One Knoxville at Portland Hearts of Pine

When: 6 p.m. Sunday

Where: Fitzpatrick Stadium

Television: NESN/ESPN+

Outlook: Portland Hearts of Pine (0-1-2 in USL1, 2-3-2 overall), Maine’s professional men’s soccer team, is hosting the franchise’s first official home game, and a sellout crowd of about 5,500 is expected at spruced-up Fitzpatrick Stadium. If that many fans show up, it will be the second-largest USL League One home debut crowd in the league’s seven-year history, behind the Richmond Kickers’ 5,936 in 2019. Gates open at 4 p.m.

One Knoxville (3-0-1 in USL League One, 6-1-1 overall) is third in the points standings under first-year coach Ian Fuller, an assistant with Minnesota United FC in MLS the previous eight seasons. One Knoxville has beaten first-place FC Naples (which has played seven games), tied second-place Spokane Velocity, 2-2, and posted three straight league shutouts. Knoxville – like the Hearts – advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup before losing. Last Saturday, it beat USL Championship side FC Tulsa in penalty kicks in the Jagermeister Cup in front of 6,378 at its home stadium, Covenant Health Park, which it shares with a Double-A baseball team, the Knoxville Smokies. Forwards Kempes Waldemar Tekiela and Mark Doyle each have two goals and an assist in league games. Tekiela led Knoxville with 10 goals in 2024 and is the franchise’s all-time goal scorer (16). Stavros Zarokostas leads Knoxville with two assists. Johan Garibay (2 shutouts) has been in goal in three of the USL League One games. Sean Lewis, the 2024 league leader in goals against (0.73) and saves (53), has one clean sheet.

The Hearts of Pine are 13th in the 14-team league’s standings, having played the fewest number of games. They’re one of two teams without a win (expansion Texoma is 0-4-1). Scoring has been lacking since a 4-0 win against amateur team CD Faialense during U.S. Open Cup play at Lewiston High. While competitive in each outing, Portland has three goals in its last six games. Midfielder Patrick Langlois has the Hearts’ only USL1 goal in a 2-1 loss at South Georgia Tormenta after 0-0 draws at Naples and Spokane, with Hunter Morse as the keeper. Walter Verala, Azaad Liadi (two), left back Nathan Messer, Jake Keegan and Titus Washington scored in the Open Cup games. Portland lost at Hartford Athletic, 2-0, last Saturday in a Jagermeister Cup match. Coach Bobby Murphy’s side has been using different combinations up top. Liadi, on a season-long loan from USL Championship side Lexington, has been the most consistent threat with a team-high six shots in league play and has played 256 of 270 minutes. Center back Sean Vinberg has been the Hearts’ ironman, playing all 270 minutes in the three USL1 games.