By Rachel Ndjondjo
On the evening of July 16, at Portland’s Fitzpatrick Stadium, the Hearts of Pine secured a convincing 3-1 victory over Greenville Triumph SC in Matchday 20 of the USL League One. In front of a sold-out stadium and a fired-up crowd, Titus Washington stole the show in the second half with a decisive brace.
Just three days after a hard-fought but important win away at Texoma FC, Portland’s players once again displayed determination, energy, and collective control. With this win, the team climbs to 8th place in the standings and is back in the race for a playoff spot.
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Second-half spark ignites Portland
The game nearly swung Greenville’s way in the 54th minute, when a dangerous shot by Rodrigo Robles deflected off Mikey Lopez. But Hunter Morse, solid on his line, came up with a brilliant foot save to deny the goal.
Moments later, Portland broke the deadlock. A well-constructed move on the right between Jay Tee Kamara and Masashi Wada ended with Wada collecting the ball in the box and firing it into the net, sending the stadium into a frenzy.
And barely two minutes later, Titus Washington doubled the lead. Picked out by Mikey Lopez, he beat his defender and struck with his left foot. The ball slipped between Greenville goalkeeper Seth Torman’s legs: 2–0 Portland.
Washington steals the show
Greenville tried to fight back and cut the deficit to 2-1 through the efforts of Chevone Marsh. But in the 77th minute, a defensive blunder allowed Washington to complete his brace. He intercepted a weak back pass, dribbled into the box, and coolly slotted the ball home to seal the win: 3–1 final score.
Washington received a standing ovation when he was subbed off in the 87th minute. Named man of the match, he finished with 4 shots on target, 3 recoveries, and consistent involvement in both attack and defense.
