USL League One: Match Preview - Portland Hearts of Pine vs. One Knoxville SC
- Philip Farrell
- 18 hours ago
- 6 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Match: Portland Hearts of Pine v One Knoxville SC
Date: Saturday, April 11th, 2026. 18:00 (Eastern)
Venue: Fitzpatrick Stadium, Portland, ME.
Capacity: 5,500
How to watch: ESPN+
Tickets: SOLD OUT
PORTLAND, ME --- Soccer comes back to the Forest City this weekend as Portland Hearts of Pine hosts reigning champions One Knoxville SC in its home opener on Saturday. With a sell-out crowd expected, those in attendance and watching on television can expect a rocking atmosphere as arguably the best fans in the league turn out to support their club as it begins its second ever season. Knoxville represents strong and likely favored opposition, perfectly poised to spoil the party.
Portland (P:3 W:1 D:1 L:1 GF:3 GA:2 GD:+1) have started the season in as mixed form as is possible. With a win, a draw, and a loss a-piece, they sit in 11th but have two games-in-hand on a number of sides above and below them. The mixed season so far was further dented by the club’s defeat by amateur side Vermont Green in the First Round of the Open Cup. As the club has only scored in one of its four games (a 3-1 win at New York Cosmos) its top scorers on the season with one each are Konstantinos Georgallides, Masashi Wada, and Abobubacar Camara. Hearts haven’t played in two weeks. Will this affect their freshness coming into this game?
Reigning champions Knoxville (P:5 W:3 D:1 L:1 GF:7 GA:5 GD:+2) have started 2026 strongly and are fighting on two fronts, being as they are in the Round of 32 in the Open Cup. With three wins and ten points earned in their opening five games, they sit joint-first alongside FC Naples and Spokane Velocity. Denis Krioutchenkov is Knoxville’s top scorer in the league with three goals while goalkeeper Johan Garibay has kept two clean sheets across their five games. With an away tie at DC United in the Open Cup next week, could Head Coach Ian Fuller be forced to rotate out some key players to save them for that tie?
The match kicks off at 6pm Eastern amidst frigid temperatures in the mid 40s but clear skies. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.
The Histroy:
Portland - W:0 D:1 L:2 GF:2 GA:5 GD:-3
Knoxville - W:2 D:1 L:0 GF:5 GA:2 GD:+3
Given Portland’s short history, it has only played against One Knoxville on three occasions, all of them coming last year. Knoxville, as you’d expect given their championship win in 2025, have the upper-hand with two wins from these three contests. The first meeting, in May at Fitzpatrick Stadium, ended in a 1-1 draw after goals from Masashi Wada for Portland and Stuart Ritchie for Knoxville. Ritchie now plays with Monterrey Bay of the USL Championship.
The other two meetings took place in Knoxville, with the home side collecting six points. Danish midfielder Mikkel Gøling scored the winner in a 1-0 victory in August while goals from Kempes Tekiela (now with Union Omaha), Stavros Zarokostas, and Babacar Diene earned them a 3-1 win in October. Jake Keegan scored Hearts’ goal, netting against his old club. He’s now with Corpus Christi.
With League One now expanded to 17 teams, sides will only play one another twice in the regular season. Portland and Knoxville will meet again on Wednesday 19 August at Covenant Health Park.
Report Cards and Lineups:
Portland - After scoring a 3-1 win away at the Cosmos on opening weekend, Hearts fans might have been thinking of another championship challenge this year. In 2025 they made it to the playoffs at the first time of asking, beat the Red Wolves away and were eventually undone only on penalties against a strong Spokane team. Since that win in Patterson, however, they’re winless and goalless across three games (1 cup and 2 league). Their most recent outing was at Sarasota Paradise where they lost 1-0 and were second-best for most of the game. It's still early days yet, and they’ve only played three league games. A home match this weekend, and the support of their populous and passionate fans may be just what they need to kick start their season.
Lineup prediction: Hunter Morse; Adam Armour, Esteban Espinosa, Kemali Green, Mo Mohamed; Ollie Wright, Michel Poon-Angeron, Mikey Lopez, Konstantinos Georgallides; Masashi Wada, Emiliano Terzaghi
The above is a rough composite of the sides that Head Coach Bobby Murphy has put out in Hearts’ three league games thus far. He has alternated between a 4-3-3, a 5-3-2, and a 4-1-3-2 and rotated through his squad. Consistent starters include goalkeeper Hunter Morse, winger Ollie Wright, midfielder Michel Poon-Angeron, and forward Masashi Wada.
