Sports
USMNT’s second half vs. Ecuador gives positives for Pochettino
AUSTIN, Texas — At first glance, the term “tale of two halves” doesn’t seem appropriate to describe Friday’s 1-1 draw between the U.S. men’s national team and Ecuador. The U.S. had a sizable possession advantage throughout, created good chances, and dominated La Tri for long stretches. But looking from a different angle, it is applicable.
In the first half, even as the U.S. controlled the tempo (64.4% vs. 35.6% possession), it was Ecuador that controlled a key area. They made more of the little plays that mattered. That ability is in line with their recent history. They are a side that have ridden defensive solidity, excellent goalkeeping when needed, and an opportunistic attack to finish second in World Cup qualifying behind reigning champions Argentina. Along the way, La Tri conceded a miniscule five goals in 18 matches. While 14 goals scored isn’t exactly prolific, it proved to be enough to qualify for their sixth-straight World Cup.
In this match, for a half at any rate, Ecuador checked every one of those boxes. The defense was adept at constricting space, deflecting passes, and forcing the U.S. into blind alleys. On the rare occasions when the U.S. broke through, goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez was there to deliver a pair of outstanding saves, including a deflection off the post from a Chris Richards shot in the 26th minute.
In attack, Ecuador punished the U.S. with a transition goal in the 24th minute. U.S. midfielder Aidan Morris came up empty when he tried to jump on a transition pass to Jordy Alcivar, and Ecuador midfielder’s subsequent feed to Enner Valencia allowed the Pachuca striker to get into a one-vs.-one situation against Richards, which he made the most of to fire home a shot just inside Matt Freese’s far post.
That play, full of little victories that turned into a critical sequence, defined the first half.
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In the second half, the U.S. reversed the trend. It defended with more composure, upped the tempo in attack and scored a goal off the press in a play that featured Tim Weah, Tanner Tessmann and Malik Tillman, and ended with Folarin Balogun scoring off Tillman’s centering feed. The U.S. did what it could to find a winner, but couldn’t break through again.
That said, it was a performance that reflected well on the USMNT, even if the scoreline wasn’t entirely satisfying. It showed plenty of dynamism in attack, with Tillman and Weston McKennie using plenty of clever touches to find Balogun in the kind of spaces behind a defense in which he thrives. Defensively, it looked solid in a formation that echoed the approach in the Gold Cup, where it played with a fluid back line that often defended with four players, but allowed left back Max Arfsten to be tilted higher up the field.
But among the more encouraging aspects of the match was the U.S.’s ability to win more of the little battles in the second half, and turn them into critical plays. Establishing that habit is a vital piece to achieving success in the 2026 World Cup next summer. In that kind of competition, the teams are so evenly matched, especially in the knockout rounds, that it is often little details that are the difference between advancing deep into the tournament and getting an early ticket home.
For much of this calendar year, at least in matches involving most of the first-choice squad, the U.S. wasn’t making those little plays. Friday’s match, as well as last month’s encounter against Japan showed a side more able to come out on top in those sequences.
0:36
USMNT hosts Ecuador in friendly, draws 1-1
In case you missed it, the USMNT battled back for a 1-1 draw with Ecuador on Friday.
How the U.S. did that is open to interpretation, but suffice it to say, it’s multifaceted. The U.S is at last playing with the kind of energy and desire that manager Mauricio Pochettino demands, as evidenced by the USMNT winning 53.4% of its duels, 73.3% of tackles and 65.0% of aerial challenges. That creates a platform for more effective attacking play. For Pochettino, that development is almost a relief.
“I’m so happy that we don’t talk about other things like commitment, attitude or things that like this, that normally in the past we were,” the U.S. manager said afterward. “I think that is massive step up … If we are better and we show that we are better than our opponent, we can win. If we don’t show that, it’s because it’s a soccer problem.”
He added: “We showed great mentality and that is in the way that we want to build to the World Cup.”
