Following seven weather delays that meant the match didn’t kick off until after midnight EDT late Saturday night, Portland Hearts of Pine (3-3-7) claimed their first road win of the season early Sunday morning, defeating Texoma FC (5-6-4) 1-0 at Sherman Bearcat Stadium in Sherman, Texas.
Hearts scored their goal on an own goal in the fifth minute. Masashi Wada fired a cross into the six-yard box, looking to pick Titus Washington out at the near post. The ball missed Washington by the barest of margins, and instead fell to Texoma’s William Perkins. Perkins was in the heart of the Hearts penalty area marking Ollie Wright, trying to ensure the cross never reached Portland’s winger. He did just that, but the ball deflected off his left knee and flew past Texoma goalkeeper Javier Garcia into the back of the net for an own goal.
The win moved Portland level with eighth-place Richmond Kickers and ninth-place Greenville Triumph SC on points, trailing them both solely on goal differential but with two matches in hand over each.
Hearts return to Fitzpatrick Stadium on Wednesday for match against Greenville Triumph SC.