Nearly a Hearts of Pine player, Taig Healy scores twice against Portland
Fort Wayne FC’s Taig Healy stuns hometown hearts with double in 4‑1 win
Fort Wayne, IN – A 22‑year‑old rookie from South Hampton, New Hampshire, left the Portland‑based Portland Hearts of Pine with a grin on his face after scoring twice for Fort Wayne FC in a 4‑1 victory on Saturday. The match, played at the Hearts’ home stadium, was the first league win for Fort Wayne in 18 games and marked a high‑point for the young midfielder who had spent the offseason courting Portland.
A hometown hero turns the tables
Healy, an attacking midfielder known for his quick feet and clinical finish, opened the scoring with a deft right‑footed strike that slipped between Portland goalkeeper Hunter Morse and the post from a tight angle. He added a second goal on the 63rd minute after a run toward the end line, beating the keeper with a low shot that hit the left panel of the net. With those goals, Healy pushed his season tally to 10, the most on the Fort Wayne roster, and proved to be the decisive factor in a game where the “Hearts” had not seen victory since July.
“Taig’s a great little player,” said Portland coach Bobby Murphy, who watched the 5‑ft‑7, two‑footed playmaker score from the sidelines. “His dad and I played together in college, so I’m happy for his success.”
Why the Portland Hearts of Pine missed the chance
Portland had been actively seeking a goal‑scoring threat for the 2025 USL League One season and turned its attention to Healy, who grew up only an hour from the club’s Fitzpatrick Stadium. The club’s decision to sign Masashi Wada—a first‑team all‑star—was a factor, but the season‑ending injury Wada sustained in Portland’s home opener meant the club had to reconsider its plans.
“We looked at him and we had Wada here and it was going to be hard for him,” Murphy explained. “The injury forced us to look elsewhere.”
Wada’s injury left the Hearts 5‑10‑8 and 14th in the 17‑team league, nine points shy of the playoff zone with nine matches to play. Coach Murphy, reflecting on the team’s struggles, said, “I’ll take the blame. I put this group together and thought they were good enough.” He added that while a magical turnaround seemed unlikely, a season‑ending job assessment was inevitable.
The family connection
Jay Healy, the 22‑year‑old’s father and former college teammate of Murphy’s, revealed the backstory behind the young player’s choice. “We had talks with the Hearts after he led North Carolina State to an NCAA runner‑up finish,” Jay Healy said. “Ultimately Fort Wayne’s contract package was better and that trumped some significant connections with the Hearts.”
Healy’s youth was shaped by coach Alex Ryan at Seacoast United Soccer Club in Epping, New Hampshire. Ryan, who coached Healy to a USL 2 championship in 2024 (producing 13 goals and 11 assists), was also the assistant coach for the Hearts during the offseason. Another link was Myles Culley, son of the Hearts’ founding owners Jonathan and Catherine Culley, who had been a teammate of Healy’s in the Seacoast youth ranks.
Fort Wayne’s surprise pick
Fort Wayne’s head coach Mike Avery admitted that the club was surprised Healy was not drafted by Major League Soccer. “We knew he was a player that if he was available would be really beneficial for us,” Avery said. “We thought he was probably going to get drafted. That was probably a mistake on the part of the MLS, but it worked to our benefit.” Avery praised Healy’s versatility and ceiling, calling him “incredible” and noting that “this will be his first stop” on a career that is expected to rise.
Avery also described Healy’s first goal of the match: “It was an awkward angle, but he found a way to get it in. We see it every day in practice.” The win also snapped a four‑game losing streak, improving the Falcons’ record to 8‑7‑6.
A consolation goal for Portland
While the Hearts endured a 4‑0 deficit, trialist Diego Letayf Escutia earned a penalty in the 84th minute, allowing Ollie Wright to seal a consolation goal for Portland. Wright, who had missed two games with a hamstring injury, netted his sixth goal of the season—tied with Aboubacar Camara and Diego Gonzalez for the team lead.
Looking ahead
Portland will next face league‑leading Charlotte Independence on Wednesday, with a home game against Westchester SC scheduled for Sunday. Coach Murphy said the match against the Falcons could also be a chance to evaluate staff for the 2027 season.
“Absolutely,” Murphy answered when asked if Saturday’s game would give Portland a platform to decide on jobs for the upcoming year. “It’s a moment for us to assess what’s working and what isn’t.”
Bottom line
Taig Healy’s two‑goal performance was a bright spot in a season that has been anything but smooth for the Portland Hearts of Pine. For Fort Wayne FC, the win not only broke a losing streak but also highlighted a promising rookie who may be a cornerstone for the club’s future. For Portland, the loss underscored the need for fresh talent and a reassessment of coaching staff as the team looks to regain its footing in USL League One.
