In each of their last two games, the Portland Hearts of Pine have scored in added time at the end of the first half. Masashi Wada scored against One Knoxville and Azaad Liadi did so last Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska.

Then, with Portland trailing 2-1 late in against Omaha, Hearts reserve Nathaniel James scored in the 86th minute to forge a 2-2 tie against defending USL League One champion Union Omaha.

There was also a double overtime, 117th minute, man-down goal by Jake Keegan that set up a penalty-kick win against Hartford Athletic in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup at Lewiston.

Four of Portland’s six goals in eight games against pro squads, including Open and Jagermeister Cup games, have come in the waning moments.

“I would just say its persistence to continue to do the right things,” said Keegan, 34, a pro since 2013. “Obviously we’ve struggled a bit at times to score goals, but I think it’s not for a lack of effort and trying. I think that’s a key, to have the fitness level to push to the end, and this group doesn’t give up.”

Portland will host its second game at Fitzpatrick Stadium at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, taking on fellow expansion franchise FC Naples (4-2-2), which is second in the league standings. The clubs played to a 0-0 tie in Florida on March 29. Portland is 0-1-4 in league play, 2-3-4 overall. A crowd of 5,784 filled Fitzy on May 4 for the club’s inaugural home game.

Wada delighted the home opener crowd by one-timing a ball out of the air to tie the game, 1-1, and then nearly netted a second goal on a very similar play. In Omaha, it was a Wada pass that deflected to Liadi, who was on the move forward and potted the goal.

“They just play to the end. They keep going and they don’t take anything for granted,” said Portland coach Bobby Murphy. “It only takes a moment to score a goal and you never know when that moment is going to happen, so play to the whistle. That’s what they’ve done.”

Scoring does tend to pick up late halves or games. According to soccerSTATS.com, the last 15 minutes of each half (plus added time) have produced 45% (22.5% in each half) of the total goals scored thus far in USL League One. The fact that added time makes that time segment really 18-20 minutes is a factor. But it is also the nature of the game. Substitutes with fresh legs come on later in the game and tactics often change.

“Most goals are scored toward the end of the second half,” Keegan said. “Because teams fatigue. Everybody’s pushing numbers forward if you’re losing, or vice versa, maybe you hit someone on the counterattack.”

From a goalkeeper’s perspective, the end of halves can produce a mental letdown.

“I don’t want to say you zone out, but you just sometimes think, ‘let’s get through this half. Or, let’s get through these last two minutes.’ You kind of sit back a little bit more, so (the other) team could have a little bit more momentum going into it and that’s how it happens,” said Hearts keeper Hunter Morse. “I would say those are the times, especially, at the end of the game when everybody’s tired and you have dead legs and subs are on fresh, you’ve got to really lock in to those extra minutes.”

PLAYER AVAILABILITY UPDATE

FC Naples will be without three starters — keeper Lalo Delgago, center back Jake Dengler and forward Jayden Onen — because of red cards received in a 3-1 loss Wednesday at the Chattanooga Red Wolves.

Portland center back Kemali Green is expected to be out because of a hamstring injury. He did not play at Omaha and was not in training this week. Earlier this season, the Hearts lost right back Jayden Jones-Riley to a season-ending ACL tear. In the last two games, former MLS player Mikey Lopez has shifted from midfield to right back. Samuel Mahlmaki-Camacho got the start for Green in Omaha. … Jay Tee Kamara of Sierra Leone, and formerly with Louisville in the USL Championship and the Columbus Crew 2 in MLS Next Pro, was announced as a Hearts player back in January. His arrival in Maine was slowed significantly by difficulties obtaining a visa. Kamara joined the team this week, was training on Thursday, and Murphy said is likely to be among the designated 18 eligible players for Saturday’s match.