Trailing in the 90th minute, the Sharks scored twice in stoppage time to defeat Portland Hearts of Pine 3-2 and secure the club’s first professional league win.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (June 3, 2026) – Sam Roscoe’s 98th-minute header delivered a historic breakthrough for Corpus Christi FC on Wednesday night, lifting the Sharks to a dramatic 3-2 victory over Portland Hearts of Pine and securing the club’s first USL League One win.
The game-winning goal came off a corner kick from Blake Bowen in the final minute of stoppage time, completing a stunning late comeback in front of the home crowd at Cabaniss Athletic Complex.
Solid First Half Defense Marred by Stoppage-Time Goal
Entering the match as Corpus Christi’s leading striker, Blake Bowen found opportunities early, recording two shot attempts within the opening 22 minutes. However, Portland controlled possession throughout the remainder of the first half.
In response to last Friday’s match against Forward Madison FC, which saw them concede three goals and allow 11 shots on target, Corpus Christi’s backline put forth a much stronger effort. Team captain Patrick Langlois and Jack Keaney led the defensive effort with four clearances apiece while helping limit Portland to just four shots on target.
As the match grew increasingly physical and tensions rose between the two sides in the final 10 minutes of the half, Portland found one last opportunity to attack in the opening minute of stoppage time.
Off a pass from Ollie Wright, Hearts midfielder Tyler Huck found space on the left side of the six-yard box, only to be met by Jack Keaney with a sliding tackle. Keaney’s intervention deflected the ball out of play, conceding a corner kick to Portland.
Portland elected to restart play quickly from the corner, catching Corpus Christi off guard before it could organize its defensive shape. The sequence allowed defender Brecc Evans to find space in the center of the box and fire home the opening goal just before halftime, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Bowen Equalizes But Hearts Have an Answer
The Sharks knew they had to answer, and midfielder Nacho Abeal set the tone early in the second half, drawing a yellow card in the 47th minute for his aggressive defending before, two minutes later, launching a shot on target from the right side of the box.
As Corpus Christi began to build confidence in attack, Abeal delivered a pass to the top of the box in the 52nd minute to find Blake Bowen, who finished to equalize.
The goal reignited belief for a side that had endured a difficult start to its inaugural professional season.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Bowen said. “I feel like this season, things haven’t gone our way, and today, we pushed past it, and we found a way to win.”
Approaching stoppage time, the match began to look destined for a draw. Corpus Christi had dominated possession since the equalizer, but clear chances were becoming increasingly difficult to create for either side.
That changed in the 86th minute when Hearts midfielder JayTee Camara dribbled into the penalty area and tucked a shot inside the left post, beating a diving James Talbot. Ollie Wright was credited with the assist as Portland reclaimed a 2-1 advantage.
A Long-Awaited Breakthrough
As the fourth official raised the board past the 90th minute to indicate six minutes of added time, Corpus Christi’s search for its first professional home win once again appeared to be slipping away.
Two minutes later, however, defender Jack Keaney headed in a corner kick from Bowen to equalize. The only problem: the offside flag was raised.
Despite the frustrating turn of events, Corpus Christi sensed Portland was beginning to crack under pressure.
It would only be two corner kicks later that the Sharks finally found their equalizer, as Hearts goalkeeper Hunter Morse fumbled the ball over the goal line while attempting to gather a cross.
The equalizer energized a Corpus Christi side that refused to quit despite seeing an earlier stoppage-time goal waved off.
“It showed that we’re willing to fight for one another, no matter what,” midfielder Bubu Medina said. “I’m just super happy for it.”
The sequence felt eerily familiar to what the Sharks had experienced in their previous home match against One Knoxville SC. This time, however, Corpus Christi was not content with settling for a draw.
Following a free kick into the penalty area that was deflected out for another corner, Bowen delivered the ensuing set piece, finding Roscoe, whose header curled inside the right post to secure Corpus Christi’s first USL League One victory.
Relief quickly replaced the frustration that had followed the club throughout the opening months of its inaugural professional season.
“It’s a blur,” Head Coach Eamon Zayed said. “I’m really happy for the guys. We kept going. We kept fighting. The guys have put the work in, so for me it’s relief. I’m shocked it took this long, but it’s better late than never.”
Zayed reflected on the contrast between Wednesday’s celebration and the heartbreak that followed the club’s previous home match.
“I remember the last game, it was silence and devastation,” Zayed said. “Now it’s elation and jubilation. It’s like a monkey off your back, that first win. Hopefully now we can push on.”
Notable:
- Corpus Christi FC wins both their first USL League One match and home match in their 2026 season and professional history
- Blake Bowen notched his fourth goal on the season, leading the team
- Sam Roscoe’s game-winner was also his first goal of the season
- This match also marked the first time Corpus Christi has outshot an opponent all season
- Corpus Christi FC becomes the second team in USL League One history to rally with two stoppage-time goals and win
Goals: Bowen (52’), Morse [POR – OG] (86’), Roscoe (90’ +8)
Assists: Bowen (1), Abeal (1)
Yellow Cards: Bowen (1), Abeal (1), Keegan (1), Keaney (1), Medina (1), Zayed (1)
| CORPUS CHRISTI FC | PORTLAND HEARTS OF PINE | |
| 12 | SHOTS | 10 |
| 7 | SHOTS ON TARGET | 4 |
| 2 | SAVES | 5 |
| 16 | FOULS | 14 |
| 6 | CORNERS WON | 7 |
| 6 | YELLOW CARDS | 3 |
| 0 | RED CARDS | 0 |
About Corpus Christi FC
CCFC was established in 2017 by Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo. The club previously played in USL League Two, the nation’s leading pre-professional league, and won their first Lone Star Division title in 2024. That same year, Corpus Christi was awarded a USL League One franchise and will kick off its first professional season in 2026. CCFC is building a new home at the Corpus Christi Multi-Sport Complex currently being constructed at 5102 Old Brownsville Road. Phase One of the $28.3 million complex was completed in summer 2025 and a 5,000-seat stadium, which will serve as home for all of the Sharks’ USL League One home games, is currently under construction.
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