washington to see out the game.
Performances like this are promising as Hearts will have to lean on their depth during the final six games of the season.
The Mo Show
Mo Mohamad put in a solid shift in his third consecutive start at right back. The first-year pro was solid defensively while looking for opportunities to get forward.
His movement in the 12th minute was particularly noteworthy. Poon-Angeron tracked back, seamlessly winning a tackle before finding Mikey Lopez. The captain connected with Kamara, who moved centrally to engage a defender. Mohamed took advantage of the space and unleashed a strong shot.
In the 41st minute, he stepped forward to win the ball, which afforded Titus Washington a look on goal.
Colby Quinones has had some good performances on the right, but he’s dealt with injuries. The emergence of Mohamad is positive, as it allows Lopez to play in the middle with Poon-Angeron.