I Dig Sports
Lawsuit: Ex-Yankee Rivera failed to protect girl
NEW YORK -- New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera and his wife are accused in a lawsuit of failing to protect a young girl who was sexually abused by an older child during a summer camp trip sponsored by their church.
In a lawsuit filed this month, lawyers for the girl allege that the Hall of Fame pitcher and his wife, Clara Rivera, a pastor at the Refuge of Hope Church, flew from New York to Florida to investigate after the girl's mother expressed concerns about her daughter's safety during the 2018 trip.
But rather than take action, the couple "isolated and intimidated" the victim into remaining "silent about her negative experiences," including the abuse, the lawsuit says.
Joseph A. Ruta, an attorney for the Riveras, said in a statement that any allegations that they "knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse are completely false." He said the couple only learned of the allegations in 2022 after receiving a letter from an attorney requesting a financial settlement.
"The Riveras are known throughout New York for their charitable work and especially for their commitment to serving underprivileged children," Ruta said. "It's unfortunate they are being targeted by false allegations."
The lawsuit doesn't name the accuser, but it says she was born in 2007, which would have made her 10 or 11 years old in 2018.
That summer, according to the complaint, Clara Rivera persuaded a congregant to allow her daughter to attend a camp at the Ignite Life Center, a church in Gainesville, Florida.
While staying in an unsupervised dorm room, the girl was repeatedly sexually abused by an older female camper, according to the suit. In a police report filed in 2022, the girl said there were 15 instances of inappropriate touching over a two-week period, both in her bunk and a shower.
Though the girl did not report the abuse, her mother grew worried about her safety after the two spoke on the phone call, the complaint states. The mother then outlined her concerns to Clara Rivera, who agreed to investigate, according to the suit.
During that trip, the couple "received information that should have given them concern," the lawsuit says, but they chose instead to remain silent to "avoid the potential scandal of child sexual abuse in its programs." The suit doesn't specifically state what the Riveras were told by the girl or her mother.
The girl later returned to New York and continued her active participation in the church. But later that summer, during a barbecue for congregants at the Riveras' home in Rye, New York, she was again abused by the same person, the complaint states.
"They failed to mitigate the risks, and upon learning that she had been a victim, took no steps to protect her or get criminal justice," the attorney who filed the lawsuit, Adam Horowitz, told The Associated Press by phone. "They continued to expose her again to the same risk at her home."
In 2021, the girl was again sexually assaulted, this time by a male youth leader at Refuge of Hope, according to the lawsuit. The abuse in that case was discovered by the girl's mother, who found months of electronic communications between the two, the lawsuit contends.
Afterward, the girl and her mother filed police reports in New York and Florida regarding the abuse in 2018 and 2021. Horowitz said he didn't believe that criminal charges were brought in any of the cases. The lawsuit was filed against the Refuge of Hope church, not against the Riveras themselves.
Prosecutors in New York and Florida didn't immediately respond to requests for comment about whether they looked into the allegations.
A lawyer for Ignite Life Center did not respond to an inquiry. The church recently settled lawsuits brought by three people -- also represented by Horowitz -- who said they were abused as teenagers by a volunteer at Ignite Life Center. Two others affiliated with the church have been charged with lewd and lascivious battery against minors.
Saints our biggest game of league season - Wilson
Both sides will be without their England internationals for the match as they have already joined up with the national team for the upcoming Six Nations.
Harlequins will be without eight players including star fly-half Marcus Smith, while Saints will be denied the services of seven key individuals.
Former club captain Stephan Lewies will still lead out a Quins team that includes Jack Walker, Joe Launchbury, Will Evans, James Chisholm and Danny Care.
"It's the Premiership champions at home, we had a narrow loss to them away. Both sides will have a different look to them than they did in their European fixtures, but both sides are capable of some unbelievable rugby," Wilson added.
"Being at The Stoop's important to us because it's in front of our fans, we've got an unbelievably good group of fans very supportive atmosphere at The Stoop, we felt that on Saturday night, it made a difference and I'm hoping on Friday night they'll do the same."
'Brilliant' Easterby will get Ireland firing - Ulster hooker Stewart
Ulster hooker Tom Stewart has backed the "brilliant" Simon Easterby to "get Ireland firing" in the Six Nations.