But this is also a team that looks to be gaining some comfort with Pochettino’s system. It certainly has taken some time — far longer than expected when Pochettino took over the program 12 months ago — but that long sought-after cohesion is now progressing, and the team’s confidence is growing. The U.S. is playing more instinctually, rather than overthinking situations.
“If you’re thinking of, ‘Oh, I have to move here or I have to move here,’ then all of a sudden you start to think more [rather] than just doing,” U.S. defender Tim Ream said. “And now all of a sudden you see it; the ideas are taking hold and so now everyone’s just doing and able to really just give everything at all times.”
Combined with U.S. team’s high level of fitness — long a strong suit of the side — and you have a team that can gain the upper hand and maintain that advantage as well. For Ream, that started to show in the second half, not so much in physically overpowering their opponents, but in slowly wearing them down. It creates a snowball effect where every challenge won feeds the team with more energy.
“We started to make more of the plays. We started to look the fresher team as the game wore on,” he said. “And listen, as someone who has been on the other side of that, you know and you smell that. You’re like, ‘OK, these guys are starting to flag, they’re starting to be a little bit gassed,’ and you actually feel more energized and it allows you to get on top of them more and start making more little plays, being connected better. I think we were connected pretty well in the first half, but I think even closer connections in the second half. I’ll tell you what, it takes a toll on teams, and it did today.”
That improvement, from tactics to mentality to fitness to execution, is even more impressive when you consider who was missing. Alejandro Zendejas, so inspiring against Japan, sat out the match with a knee injury that already has him on his way back to club side Club America; Antonee Robinson, whose return to the USMNT fold figured to give the side a huge boost, didn’t make the gameday roster; Christian Pulisic was reduced to a 17-minute cameo off the bench; Tyler Adams (his partner is about to have a baby) and Sergiño Dest (injured) didn’t even make the roster.
The U.S. is without a doubt a better team with those players. Pochettino has a challenge on his hands in determining who will make his World Cup roster and who will get on the field once that’s decided. But, given where this team has been, and the progress it is making, it’s the kind of puzzle he’ll be more than happy to try to solve.
TOULOUSE:
Clermont stunned Toulouse 27–24 on Sunday to hand the Top 14 leaders their first home defeat in nearly a year.
Toulouse still have a 12-point cushion over their closest challengers Pau at the top of the table, but this result showed coach Ugo Mola and his staff have work to do before the end of the season.
“It’s a bit more than just a reminder. We’ll take the time to analyse this in order to come back with a different mindset,” Mola said.
Clermont, on the other hand, climbed to fifth place with 61 points, cementing their status as serious contenders for a playoff spot.
Toulouse had not lost at home since May 17, 2025, but perhaps it was the the sight of France superstar Antoine Dupont on the bench or their unfamiliar beige jerseys — matching those worn by the city’s football team the same weekend — that upset the league leaders.
They began smoothly enough as Teddy Thomas crossed the try line after just 42 seconds, superbly set up by Romain Ntamack.
The prospect of a one-sided match grew when Emmanuel Meafou powered over in the ninth minute, and then Paul Graou, in his 100th appearance for Toulouse, made it 21–0 after just 10 minutes.
But Toulouse lost their grip on the game.
Second-rower Marcos Kremer picked up an orange card and a 20-minute suspension and Harry Plummer was shown a yellow — both for head contact with Kalvin Gourgues — allowing Clermont to work their way back into the match, relying on solid set pieces and Toulouse’s many errors.
Leon Darricarrere got Clermont back on track before captain Baptiste Jauneau brought his team within seven points in the 31st minute.
After the break, prop Giga Tutisani helped Clermont close the gap to just three points and their iron defence, combined with Toulouse’s indiscipline, then turned the match on its head, with New Zealand kicker Harry Plummer kicking two penalties to give his side the lead.
Clumsy and lacking inspiration, Toulouse squandered chances in the opposition 22 and ultimately had to concede defeat.
