3 min read

It had been 400 minutes since the Portland Hearts of Pine had scored a goal, and one apparent tally on a soaked Sunday had already been disallowed.

So, Ollie Wright needed to convert when he ran onto a one-on-one with FC Naples goalie Edward Delgado. Wright, the team’s leading scorer last year, needed his first goal of the season. His team needed a goal. The drenched die-hard fans needed something to cheer about.

Wright got to a great through ball from new acquisition Josh Drack and chipped a shot past the onrushing Delgado in the 36th minute.

“There’s definitely pressure in the situation and it’s nice to get off the mark this year,” Wright said.

Hearts of Pine players Ollie Wright, left, and Josh Drack form a heart while celebrating Wright’s goal in the first half of Portland’s 1-1 tie with FC Naples on Sunday in Portland.(Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer)

But the Hearts of Pine couldn’t make it stand up and played to a 1-1 draw, settling for their third USL League One tie of the season.

Michael Glasser of Naples banged home a one-timer off a long cross from Kevin O’Connor in the 87th minute. Naples had been putting pressure on for most of the second half.

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“Points dropped for sure,” said Portland coach Bobby Murphy.

The tie leaves Portland at 1-1-3 and 10th in the 17-team USL1 with six points. FC Naples (4-1-2) remains in a first-place tie with defending champion One Knoxville.

Glasser’s goal made it a dreary ending for the rain-soaked fans at Fitzpatrick Stadium, which was less full than normal. About a half-hour before the scheduled 3 p.m. start the fans had to leave the facility because of a rogue lightning flash that forced a 30-minute delay. The vast majority of the sellout crowd of 6,033 returned.

Portland appeared to grab an early lead when Drack, who joined the team last week, banged in a one-time kick off a long carom following a corner kick in the eighth minute. After Naples complained en masse, a lengthy chat between the head referee and sideline ref resulted in the goal being waved off.

Murphy said Portland forward Aboubacar Camara, who started in a twin-striker formation with Titus Washington, was offside.

“They said he was in the line of sight of the keeper,” Murphy said. “I don’t think he was. The keeper could have made the save. But they don’t pay me to ref.”

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Drack, who started at left back, was quickly involved in the offensive thrust, especially in combination with Wright; they were teammates with Huntsville City FC in MLS Next Pro.

“I think (Drack) got here on Wednesday or Thursday and for him to slot in the way he did, it was a lot of positives to take,” said Wright.

Drack suffered a hard blow to the head in the 55th minute on a header attempt. He left the game and did not return.

Drack’s departure necessitated center back Brecc Evans to shift to left back. Evans was back from an injury for his first start since a 3-1 win at New York in the season opener. On the tying goal, Glasser was never marked on that side as O’Connor’s well-placed cross traveled roughly 40 yards from left to right.

“Brecc just naturally gravitated to centrally, which I understand, but it’s just the nature of it (when) you invite that much pressure,” Murphy said.

For the game, Portland held a significant 12-6 shot advantage but struggled to get shots on Delgado (3 saves). Portland now has four goals in five USL1 games, six overall.

“We’re getting closer. Goals change games and we’re not scoring goals,” Murphy said. “If you’re not scoring them then you’re constantly a moment away from something like tonight happening.”

Steve Craig reports primarily about Maine’s active high school sports scene and, more recently, the Portland Hearts of Pine men's professional soccer team. His first newspaper job was covering Maine...

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