Easterby has stepped up as interim head coach to lead Ireland's bid for a third successive title, with Andy Farrell on British and Irish Lions duty.
Stewart was coached by Easterby on the 2022 Emerging Ireland tour before working with the former flanker in the senior team set-up.
"I worked with Si and he was kind of my first introduction into the Irish setup, he was my head coach for the Emerging Ireland tour and I thought he was brilliant," said Stewart, who won his two Ireland caps during the 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up games.
"Obviously he's worked closely with Andy Farrell for a number of years now and he's taken a lot from him and I have no doubt that he has what it takes to get that Ireland team firing."
Stewart did not make the Six Nations squad amid an injury-wrecked season that has restricted him to just two substitute appearances for Ulster.
But having returned from a two-month lay-off in last week's Investec Champions Cup win over Exeter Chiefs, Stewart is targeting a run of games with the province.
"It's was brilliant," Stewart said of his return.
"On Saturday I was more than delighted to come through the game and get the result we did and to be back playing at home it was pretty special."
The 24-year-old added: "I think the big thing for me was to just get through the minutes and a big thing coming back from injury is not trying to think about it and thinking about getting your game ready out on the pitch.
"Now it's about getting minutes under the belt and trying to build up a bit of form."
Ulster host Zebre in the United Rugby Championship on Sunday (17:30 GMT kick-off). Watch the game live on BBC Two NI, the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website from 17:15 GMT
I love the dark places - new England captain Aldcroft
Aldcroft, 28, returned home to England and, for the first time since she started playing alongside her brother at Scarborough Rugby Club as an eight-year-old, didn't like rugby.
"Personally I felt really embarrassed about it, because there had been so much talk about how good we were, how we had won all these matches in a row, and we couldn't win the ultimate game," she says.
"I didn't want to see anyone for two weeks and I was really dreading getting back into rugby. I remember the day I had to go back into training at Gloucester-Hartpury and thinking, 'I don't want to do this'."
But she did. Her club team-mates picked her up. Together they lifted the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) trophy at the end of that season. In June, they defended their title.
And, at the start of this month, Aldcroft was named the captain who will lead the Red Roses in their search for redemption, as the Rugby World Cup begins in England in August.
Aldcroft believes England will only emerge triumphant in the final - to be played at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium on 27 September - if they embrace the polar opposite of the emotions they felt on the other side of the world three years earlier.
"We need the reflections from that final so that if the adversity does come again [we can deal with it]. We have no idea what will be thrown at us on that day - how can we best manage it and put us in a place where we are unstoppable?" she says.
It would complete an arc that encompasses all that Aldcroft loves about the game.
"I love going to those dark places, especially with my team-mates," she says.
"I just love the feeling of doing everything you can and putting your body on the line and the fact that everyone has done that for each other. That really drives me as a person."
It is the impulse that England hope will drive them to the very summit of the world game this year.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. Spire Motorsports has signed 2024 ARCA Menards Series Champion Andres Perez de Lara to pilot the No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado full time in pursuit of 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors.
Perez de Lara made his Truck Series debut with Spire Motorsports last June at World Wide Technology Raceway where he qualified 16th and finished ninth. Veteran crew chief Chad Walter will lead the team from pit road and call the No. 77 teams efforts in 2025.
As Spire Motorsports continues to look toward the future, its important that we identify who we expect to be long-term contributors to the growth of not only our organization, but to the sport as a whole, said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. Andres Perez da Lara has a very bright future. He has a huge upside and is already integrated into our processes and methods of preparation. Were thrilled to officially add him to the Spire family.
The 19-year-old drove the No. 2 Chevrolet to the 2024 ARCA Menards Series title, racking up 10 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. He is the first Mexican-born driver to win the ARCA national title in its 72-year history.
In his first season of ARCA competition in 2023, he earned 10 top fives and 15 top 10s. He was the series championship runner-up in his first attempt at an American national touring series.
In just two seasons on ARCAs national tour, Perez de Lara scored three poles, 20 top-five and 33 top-10 finishes, logged a 6.4 average start, a 7.5 average finish while pacing the field for 108 laps.
