Portland Hearts of Pine’s all-USL League One midfielder Masashi Wada is expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair what the club termed a major lower leg injury.
Wada was injured Saturday in the 12th minute of Portland’s 2026 home opener when the One Knoxville SC goalkeeper inadvertently fell on top of Wada’s outstretched leg while making a save. It was Wada’s 29th birthday.
Wada underwent surgery early Sunday. He is expected to make a full recovery, the team said. First-year Hearts of Pine player Matteo Kidd replaced Wada against Knoxville.
In his first season in Portland, also his first playing in the United States, Wada scored nine goals in 27 league matches.
Portland (1-1-2 in USL1) next plays at home at 3 p.m. Sunday against FC Naples, which is 4-1-1 and tied with Spokane Velocity atop the standings. The game will be televised on NESN+ and streamed on ESPN+.
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