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Uruguay arrive in Miami after travel delayed by permit issues

Nov 28, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez (2) reacts following the loss against Portugal in the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn ImagesNov 28, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez (2) reacts following the loss against Portugal in the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images

The Uruguay national team arrived in Miami late on Sunday after a travel ordeal ahead of its opening World Cup match against Saudi Arabia on Monday.

Uruguay pinned the blame on FIFA for their troubles flying from Mexico to Miami, yet they reportedly faced the threat of sanction if their head coach and captain could not make it to a mandatory press conference Sunday.

The original flight reportedly was not allowed to depart due to administrative issues, including some missing paperwork, and officials had to scramble to line up a new flight.

The Athletic reported that a member of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) said FIFA was responsible for the traveling snafu. FIFA is in charge of all travel related to the 48-team World Cup.

Uruguay is training in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and held a practice on Sunday. When the traveling delegation reached the airport in Cancun, approximately 45 miles away, they learned the group was not authorized to enter the United States.

The AUF said that a second plane from South Florida was en route to pick up the squad, while players waited at a resort outside Cancun until its arrival.

“Due to problems beyond the control of the AUF, the departure from Mexico has been delayed,” the AUF said in a statement. “The squad is resting at the hotel. The new departure time set by FIFA is 4.15 pm.”

FIFA later released a statement to the Daily Mail and other outlets.

“Due to an airline permitting error in Mexico, the Uruguay national team’s departure from Cancun to Miami was delayed,” the statement said. “The airline has apologized for the inconvenience caused. FIFA remained in close contact with the Uruguay national team throughout their delay and worked alongside airport and operational partners to help expedite the process and minimize disruption to the team’s travel arrangements.”

Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa and team captain Jose Maria Gimenez missed Sunday’s originally scheduled press conference in South Florida due to the issue. The team’s press conference was pushed back to 8 p.m. ET, and the coach and captain were in attendance.

“The trip went well, we made the most of it and saw it in a positive light,” Gimenez said in Spanish. “We took the chance to rest at the hotel (in Cancun).”

Bielsa was asked what sort of disruption the flight snafu caused his team.

“No, the flight doesn’t cause any complications,” Bielsa said in Spanish before changing the subject to his team’s preparation in both the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo and Playa del Carmen.

“In Montevideo, the players had constant obligations, but they also had family time, which I felt was necessary.”

Uruguay and Saudi Arabia will play their first match of Group H at Miami Gardens, Fla. The other members of the group, Spain and Cape Verde, will play Monday in Atlanta.

The match between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia is slated for 6 p.m. ET, giving them less than 24 hours to settle in before kickoff.

–Field Level Media

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Uruguay travel to Miami delayed by administrative issues

Nov 28, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez (2) reacts following the loss against Portugal in the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn ImagesNov 28, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez (2) reacts following the loss against Portugal in the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images

The Uruguay national team hadn’t arrived in Miami as of early Sunday night for its Monday match against Saudi Arabia in the World Cup and was blaming FIFA for the troubles, according to published reports.

The flight reportedly was delayed for hours due to administrative issues, including some missing paperwork, and had officials scrambling to line up a new flight.

The Athletic reported that a member of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) said FIFA was responsible for the traveling snafu.

FIFA is in charge of all travel related to the 48-team World Cup.

Uruguay is training in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and held a practice on Sunday. When the traveling delegation reached the airport in Cancun, approximately 45 miles away, they learned the group was not authorized to enter the United States.

The AUF said that a second plane from South Florida was en route to pick up the squad, while players waited at a resort outside Cancun for further information.

The match between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia is slated for 6 p.m. ET.

“Due to problems beyond the control of the AUF, the departure from Mexico has been delayed,” the AUF said in a statement. “The squad is resting at the hotel. The new departure time set by FIFA is 4.15 pm.”

The issue certainly ranks as a logistical nightmare for Uruguay with it occurring the day before the game.

Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa and team captain Jose Maria Gimenez missed Sunday’s scheduled press conference in South Florida due to the issue. The festivities were pushed back to 8 p.m. ET and the AUF reportedly could face sanctions by FIFA if the press conference doesn’t take place.

Uruguay and Saudi Arabia will play their first match of Group H at Miami Gardens, Fla. The other members of the group, Spain and Cape Verde, will play Monday in Atlanta.

