Another game, another dropped result.
After a tough first half in which Portland Hearts of Pine could hardly find the ball and went down 1-0 thanks to a Jon Bakero goal, Hearts managed to rally in the second to net two goals to claim the lead. The tenuous lead would hold all the way into stoppage time, where supersub Stefano Pinho would score a wonder-scissor-kick and a close-range game winner in the dying moments.
Out of the gate, Hearts pressured very high and hard, forcing Charlotte's keeper to take action twice. After the first couple of minutes, though, the league leaders settled into the match, holding almost all possession. Slowly, they drove Portland deeper and deeper into their own half and eventually forced Morse into his first big save of the match in the ninth minute.
Under consistent pressure, Bobby Murphy could be heard shouting at line leaders Tyler Huck and Diego González "Higher Tyler, higher! Diego, higher!" in an attempt to push the Jacks back into their own half and relieve pressure on their own back line.
Though Portland had a couple of opportunities – one through newly returned Lagos Kunga (who started in place of Ollie Wright at attacking midfield), who showed nice dribbling technique to nearly create a shot for himself — most of the first half ran through Jon Bakero, creating near-assists and finishing a play off to net his sixth goal contribution in two games in the 20th minute.
Hunter Morse and Diego Letayf both managed to make excellent stops in the 24th and 41st minutes, respectively, preventing a dangerous 3v1 attack from showing its teeth and clearing a ball off the line after a scramble in the box took Morse out of the play.
Out of the break, Portland had clearly regrouped, showing an ability to hold onto the ball and keep the possession split relatively even. This manifested in a 52nd-minute chance where Tyler Huck was only just barely beaten by the keeper to a ball after a low cutback to the six-yard box.
In the 58th minute, Wright and Camara would enter the field. Their presence immediately brought not only urgency but intent to the possession Hearts couldn't quite find through the first 13 minutes of the half. Their impact and ability to bring others into the game led to a goal not a minute later when Matteo Kidd scored his second of the year on an All-Hustle play. Multiple dangerous chances and rousing possession led to Ollie Wright earning a penalty kick, which was turned into the net off the rebound by Michel Poon-Angeron in the 65th minute.
Unfortunately, that would be the end of the Boys of Maine's second-half dominance. The entry of Christy Manzinga, Javen Romero, and former MLSer Stefano Pinho just before the hydration break made all the difference, showing off in a one-touch passing sequence that Hata had to clear out of a dangerous spot. Manzinga's dangerous 1v1 skills culminated in a handful of massive saves by Morse to hold onto the tenuous lead.
Ollie Wright very nearly extended Portland's lead two minutes into the announced seven of stoppage time after hitting a beautiful curler, but that would be the last of his team's chances as Charlotte would get an incredibly finish from Pinho (seriously go watch the clip linked in the key moments below), and suspended their panic enough to create one final opportunity to bend Portland past their breaking point and steal not just one but all three points to hold onto their lead at the top of the table.
Lineups
Head coach Bobby Murphy makes four changes from the past weekend's game against Fort Wayne. Diogo Barbosa, Felipe, Aboubacar Camara, and Konstantinos Georgallides all make way for Letayf, Huck, Kunga, and Gonzalez. Kunga returns for his first start since July, while Wright begins the match on the bench.
Key moments
9' CLT 0-0 POR: Save! Bakero gets slipped in and has a rip, forcing Morse into a save that roused both the fans in-stadium and the commentator team.
16' CLT 0-0 POR: Chance! Lagos Kunga dribbles through a couple players on the right hand side near the box and nearly puts together a dangerous opportunity!
20' CLT 1-0 POR: Goal, Charlotte. Bakero receives the ball in tight traffic and one-times it further across his body further into the far post netting.
24' CLT 1-0 POR: SAVE! After a Hearts corner, Charlotte steal the ball away, having a 3-1 counter that ends with Hunter Morse coming off his line to make a massive save
41' CLT 1-0 POR: Off the line! Morse couldn't get full grip on the ball put in, sending the box into a scramble. A shot gets sent toward goal, but Diego Letayf is there to clear the ball off the line!
52' CLT 1-0 POR: Chance! Tyler Huck, after hustling in the box, is only barely beaten by Charlotte's keeper to claim a ball that was cut back to the six-yard box.
58' CLT 1-0 POR: Subs. Kunga and Huck off for Wright and Camara.