Sports
Diego Pavia accepts Ravens rookie minicamp invite after making unfortunate NFL Draft history: reports
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Diego Pavia, the polarizing former Vanderbilt quarterback who was runner-up in Heisman voting last season, has reportedly found a home in the NFL after going undrafted this weekend.
Pavia accepted an invitation to the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, per multiple reports. He doesn’t have a spot on the roster yet, but it’s a start as he looks to crack into the NFL with Baltimore.
Of course, Lamar Jackson, the two-time MVP quarterback, is cemented as the team’s starting quarterback, but perhaps Pavia can stand out enough in rookie minicamp to earn an invitation to training camp this summer.
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Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia throws a pass against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first quarter during the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 31, 2025. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
Pavia was not expecting to be undrafted this weekend, but he became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since 2014 to not hear his name called through the seven rounds in Pittsburgh.
Pavia won the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award for best upperclassman quarterback after throwing for 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, both of which single-season school records, to give the Commodores its first-ever 10-win season.
Vanderbilt just missed out on the College Football Playoff after finishing 10-3.
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Pavia ultimately finished second in Heisman voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza – the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. So, what ultimately led to Pavia not getting drafted?
While his personality may have factored in, Pavia’s official height at the NFL Scouting Combine turned some heads. Vanderbilt had him listed at 6-foot, but he was measured at 5-foot-9 7/8, which would make him the shortest quarterback in the NFL if he were to step foot on the gridiron today. The average height is 6-foot-2 for an NFL quarterback.
However, those shorter than the average have seen success, including Minnesota Vikings newest member, Kyler Murray, who went first overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 coming out of Oklahoma. He’s listed at 5-foot-10.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates after the team’s win against Kentucky at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 22, 2025. (Mark Zaleski/The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Pavia barked back at critics during the Senior Bowl in January regarding his height.
“Yeah, my size has been doubted my whole life,” he said at the time, via AL.com. “I feel like the only thing the NFL cares about is can you win, and I view myself as a winner. I’ve been fortunate with all these great teams that I’ve had — we’ve never had a losing season. So that’s something to look forward to, I hope, for the rest of my career, that’s how it’s going to be.
“I feel like God has blessed me in so many ways to be a connector, and I feel like that’s one of my superpowers that I’ve got — I can connect. We unite, and then once you unite, you want to play for one another, and once you give 120% effort, there’s no one that can stop your team.”
Pavia’s personality, viewed by some as more cocky than confident, may have played a factor as well. After finishing runner-up to Mendoza in Heisman voting, Pavia was spotted at a New York City nightclub next to a sign that read, “F— Indiana.” Then, he posted on social media a photo with friends and a caption that read, “F— ALL THE VOTERS, BUT…FAMILY FOR LIFE.”
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia throws a football during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
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Pavia later apologized for his decision to post that on his socials.
No matter the case, Pavia has a shot now with the Ravens and new head coach Jesse Minter, as he aims to show enough to join the quarterbacks group in training camp. Other than Jackson, the Ravens have Tyler “Snoop” Huntley on the roster to start the season.
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Trevor Bauer, the former Cy Young Award winner and MLB All-Star, tossed a no-hitter for the independent Long Island Ducks in a 13-0 win over the Lancaster Stormers on Sunday afternoon at Penn Medicine Park in Pennsylvania.
It was just Bauer’s second start in the United States since 2021, and he faced just one batter over the minimum in a scheduled seven-inning game of a doubleheader against the Stormers.
Bauer threw 84 pitches, striking out seven hitters and walking just one to lose out on the perfect game.
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Trevor Bauer smiles after pitching no-hitter for Long Island Ducks on Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)
But Bauer unleashed a roar on the mound after a called strike three to notch the third no-hitter in Ducks history.
Combined with his first outing for the Ducks on April 21, Bauer has a strong 1.64 ERA to start the season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), which is a “Professional Partner League” of MLB.
