CHARLOTTE, NC (September 2, 2026) — Stefano Pinho scored twice in the dying moments, finding the back of the net in the 96th and 98th minutes to cap a night to remember at the Sportsplex at Matthews as the Charlotte Independence completed a miraculous comeback to defeat Portland Hearts of Pine, 3-2.
Charlotte looked down and out, trailing by two goals late in stoppage time. And then, the unthinkable happened. Pinho scored a scissor kick to equalize and a minute later, tapped home to steal all three points.
The win makes it seven unbeaten in league play and gives the team another surge as they head into the marquee fixture of the campaign at Union Omaha Saturday.
Making his first start since late June, Enzo Martinez looked for his second goal in as many games nine minutes in. The ball fell to the Uruguayan in the Hearts’ box, but his outside-of-the-foot effort was parried away by goalkeeper Hunter Morse.
After a Player of the Month kind of August, Bakero put Charlotte in front in the 20th minute. Martinez neatly weighed a ball to Clay Dimick, who on his 200th club appearance centered across the face of goal. The Spaniard orchestrated his feet beautifully to backheel into the side netting to set the Jacks off on the front foot.
Two minutes later and Hearts had their first opportunity. Matteo Kidd was sprung behind the Charlotte defense and was suddenly one-on-one with Matt Levy. Kevin Riascos did brilliantly to recover into position as Kidd deliberated in front of the Jacks goalkeeper and got just a piece of Kidd’s strike to send it wide.
Portland came out strong to begin the second half and grabbed an equalizer in the 59th minute. Straight on the pitch as a substitute, Aboubacar Camara drove the end line and fired a low cross across the frame. Kidd got a touch on it to create space before slotting past Levy to make it 1-1.
The momentum continued for the Hearts and they earned a penalty three minutes later as Levy took down Ollie Wright. The Englishman stepped up to take, but Levy made the save. Michel Poon-Angeron reacted first, retrieving the rebound and depositing to give Hearts a sudden lead.
Charlotte began their charge to level it, beginning to dominate possession in Portland territory. Dimick nearly had his second assist of the night in the 76th minute as his near-post ball found Souaibou Marou. His flick-on was saved brilliantly by Morse, throwing his hand up quickly to make the stop.
Two minutes later, Christy Manzinga drove the end line and found Pinho, who steered on target but Morse got down to rob again.
As the clock entered seven minutes of stoppage time, Bakero bent a set piece to the back post onto Javen Romero’s head, but once again, Morse was excellent, getting down on the goal line to knock it away. Shortly after, the midfielder looped a fabulous ball that evaded everyone except Marou, who touched it by Morse but just past the post.
The moment finally came for Charlotte in the 96th minute. After Manzinga pushed Javen Romero down to the end line, the defender played an out-swinger to the top of the six-yard box. Pinho threw his leg at it and proceeded to place a sidewinding scissor kick off the post and in to tie the game.
Time remained for one more opportunity and against all odds, Charlotte completed an unfathomable comeback. Bakero was given space to place one more cross. His ball nicked off Reudd Manin’s head and struck the in-step of Pinho – who in a matter of two minutes had his first two goals for the club in stunning fashion.
The Independence somehow found a way to grab all three points and now ride incredible momentum into the biggest game of the USL League One – a top of the table clash at Union Omaha Saturday night.
POST-GAME QUOTES
Head Coach Mike Jeffries on the group’s resolve at the end:
”I’ve talked about the group’s character all year, but just the character — they keep pushing, they keep fighting. You know, it’s obviously nice to be at home, and then to get two goals at the death in stoppage time is unbelievable.”
Jeffries on Pinho’s heroics in stoppage time:
”The first goal is a ridiculous finish, right? Pinho, we see that in training, but that’s just a great finish. Javen did ridiculously well to get to the ball and keep it in. And then just to pull off and hit a finish like that is incredible.
And then on the second one — again, we felt like, ‘Hey, we’ve got them. Let’s keep pushing.’ And to get the second one was, you know, obviously just a striker — right spot, right time.”
Stefano Pinho on what the moment means to him and the celebration:
”I was waiting for this moment. I was trying so hard to get my goal, so today was a gift from God. Nothing is finished yet. We have to keep it going with three points next week.
”They’ve made coming here easy. For me, it’s a good environment and I feel like family here already.”
Clay Dimick on reaching 200 club appearances:
”Thankful to God for His plan, getting me here for 200 games, because at a point we didn’t think it was possible. So, thankful to Him first and foremost. Thankful to the staff and the owners and everybody believing in me for this long.”