59' CLT 1-1 POR: GOAL! Matteo Kidd outhustles his man and slides the ball past the keeper after Eiji Hata beats his man to rip in a cross from the left touchline!
61' CLT 1-1 POR: Chance! Gonzalez strikes a ridiculous on-target half-volley from the top of the box, but it's near the keeper, who manages to grab hold of the ball.
63' CLT 1-1 POR: PENALTY! After Ollie Wright dances past a couple of defenders, he's taken down in the box by the keeper, who is attempting to push the ball away and wide.
65' CLT 1-2 POR: GOAL! Wright takes the PK low and to his right, but doesn't put it far enough toward the post. The keeper parries out, but Poon-Angeron is first to react and slips the ball into the net to claim the lead!
66' CLT 1-2 POR: Sub. Lopez in for Mohamed.
76' CLT 1-2 POR: SAVE! A deflected shot by Charlotte puts the ball at super close range by Portland's left post for Marou, but Morse sticks his left hand up in rapid fashion to knock the shot away.
79' CLT 1-2 POR: Save! Charlotte's Manzinga feeds a tough cheeky cutback, but it's Hunter Morse again there to make the save - this time on the ground at close range.
82' CLT 1-2 POR: Sub. Barbosa in for Poon-Angeron.
87' CLT 1-2 POR: DEEP BREATH. Skinner puts in a cross to Marou who has an open header from 3 yards and nearly turns it in, but the ball sails just over the bar. Afterward, he was deemed offside, though this was the Independence's most clear-cut chance of the match so far.
90+1' CLT 1-2 POR: SAVE! Jon Bakero puts in a free kick that's headed down by Romero, but Morse gets down quickly, claiming the ball just before he hits the ground.
90+2' CLT 1-2 POR: CHANCE! Ollie Wright drives forward and puts in a curler seemingly destined for the top right corner, but it goes just over and wide. So close!
90+6' CLT 2-2 POR: Goal. Romero hits a hopeful cross from the left. Stefano Pinho hits an incredible kinda-sorta scissor kick that finds the back of the net.
90+7' CLT 3-2 POR: Goal. A Bakero long ball from deep is headed on and turned into the near side netting by Pinho to complete a come-from-behind victory at the death.
Quick thoughts
Winless in Nine: Head Coach Bobby Murphy's gotta be feeling the heat under his seat. Losing concentration and conceding two goals deep into stoppage time, Portland managed to drop not just the win but the result altogether. This match brings their in-league winless run to nine games (last win: July 3, 2-1 vs FC Naples)
After an excellent debut season, the Boys of Maine now sit 10 points out of the playoffs with 8 games to play. Most other clubs have a game in hand on Portland. Though the team is beginning to look more cohesive after integrating new talent, it's looking like it'll take a small miracle to make the postseason.
Wrighting the Ship: Despite the doom and gloom, there are some things to build on from this match. Away from home at the league leaders – including the frontrunner for the USL1 Golden Boot (Marou) and Golden Shoe (Bakero) - no one would have expected Portland to hold a lead right until the last couple of minutes of stoppage time.
Last night's match marked the first time Hearts of Pine managed to score multiple goals in a game since August 1 in a 3-3 draw with Greenville Triumph and neither came from usual starters Ollie Wright or Abu Camara, who were rested and came off the bench.
Those two – Camara and more importantly Wright – also showed how the team can still control games against the best for spells. Immediately after entering the match, their quality was impactful, holding possession and looking more purposeful with it. Their presence and vision on the ball instantly brought guys like Hata and Poon-Angeron more into the game, amplifying the team's strengths.
Gents Gelling: Fully knowing their increasingly dire position, Portland did add a few talent players this summer, bringing in Diego Letayf, Felipe Rodriguez, and Eiji Hata while Lagos Kunga just returned from an extended absence. The team is starting to look more and more cohesive, with evident talent showing in flashes from all four additions.
If Hearts can stay healthy and get their best players on the field to build chemistry with the new additions, they'll have a shot at making a run up the table, even if it might be too late. For nothing else, picking up wins for their fans who continue to show up in droves each and every game is worth the effort.
Player spotlight
Who else but Hunter Morse? Without the Brick Wall himself, Portland surely would have found themselves buried by a multi-goal deficit long before stoppage time. Though their scrambling defense was OK, Morse's six saves were critical. He continues to lead the league in total saves.
