Sunday’s pro soccer game at Fitzpatrick Stadium will be an experience six years in the making.

But Portland Hearts of Pine players would be wise not to make too big a deal of their first game at their official home, their coach cautions.

“The big thing will be reining them in a little on Sunday. Play the game, not the event,” said Bobby Murphy after Thursday’s practice session at Fitzy. “Enjoy it. Appreciate it. But don’t let it overrule you. Don’t let the adrenaline go too much, so 15 minutes in you’re huffing and puffing.”

A sellout crowd of about 5,500 people is expected to arrive early to the venerable stadium for the Hearts’ USL League One game at 6 p.m. against One Knoxville, one of the top teams so far in the 14-team league. The Hearts of Pine have played seven games in their inaugural season — including three U.S. Open Cup games at Lewiston High that each drew about 3,000 fans.

Hosting a game at Fitzpatrick is the final big “first” for the expansion franchise, as Murphy put it.

“We got a little taste of it in Lewiston, I think, and this is just a bigger scale,” said center back Sean Vinberg, who leads the team in minutes played. “It’s our home field, so it’s also something special in that regard.”

This game will look and feel different, as the club has complete control over the facility. That means the club name and logos will be more prominent, with signs for their advertising partners, food trucks and alcoholic beverages.

“The buzz around the city and just the whole state is honestly incredible and we’re excited for it,” forward Azaad Liadi said. “You see it everywhere. Everyone’s just so excited to see us play, and now that we’re finally in Fitzpatrick, our forever home, kind of, it feels special. You can feel it.

“Moments like this are what you wait for in the season.”

Sunday’s game is also worth three points in the standings. They’re points the Hearts could use. Portland is 0-1-2 in USL League One games and 13th in the 14-team standings. The Hearts have played the fewest amount of league games. One Knoxville is 3-0-1, third in the standings, with a win against league-leader FC Naples.

“It’s special in regards to it being the first home game for the club in its history. A huge crowd. But at the same time, every game I want to get the three points,” Vinberg said.

The game will be played on a new artificial turf surface that the Hearts paid for as part of their $2.5 million investment in improvements.

“It’s a beautiful turf. We kind of know how it plays, so I think that will be a factor in the game,” Liadi said.

Vinberg said the surface has characteristics similar to natural grass, particularly in that there’s enough give so “it doesn’t feel like you’re running on carpet,” and an elevated pass deadens in one or two hops.

“It’s a perfect turf field. You can’t ask for more,” Vinberg said.

On Thursday, as the Hearts were practicing, Fitzpatrick was buzzing with workers — both club employees and contractors — getting the site prepared for Sunday’s home opener. Plumbers and builders were working to turn the two portable trailers into purpose-built, semi-permanent locker rooms. Painters were spraying and rolling sealant on the rebuilt press box stairs and touching up the freshly painted, dark-blue exterior, while inside the carpet was being laid. Several people were busy installing additional cushioned seats with lower-back support in the center sections of the home grandstand.

On game days, a variety of temporary signage touting the club and its partners will be installed around the field, including on the scoreboard. That signage will be removed after each home game. Club employees and their game-day staff planned to spend a full workday on Saturday practicing the process of putting everything up and then taking everything down.

Hearts of Pine players and their fans were able to form a quick connection in Lewiston, particularly when Portland took a dramatic penalty-kick win against Hartford Athletic in a second round U.S. Open Cup game.

Liadi said Sunday presents another history-making opportunity for the team. As players, it will be important to embrace the moment but not be overwhelmed, he said.

“Sometimes when you get so caught up in the occasion, you kind of fluster yourself, but the beautiful thing about the sport is you have a chance to show yourself and show what you can do,” Liadi said. “So, I think it’s just composing yourself and realizing that it’s an opportunity and a blessing.”