The Portland Hearts of Pine’s playoff journey ended in heartbreaking fashion as they fell to the Spokane Velocity in the U.S.L. One playoffs, just one win shy of reaching the championship game.
The match, held in Spokane, Washington, saw the Hearts tied 1-1 at the end of regulation after Ollie Wright scored in the 53rd minute.
Jay Tee Kamara, coming off the bench, appeared to secure the win for Portland with a goal in overtime, making it 2-1.
However, with just three minutes left in extra time, Nil Vinyals equalized for Spokane, bringing the score to 2-2.
The game proceeded to penalty kicks, where Spokane ultimately triumphed 6-5 in sudden death, ending Portland’s season.
Spokane will face One Knoxville for the title this weekend.
Back in Portland, Maine, fans gathered at the State Theater for a watch party, donning their best team gear to support the Hearts from afar.
“Because of the people, you just want to be here with them, anywhere you want to be,” said Don Tibodeau, a Hearts fan.
Kait Gurney, another fan, expressed pride in the team’s performance, saying, “We are just so proud of them playing out there and they have to know how much they are cheering for them back home.”
Despite the loss, the sense of community and excitement among the fans made the experience worthwhile.