It's been a difficult start to 2026 for Portland Hearts of Pine, who have faced a disjointed preseason and an ever-shifting injury list.
As head coach Bobby Murphy put it, "If we're being honest, there hasn't been a lot to smile about."
Although they sit atop their group in the Prinx Tires USL Cup, they entered Saturday's league game below the playoff line with a 2-2-5 record.
A first-half stoppage time goal from Spokane Velocity could've led to the Hearts' third-ever home loss. But a spirited second half secured a 2-1 victory, allowing everyone to leave Fitzpatrick Stadium happy.
"At halftime, it really could have gone either way," Murphy said. "I give the players all the credit in the world. I told them I can't be the only one who believes. They've got to do it."
Hearts were more forward-thinking in the second 45, looking to create opportunities and force turnovers.
The result was more shots (3 to 6) and touches in the opposition's box (10 to 13). Most importantly, they got goals from Aboubacar Camara and Jay Tee Kamara.
"I think we're still shackled a little bit in terms of just letting ourselves go," Murphy said. "We're so concerned about what's behind us that we're not just pressing and going and coping with situations and causing trouble. I think in the first half, we played at their pace a little bit."
The victory was sealed by 14 minutes of defensive work that saw players willing to track back. It was a team-wide effort to collect full points.
"It's so important to be willing to do it," Murphy said of the defense. "It's hard, right? It's hard to get players to do it."
He later added, "I've told them all the time, this fan base, they know what your best looks like. If you're not good enough, that's one thing, but if you don't give everything, that's something else. As long as you give everything, everybody will live with the results. We may not be happy about it, we may be disappointed, but we can all be at peace about it."
Saturday's win came without several expected starters.
Michel Poon-Angeron was away on international duty with Trinidad and Tobago, while Mikey Lopez and Titus Washington were unavailable after undergoing successful knee surgeries. Lopez ("clean up") will be out six to eight weeks, while Washington (repaired meniscus) will miss a minimum of three to four months, according to Murphy.
To compensate, Kemali Green stepped into the midfield while Jay Tee Kamara played centrally. Both players were key in extending Hearts' unbeaten run to four straight in all competitions.
Hearts are now just one spot below the playoff line, a welcome sight after all they've dealt with.
With a league game against Corpus Christi on Wednesday and a Cup game against Brooklyn FC on Sunday, they know there's still plenty of work ahead.
"I think for them to be able to get the result and be able to smile and kind of shake some of the burden off of everything that's gone on [is good]," Murphy said. "We haven't had a lot of good news this year. This only matters, though, if we follow up with a performance on Wednesday."
