Sports
First-half goals send Mexico to comfortable 2-0 victory over Ecuador
June 30, 2026; Mexico City, Mexico; Mexico’s Raul Jimenez celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates. Mandatory Credit: Eloisa Sanchez-Reuters via Imagn Images Julian Quinones delivered a goal and an assist in the first half for Mexico, who maintained complete control in front of their vocal home fans to earn a 2-0 World Cup victory over Ecuador in a round of 32 match on Tuesday at Mexico City.
Raul Jimenez added a goal as Mexico won a knockout-round match for the first time since 1986 — also on home soil.
Goalkeeper Raul Rangel made one save in Mexico’s fourth consecutive clean sheet.
Mexico advance to a round of 16 matchup against either England or the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sunday, also in Mexico City.
Ecuador, who rallied to defeat Germany in group play last week and earn a spot in the round of 32, were unable to counter Mexico’s early momentum. Hernan Galindez made one save as Ecuador fell to 0-2-0 all time in knockout-round matches.
Adding to the disappointment was a red card for Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time for covering his mouth in a confrontation with Mexico’s Santiago Gimenez.
Just as he did twice in group play, Quinones found the back of the net to give Mexico a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute. Roberto Alvarado sent a long pass forward from beyond midfield, and Quinones proceeded unmarked before scoring into the upper left corner from just inside the box.
Jimenez started a scoring sequence less than 10 minutes later when he forced a turnover on Ecuador’s side of the field, sent a pass to Quinones, then received the ball back to score from the top of the box in the 31st minute.
Even as Mexico controlled the run of play from the outset, Ecuador had the best early chance when John Yeboah hit the outside of the left post with a shot in the 18th minute. Mexico took over from there and were never threatened again.
Mexico won with 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora in the starting lineup. Mora became the second youngest starter in a knockout-round match after Brazil’s Pele in 1958.
The match was delayed one hour at the start because of lightning.
After they were one of three teams with a perfect 3-0-0 record in group play, Mexico became the second team to win for a fourth time in the tournament, joining France. Argentina will have a chance to join them when they oppose Cape Verde on Friday in Miami Gardens, Fla.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Ducks sign newly acquired F A.J. Greer to 4-year deal
Apr 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) shoots the puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images The Anaheim Ducks signed newly acquired forward A.J. Greer to a new four-year, $17 million deal on Tuesday, according to multiple media reports.
Greer, who just completed a two-year deal worth a total of $1.7 million with the Florida Panthers, was the return in Monday’s trade that sent Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas to Florida. The trade gave Anaheim the exclusive rights to reach a deal with Greer before Wednesday, when he would have become an unrestricted free agent.
The new contract reportedly includes a 10-team no-trade clause for Greer, who is coming off the most productive season of his career.
The 29-year-old’s 17 goals last season for the Panthers were comfortably a career high, as many as he had in the prior three seasons combined. He also set career highs in assists (15) and points (32) while averaging his most ice time per game in a full season (12:26).
Greer has 81 career points (36 goals, 45 assists) in 326 games over nine NHL seasons with the Colorado Avalanche (2016-19), New Jersey Devils (2020-22), Boston Bruins (2022-23), Calgary Flames (2023-24) and Panthers (2024-26).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nolan McLean helps Mets blank Blue Jays
Jun 30, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Nolan McLean struck out seven in six scoreless innings Tuesday night and the visiting New York Mets defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0.
McLean (5-5) allowed five hits and two walks, while Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens provided support with solo home runs. Devin Williams pitched around a single in the ninth to earn his 12th save.
The struggling teams have split the first two of a three-game series with the rubber match to be played Wednesday afternoon on Canada Day.
It was the second win in 11 games for the Mets. The Blue Jays are 2-7 with one game left on their 10-game homestand. The Mets are 1-1 to open a seven-game road trip.
Former Blue Jay Bo Bichette was 1-for-4 for the Mets and made some excellent defensive plays at third base.
Luis Urias had two singles and a walk for Toronto.
The Mets tested Kevin Gausman (4-7) in the fourth. Juan Soto led off with a walk and Bichette grounded a single to right. The runners advanced on a groundout. Gausman responded with two strikeouts to end the inning.
Toronto threatened against McLean with two outs in the bottom of the fourth when Daulton Varsho doubled to right and Urias walked. McLean got Yohendrick Pinango on a groundout to end the inning.
Alvarez opened the fifth by homering on a 1-2 fastball, a blast to center. The Mets left two runners on base in the inning after a single and a walk.
Gausman completed six innings. He allowed one run, five hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Torrens homered into the Mets’ bullpen in right field on Mason Fluharty’s 2-2 cutter with one out in the seventh.
New York’s Brooks Raley pitched a perfect seventh with two strikeouts and Luke Weaver also was perfect in the eighth for the Mets.
Toronto’s Tommy Nance pitched a clean eighth with two strikeouts before allowing A.J. Ewing’s single to open the ninth. Ewing reached second when Nance was charged with the error on a pickoff attempt. He took third on a groundout and Brett Baty hit a sacrifice fly to center.
Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was scratched because of back tightness.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Riley Greene homers twice as Tarik Skubal, Tigers shut down Yankees
Jun 30, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches against the New York Yankees during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Riley Greene belted a pair of homers in consecutive at-bats off Cam Schlittler, Tarik Skubal pitched six innings and combined with two relievers on a four-hitter as the visiting Detroit Tigers cruised to a 9-3 victory over the slumping New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
The Tigers have won four of their last five visits to Yankee Stadium and slugged five home runs against the Yankees for the first time since Aug. 30, 2018.
Kerry Carpenter started Detroit’s power barrage by hitting an 0-1 cutter off Schlittler (8-5) to right-center field. Rookie center fielder Spencer Jones attempted to make a leaping catch but the ball popped out of his glove and into the Yankees’ bullpen.
Greene followed by lifting a 2-2 sinker halfway up the second deck in right field. Spencer Torkelson capped a 10-pitch at-bat by hammering a 2-2 cutter into the left field seats for the Tigers’ third homer in the first inning.
Greene extended Detroit’s lead to 6-1 by hammering a 1-0 fastball over the right-center field fence.
It was Greene’s eighth career multi-homer game and his first since July 2 at Washington last season.
Skubal (4-4) allowed two runs (one earned) and one hit during his best start since returning from elbow surgery on June 13. He struck out nine, walked none and lowered his ERA to 3.15.
The left-hander also retired Paul Goldschmidt three times, inducing a pop-up, a strikeout, and a double play grounder that scored New York’s second run in the sixth. Goldschmidt entered Tuesday 7-for-13 with four homers off Skubal and homered twice off him last week in Detroit.
Ben Rice homered in the first but the Yankees lost their season-high sixth straight and for the ninth time in 11 games. New York was held to four hits, with two coming in the ninth inning.
Schlittler was tagged for a career-worst six runs on seven hits in four-plus innings. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out five, walked one and saw his ERA climb to 2.08.
Schlittler allowed four homers for the first time in his 32 career starts since debuting July 9, 2025. He had never allowed more than two homers in any start and had allowed six total this season before Tuesday.
Jacob Waguespack pitched two innings and Tyler Holton stranded two in the ninth.
–Field Level Media
Reports: Ducks sign newly acquired F A.J. Greer to 4-year deal
Nolan McLean helps Mets blank Blue Jays
