Match Recap & Analysis
Fort Wayne FC scores four goals for the first time in its professional history, ends a four-match losing run in front of a packed Fitzpatrick Stadium, and climbs back to within two points of the final playoff place.
Portland Hearts of Pine 1 – 4 Fort Wayne FC · USL League One 🏟 Fitzpatrick Stadium 📅 August 29, 2026 ⚽ Healy (8’), Awoudor (40’), Healy (61’), Lacey (77’); Wright (86’, pen.) 📋 FWFC Record: 8-7-6 · 30 pts · Matchday 21
The Match
Fort Wayne Football Club traveled to Maine without two key players who have been in the lineup most of this season. Jeremy Garay appeared on the broadcast injury report, and Javier Armas did not travel for family reasons, his wife is expecting. Mike Avery moved our usual starting right back, JP Jordan into the midfield alongside Emerson Nieto, giving Jayden Smith the start in defense. JP Jordan solidified Mike Avery’s decision, impacting the game on both sides of the ball. A real midfield general on the night, only to be overshadowed by Man of the Match, Taig Healy.
The opener arrived in the 8th min. It started with a fantastic long pass down the sideline by JP Jordan, doing his best Javier Armas impression, finding Jayden Smith running onto it down the right sideline. Near the corner flag, Smith dropped it back to Kabiru Gafar, who found JP Jordan once again, who threaded another through ball into Taig Healy’s stride on the right side of the 18 yard box. Healy ripped a shot-cross from the end line, beating Portland’s keeper at the near post. 1-0 Fort Wayne FC.
Jayden Smith, who had his best match in the autumn gold & black colors, supplied the second in the 40th min. His cross from the right found Clarence Awoudor alone at the penalty spot, who headed in his first professional goal. Ryan Becher dragged both center backs toward him on his near post run. The type of elite space he generates for others as our new “center forward of gravity.”
In the 58th min., Portland Hearts of Pine unloaded their bench of rested starters. Ollie Wright, Diego Gonzalez, Jay Tee Kamara and Kemali Green all in a single substitution window, down by two. Three minutes later, Taig Healy negated Portland’s substitutes, and silenced Fitzpatrick Stadium with a left footed blast from the top of the 18, a bending shot in the lower left corner off a clean pass from Awoudor. 3-0 Fort Wayne FC.
If the scoreline wasn’t enough of a statement already, our new signing, forward Kameron Lacey, a bit of a lower league journeyman came on in the 76th min., and drew a foul 40 yards from goal. Michael Rempel took the free kick from left to right, found Tiago Dias at the back post who headed it back across the mouth of goal, finding none other than Kameron Lacey at the opposite end, who obliged with a header, scoring his first Fort Wayne FC goal within minutes of finding the field. At that point, it was 4-nil. A proper shellacking. It was a near perfect evening if only we didn’t concede a penalty kick in the 86th min. The next Bernd Schipmann clean sheet will have to wait. The final scoreline, Fort Wayne 4, Portland 1. It was the most goals we’ve scored in a single match since entering USL League One.
The Defender’s Verdict
It was a pleasant night in Portland, Maine, where the temperature was in the low 70s, fans dressed in a mixture of t-shirts and hoodies, and the players fitted in Portland’s forest city green and Fort Wayne’s autumn gold. Something about this match felt like the transition from summer to fall at Fitzpatrick Stadium. A cozy evening to start, and a comfortable win to finish.
From the visitor’s perspective, it was a near perfect evening. A 4-1 win, away, at one of the tougher venues to play, highlighted by the amazing fans and supporters of the Portland Hearts of Pine. A club whose on and off the field identity is strong among soccer circles. A bright spot for our sport, and a club with a high ceiling. You have to respect what the home team has built, which makes it special when you visit and walk away with a confident win. A win that puts Fort Wayne FC back into the playoff hunt, and snaps a losing streak that dates back to July.
The milestones on the evening made it feel like the first match of our season. We had new debuts, first professional goals, new all-time records for club appearances and goals. Minus the firework nights in Fort Wayne and Goalrilla, this one had it all.
Taig Healy won’t be in Fort Wayne for long if the market and our front office have anything to say about it. The man loves the spotlight and big matches. Originally from New Hampshire, his family and friends in the stands, all awaiting their turn to see him play near home. And Healy did not disappoint. His 9th and 10th goals of the USL League One season vaulted him to the top of the list for All-Time Franchise Records for Goals, now with 11 in all competitions this year, fitting for the man wearing #11 on his kit.
Mike Avery and staff kept our 4-2-3-1 formation in place, sliding JP Jordan into the double pivot next to Emerson Nieto in our midfield. That gave Jayden Smith the start at right back, and eventually allowed Logan Neidlinger to make his debut as a sub in the 70th min. Neidlinger joined Fort Wayne FC this week through a loan transaction from USL Championship side, Indy Eleven.
It’s hard to find much fault on an emphatic victory, away, which kindly kills our winless streak, and gives us an emotional boost during an important stretch of matches against lower half of the table teams. With playoff hopes reignited once again, thanks to the first star of this Fort Wayne Football Club, Taig Healy, we’ll head into a short week of rest to play against last place Richmond Kickers at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium on national TV. The win, the milestones, the firsts, like Clarence Awoudor’s first professional goal and the debuts of roster reinforcements, made Matchday 21 special for not only this Fort Wayne squad, but for the fans as well. Chase that playoff spot boys, you made Fort Wayne proud.
Always FWD
Thanks for sharing some good news about the team, Justin. Congrats Fort Wayne - Let’s keep it going!