The Mexico City, Mexico native started racing karts when he was 11-years-old before transitioning to L-A Formula 4 and NASCAR Mexico Trucks competition. Perez de Lara is the 2022 NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series champion the Mexican equivalent to the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He earned his first NASCAR Mexico Series victory at Ovalo Aguascalientes Mexico.
Telcel, infintium and Claro will all be featured aboard Perez de Laras No. 77 Chevy Silverado and showcased throughout the season.
Its such a great opportunity for me and one that I have been working extra hard to get, said Perez de Lara. Its awesome to work with a team like Spire, and what that means for me as a driver having so many experienced and very accomplished people working with me to make the most of this opportunity. I think Im looking forward to the competition more than anything. Im ready to step up my game and ready to work on getting the most out of every race. Daytona cant come soon enough. All the new tracks Ill be racing will be another big challenge. I am really looking forward to it.
Walter has over two decades of experience and called the shots for Spire Motorsports No. 71 Craftsman Truck Series team last season with driver Rajah Caruth. In total, the potent Walter/Caruth pairing accounted for two Cometic Gasket Pole Awards, one win, five top fives, 12 top 10s and a Round of 8 berth in the playoffs.
He began his career with NEMCO Motorsports in 1993. The Albion, New York, native has also served in engineering and crew chief roles for some of NASCARs most distinguished teams including Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Penske Racing, Richard Childress Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing.
After two successful seasons with Rajah Caruth, Im excited to work with Andres Perez de Lara, said Walter. Ive always enjoyed the opportunity to help mold drivers into the future stars of NASCAR. Andres has proven that he can be that next one. Weve taken the time to assemble a great race team to surround him. Our goal is always to be competitive, maximize our weekends, and race the right way with our competitors. Im grateful to our leadership team for having the confidence in me to lead Andres and the 77 team in 2025.
Penske Entertainment To Promote Nashville IndyCar Weekend
INDIANAPOLIS Penske Entertainment Corp. and Big Machines Scott Borchetta jointly announced an updated event structure for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix with Penske Entertainment assuming responsibility for the promotion of the race weekend at Nashville Superspeedway.
Big Machine will remain the events entitlement partner, continuing to enhance the events connectivity to the entertainment industry and downtown Nashville.
Penske Entertainment executive Anne Fischgrund has been named president of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.
Big Machine served as the original entitlement partner for the event across its first three editions and stepped up in an additional promoter capacity as the race weekend transitioned to Nashville Superspeedway last year. Moving forward, its continued involvement as entitlement partner will be an asset for exciting musical programming and to showcase the brands artists, products and community endeavors. All things Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta also will serve as a liaison to Nashvilles entertainment community and civic leaders, keeping the event fully connected to the Music City.
Following a successful debut at famed Nashville Superspeedway this past season, the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will continue as the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series finale, taking place Sunday, Aug. 31 with a national network showcase on FOX. The 2025 Indy NXT by Firestone finale will precede the NTT IndyCar Series championship race that day.
Year one at Nashville Superspeedway was a tremendous success, thanks in great part to the terrific partnership and strong leadership exhibited by Scott Borchetta and his team at Big Machine, said Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles. As we grow our event portfolio at Penske Entertainment, its strategically important to take the reins of our season finale at such an exciting and renowned racetrack. And to see the relationship with Big Machine carry forward through this continued partnership only underscores the growth opportunities before us in the Music City.
A thrilling 2024 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix championship finale produced the best IndyCar Series numbers on record at Nashville Superspeedway, including the most on-track passes, passes for position, passes in the top 10 and passes in the top five. Colton Herta picked up his first win on an oval while Alex Palou celebrated his third NTT IndyCar Series championship.
The event also was highlighted by a street festival alongside Nashvilles iconic honky-tonks, including the Battle on Broadway Pit Stop Challenge, to begin championship weekend.
We are very proud to continue our relationship with IndyCar and build from our record-breaking 2024 season finale as the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix becomes a true crown jewel for Nashville, Middle Tennessee and global motorsports fans, Borchetta said. We will also continue to produce the incredibly successful downtown street party, which will serve as the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix kickoff event, on Friday, Aug. 29, so make plans to be with us.