Fans might have been supporting the opposing Stormers, but they understood what was at stake as Bauer was mowing down hitters throughout his start. They were even heard chanting his name at one point, hoping he could keep his hitless streak alive.
After the game, Bauer returned the favor for those at the Pennsylvania ballpark, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans after entering his name into the Ducks’ record books.
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“I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season,” said Bauer when he signed with the Ducks earlier this month. “The Ducks have had some incredible players come through their organization, and I’m excited to be part of that tradition.”
Ex-MLB stars like Dontrelle Willis, Daniel Murphy, Rich Hill and Eric Gagne have played for the Ducks in the past. New York Mets legends Gary Carter and Bud Harrelson both managed the team, with the latter also being a part-owner.
Bauer’s first start for the Ducks impressed an AL team scout in attendance, saying he was pretty impressed by Bauer’s arsenal on the bump.
“He showed flashes of the guy he used to be and a guy who can help a club,” the scout told the New York Post. “He went out and handled himself well. He showed flashes of the breaking ball he had in the past. Certainly the velocity is not what it once was, but it’s still solid, mostly 92-94. He didn’t throw the ball particularly well on the inside part of the plate with his fastball, but I think it was a really good first outing. You’d expected him to get sharper and probably tick up in velocity.
Trevor Bauer and catcher high-five after finish inning for Long Island Ducks in no-hit bid on Sunday April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)
“You’re talking about a guy who was at the top of the game. Is he back there? No, but he looked like a guy who could go out and compete.”
Bauer pitched in Japan in both 2023 and 2025, while a stint in Mexico came in 2024. He pitched to a 2.59 ERA and 9.2 K/9 in Japan in 2023, and in Mexico, those numbers improved to 2.48 and 13.0. Last year in Japan, though, his ERA shot up to 4.41, and he struck out just 8.2 batters per nine innings.
This June will mark five years since Bauer, as the reigning Cy Young Award winner, last appeared in an MLB game. On June 28 of that year, he tossed six innings of two-run ball while striking out eight batters, recording the win.
Two days later, Bauer was hit with sexual assault allegations, which eventually led to a 324-game suspension (the equivalent of two seasons). It was eventually reduced to 184 games for violating the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
Bauer has maintained his innocence, settling with one accuser while another is facing 16 years in prison after being charged with fraud for faking a pregnancy and asking Bauer for money for an abortion.
Trevor Bauer pitches for Long Island Ducks during no-hitter on Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)
Bauer and Lindsey Hill, who accused the pitcher of beating and sexually abusing her in 2021, settled their case in late 2023. Bauer revealed texts from Hill, who said that Bauer would be her “next victim,” among other damning messages. Hill has since said that MLB has more evidence of Bauer’s alleged misconduct.
Last June, Hill was ordered to pay Bauer more than $300,000 for violating settlement terms. Hill breached their settlement agreement with each other by discussing Bauer on podcasts and in public appearances, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Nearly two years ago, Bauer said he “may have no other choice” but to sue Major League Baseball “if I continue being kept out” of the league. Bauer has said he’d “play for the league minimum,” but he has yet to sign with an MLB team.
“Anyone that’s willing to sit down with me and listen: I’d like to play the second half of my career in a better way than I played the first half,” Bauer told Fox News Digital in January 2024. “I’d like to be an example that you can make mistakes, recognize them, adjust and then be better in the future. I think that’s something us as humans have to do and should be doing constantly.”
Long Island Ducks pitcher Trevor Bauer throws against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, N.Y., on April 21, 2026. (Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM/Getty Images)
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Bauer has since called out MLB after Pete Rose and other deceased former players were taken off the league’s permanently ineligible list.
“So, since Pete is welcome back now, does that go for everyone who has been blackballed?” Bauer asked on X. “Or do you actually have to be guilty of something to qualify for that?”
Bauer was performing well for the Dodgers at the time of the allegations, pitching to a 2.59 ERA.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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