Although yet to score this season, Ollie Wright is my Portland player to watch on Saturday. The club’s top scorer with 13 goals across all competitions in 2025, the 27 year old Englishman is a favorite of Murphy and one of the first names on his team sheet. With academy experience from Fulham and Brentford, he’s played across USL Championship, League One, and MLS Next Pro and is a talisman for Hearts’ attack.
Captain Mikey Lopez is easily Hearts’ most experienced player, having over 260 senior games under his belt, including with Sporting KC and NYCFC in MLS. He’s a US Open Cup winner and an MLS Cup Champion.
Michel Poon-Angeron has 19 caps with the Trinidad & Tobago national team. Jay Tee Kamara has one cap for Sierra Leone, while Mo Mohamed has been called up by Somalia. Kash Oladapo, Adam Armour, Mikey Lopez, Lagos Kunga, and Brecc Evans have youth international experience with the USYNT. Diogo Barbosa (Portugal), Konstantinos Georgallides (Cyprus), Zion Scarlett (Jamaica), and Masashi Wada (Japan) also have experience with their respective youth national setups.
Knoxville - The champions look set to make another run at a title in 2026. Under Coach Ian Fuller they’re joint-first in the league and are still in the Open Cup, amidst the big boys of MLS in the Round of 32. With the likes of Braudílio Rodrigues and Denis Krioutchenkov leading their attack, they’re going to be a difficult assignment for any side, home or away. Last time out they nabbed a 2-1 win away at Sarasota Paradise. Rodrigues and Babacar Diene got a pair of second-half goals as Knoxville saw out the win in spite of a late Paradise goal.
Lineup prediction: Johan Garibay; Chris Tiao, Finn McRobb, Jordan Skelton (C), Jaheim Brown; Abel Caputo, Teddy Baker; Mikkel Gøling, Stavros Zarokostas, Braudílio Rodrigues; Denis Krioutchenkov
Fuller has, over the last five games, slowly rotated some players into this team, including the likes of Braudílio Rodrigues, recently signed on loan from Lexington in the USL Championship. Some players are nailed on for a start though, including goalkeeper Johan Garibay, captain Jordan Skelton, and midfielder Mikkel Gøling. English midfielder Teddy Baker is another important player, launching the most crosses in the league so far this season, with 35. Two others guaranteed to start are Rodrigues and striker Denis Krioutchenkov.
Rodrigues was recently named in USL League One’s Team of the Week for Week 5. He recorded a goal and assist in the 2-1 victory against Sarasota while completing 22 of 25 passes and winning 4 of 8 ground duels defensively. “It’s been quick, but it’s been fun,” Rodrigues said recently of his time with the club. “It’s so nice to be able to come in and play a part right away. I always thank them so much for they’ve integrated me into the group and allowing me to enjoy my soccer. We know there are still things to improve but tonight we’re going to enjoy the three points.” Rodrigues also has a goal in the Open Cup, scoring in the draw with Asheville City that Knoxville won on penalties.
Rookie Krioutchenkov has been voted the USL League One Player of the Month. A first-year pro, the Israeli forward made an immediate impact in his debut, recording two goals and one assist against Westchester. That performance saw him become the second-youngest player to record two goals and one assist in a single game in league history. Krioutchenkov also scored a late game-winner against Richmond on March 27. “This first month has been a dream for me,” he said of his form. “Preseason was super tough and I think that prepared me immensely for what’s to come. No one plays their best soccer at the beginning of the season. I still have lots to work on, but it’s been really important for me to establish myself early and help get results for the team that may be definitive in the end.” So far he has three goals in his first five games as a professional. He didn’t start against Sarasota, but if he does start in Portland, he’s my Knoxville player to watch.
Left-back Christopher Tiao and winger Real Gill are senior internationals with the Chinese Taipei and Trinidad & Tobago national teams. Scott McLeod and John Murphy are youth internationals with Jamaica and the Republic of Ireland respectively.
Analysis and Predictions - Normally, I would back Knoxville in a game like this. They’re looking like early pace setters and playing a team lacking freshness who have looked indifferent so far. But a sold-out Fitzpatrick Stadium and home opener offer up unquantifiable possibilities and Portland have to be in with a strong shout of points at home. Knoxville’s upcoming game against DC United could well draw away attention, manpower, and possibly commitment in some areas of the field as every player in their squad will be keen to play at Audi Field next week. For this reason, I’m going with a tie. 1-1. Low scoring but evenly matched.
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