1962 The First Running Of The Daytona Continental
By Bernard Kahn
Editors Note: What is today the Rolex 24 At Daytona, was first run at Daytona Intl Speedway in 1962 as the Three Hour Daytona Continental. After two seasons, the event was extended to 2,000 kilometers in 1964 and first became a 24-hour test in 1966. Heres the National Speed Sport News race report from the 1962 event, which was written by legendary sportswriter Bernard Kahn.
Tall Dan Gurney of Costa Mesa, Calif., won the fastest sports car race ever run in this country Sunday the inaugural Three Hour Daytona Continental with one of the slowest finishes in the history of racing.
Gurney was speeding along with about a four-mile lead over his closest pursuer when the engine on his red Lotus Mark 19 failed in the Easter turn 1,200 feet from the finish line.
The 5 p.m. checkered flag was due to fall in one minute and 40 seconds. Gurney, thinking quickly, coasted and braked to a dead stop just 14 feet from the yellow finish line.
He sweated out the clock and at the 5 p.m. signal, he used the starter to jump his crippled race car across the finish line as the winner.
If the 31-year-old had passed the finish line even a fraction of a second before 5 p.m., the 1962 International Sporting Code would have required him to complete another lap. Id never have made it, said the lipstick smeared, grease stained, windblown Gurney as well wishers crowded around him in victory circle.
Ricardo Rodriguez of Mexico, relief driving for Phil Hill, blazed over the line in a new rear engine two and a half liter Ferrari V-6 just 46 seconds behind Gurney.
Gurney, driving a Lotus powered by a two and a half liter Coventry Climax engine, covered 312.42 miles in three hours. He completed 82 laps on the 3.81-mile course at Daytona Speedway and averaged a torrid 104.101 mph.
Jim Hall, Midland, Texas, in a Chaparral placed third in the sports car bracket of the race. He also completed 82 laps.
True to form, Englands Stirling Moss captured high honors in the Grand Touring car division of the Continental.
The GT division only was for points toward the 1962 FIA Worlds Manufacturers Champinoship. Moss bagged nine points for the Ferrari team in his factorized 1962 three-liter Berlinetta couple.
Moss staged a remarkable performance in completing 80 laps and finish fourth overall against the swifter sports car field. He covered 304.80 miles in his silver Berlinetta.
Glenn (Fireball) Roberts, the Daytona stock car charger, making his debut in international championship competition was a surprising second in the GT division. Driving a 1961 Berlinetta factory entry, Roberts was three laps behind Moss and a strong 11th overall. He bagged six more points toward the World Manufacturers title for the Ferrari North American Racing team, which Moss also represented.
Ironically, the 1-2 cars in sports car and GT overcame troubles in scoring. Gurneys engine failed dramatically in the closing heart throbs of the race.
Hill, the FIA World driving champion from Santa Monica, Calif., and the prerace favorite, missed the first corner on the course in the 44th lap. Earlier he picked up a sea gull in his radiator. In the 45th lap, Hill pitted for 68 seconds, refueling, changing a rear right tire and also changing drivers. Ricardo Rodriguez replaced Hill for the remainder of the race. Rodriguez pitted again in the 55th lap as the cockpit appeared to be heating up.
Oil sprayed the windshield of Moss car. He said: I couldnt see a bloody thing out there. In the 20th lap, Joe Weatherly spun out on the infield in front of Moss. Bebop Joe Norfolk, of stock car fame, was driving a Lister Corvette. Weatherly nicked Moss in the spin and both cars received dented fenders.
Roberts pitted in the 48th lap for a routine gas stop. Mechanics hurriedly tried to repair a hood latch, and sent him on his way. Roberts returned to the pits in the 51st lap and this time waved the crew to remove the hood. He finished up without a hood.
There were 34 cars still running at 5 p.m. and the first Continental was completed without injury to a single driver.
The international classic drew 14,000 fans in 58 degree weather. A stiff northwest wind that blew up to 22 mph chilled the crowd and gave the cars a lift, too.
It was a unique race the first international sports car GT championship in which spectators could watch the entire operation, including all of the 3.81-mile course and the pit action.