–Field Level Media

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Rays avoid sweep with 5-run eighth vs. Angels

Jun 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA;  Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates as he scores a run after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn ImagesJun 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates as he scores a run after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Junior Caminero’s 15th home run of the season triggered a five-run eighth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim, Calif.

Victor Mesa Jr. also stroked a two-run homer in the eighth for the Rays, who snapped a 3-3 tie to avoid being swept in the three-game series. The Angels saw their season high-tying four-game winning streak come to a close.

Right-hander Kevin Kelly (4-2) struck out three in two innings to earn the win. He was the third of the Rays’ six pitchers in a bullpen game.

Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on Denzer Guzman’s two-out single that drove in Jo Adell.

With one out and the bases loaded in the third, the Angels lost starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to lower back tightness. Chandler Simpson hit a two-out, two-run single off reliever Chase Silseth to give the Rays a 2-1 lead.

Tampa Bay’s Ben Williamson hit his first home run of the season in the fourth to push the lead to 3-1.

Donovan Walton’s first home run as an Angel made it 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, then Adell made it 3-3 with an RBI single. Left-hander Ian Seymour was charged with both runs.

After Caminero’s home run in the eighth, Hunter Feduccia’s single rove in Richie Palacios and Mesa’s second home run of the season made it 8-3. All five runs in the inning were charged to Angels right-hander Sam Bachman (1-1).

The Angels threatened in the bottom of the eighth against Craig Kimbrel when Adell was hit by a pitch and Nolan Schanuel walked to open the inning. Nick Madrigal walked with one out to load the bases.

Reliever Garrett Cleavinger came on and struck out pinch hitters Trey Mancini and Oswald Peraza to end the threat.

–Field Level Media

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Ivory Coast break deadlock in 90th minute to defeat Ecuador

June 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.; Ivory Coast's Amad Diallo in action with Ecuador's Joel Ordonez and Moises Caicedo.  Mandatory Credit: Mike Segar-Imagn Images June 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.; Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo in action with Ecuador’s Joel Ordonez and Moises Caicedo. Mandatory Credit: Mike Segar-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA — Substitute Amad Diallo struck in the 90th minute to give Ivory Coast a deserved 1-0 win over Ecuador in both teams’ Group E opener on Saturday night.

Diallo’s first-time strike of Wilfried Singo’s cross gave the Ivorians their first-ever World Cup victory over South American opposition and halted Ecuador’s unbeaten run in all fixtures at 19 matches.

It also put a bow on a 19-year-old Yan Diomande’s dazzling performance as “Les Elephants” pulled even on points with a Germany side that thumped Curacao 7-1 in their opener earlier Sunday.

The promising Ivorians — who have the youngest squad at this World Cup — looked to be running out of ideas before Singo found space surging up the right from his defensive post.

His cross reached Diallo in stride, with the 23-year-old Manchester United charge deftly guiding it into the bottom left corner with the side of his left boot to give the West Africans a dream start to their first World Cup finals appearance since 2014.

Ecuador’s best first-half chances came from Ivory Coast’s casual defending. John Yeboah and Alan Minda struck the bar in the 23rd and 30th minutes, respectively.

But it was the West Africans who looked better in possession, with Diomande terrorizing Ecuador’s left side.

In the 35th minute, he picked up the ball at midfield, beat fullback Piero Hincapie down the line and dragged a cross into the path of Nicolas Pepe’s late run to the penalty spot. Pepe tried to sneak a second touch to get on his favored left foot, seeing his effort ultimately blocked.

In first-half stoppage time, Wilfried Singo nearly turned a spectacular bicycle kick on frame from Guela Doue’s cross.

Ivory Coast started well after the break, but in the 68th minute, a well-struck effort from Ecuador’s Gonzalo Plata forced Yahia Fofana into a comfortable save.

Before that, it was more of Diomande. In the 52nd minute, his cross met Elye Wahi’s angling run, but Wahi’s first-time strike skimmed the crossbar.

And moments after switching to the left flank following two Ivory Coast changes in the 56th minute, he split Yeboah, Alan Franco and Moises Caicedo on his way into the box before firing high.

In a match played within driving distance of more than 600,000 Ecuadorian Americans estimated to live in New York and New Jersey, La Tricolor fans dominated the atmosphere, singing “Vamos Ecuatorianos!” and “Si Se Puede!” from the start and rising to their feet at every Ecuador half-chance.

–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media

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