New York born Gurney, a well built 6-2, 185-pound blond had an eight mile lead at one point in the race. He looked like the Lone Ranger, wearing a black leather mask on his face from goggles down. Gurney said he used it for the first time in December. He won, although, he finished in Nassau with no clutch and his exhaust system hanging by a thread.
The mask is a big help, Gurney said. I dont have to duck behind the windscreen and drop back when Im following another car through a corner. It protects me from wind and rocks or anything else that might be thrown up off the road.
CONCORD, N.C. Bill Rose has tabbed Zach Hampton to pilot his No. 6 machine with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars this season.
Hampton becomes the latest driver in a loaded rookie class as the upcoming season will mark his first with The Greatest Show on Dirt. He joins Cole Macedo, Chris Windom, Garet Williamson and Skylar Gee in the chase for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year award.
Knowing he wanted to put someone in the seat as he continues to heal from injuries sustained last year, Rose recently reached out to Hampton. It was fortuitous timing for the Mooresville, Ind., native as he went from an uncertain future to a shot on sprint car racings biggest stage.
Im actually selling most of my stuff, and I was kind of prepared to be done unless I could drive for someone else but didnt really have anything in the works, Hampton explained. Bill was going to buy a few things like my mule and other small stuff, and we got to talking. It kind of started from there. Then he called me while I was at Chili Bowl and asked if Id be interested. We talked some more and got a deal worked out that works well for both of us.
Hampton has plenty of sprint var laps under his belt. His 2024 campaign was highlighted by several top 10s in weekly Knoxville Raceway action. In 2023 he picked up an impressive FAST victory in his home state at Circle City Raceway.
Now he takes the step up to the demanding World of Outlaws calendar where hell face off with the best of the best every night.
Im really excited, Hampton said. Theres going to be a big learning curve in a lot of areas. I think theres like 90 races on the schedule, and the most by far Ive ever done in a year is, I want to say, 52. Thats definitely going to be a big step up, but I think thatll only help me from a driving standpoint being on the track more and more consistently.
The opportunity is one that Hampton is motivated to take advantage of. It wasnt all that long ago that he was selling his equipment without a solid situation ahead. The time is now for Hampton.
Its nice that people see potential there and that Bill trusts me not only driving his car but to be a part of this team, Hampton said. The drivers are usually kind of the face of it. It means a lot that he trusts me enough in all of those aspects to come race with them.
While Rose has added Hampton to the team, fans can still expect to see Rose himself behind the wheel. Hes still ironing out the details as he continues to await medical clearance, but with it being his 50th overall year in racing, Rose has no intentions of only being a crew chief all season.
Red Bull Returns To NASCAR With Trackhouse Racing
MOORESVILLE, N.C. Red Bull, one of the biggest names in motorsports, is joining forces with Trackhouse Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Red Bull will serve as the official energy drink of Trackhouse Racing and the primary partner on Shane van Gisbergens No. 88 Chevrolet in five NASCAR Cup Series races as well as the Cup Series debut of 18-year-old Connor Zilisch, who will drive the No. 87 Red Bull Chevrolet at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas on March 2.
The sponsorship also marks Red Bulls return to NASCAR after an absence of more than a decade.
Its an incredible chapter in the history of Trackhouse Racing to welcome Red Bull back to NASCAR, said Trackhouse founder and owner Justin Marks. Red Bull is one of the most powerful brands in the world and its an honor for us to embark on a partnership with such an iconic company.
Red Bull and Trackhouse share a passion for racing, stories, and memorable experiences. This is a huge win for our sport and a moment that will resonate with the millions of NASCAR fans around the world. Im thrilled for Connor, Shane, and every member of Trackhouse to partner with who I consider to be the greatest motorsport company in the world. We are more than honored to welcome Red Bull to the Trackhouse Racing family.
Van Gisbergen has been a Red Bull Athlete since 2016 when the Auckland, New Zealand native raced in the Supercars series where he won titles in 2016, 2021 and 2022 and scored 78 wins and 47 pole positions making him the fourth most successful driver in series history. He also won the Bathurst 1000 in 2020 and 2022.
He made his NASCAR debut at the Chicago Street Race in 2023 as part of Trackhouse Racings PROJECT91 program Marks created to give international racing stars an opportunity in NASCAR. Van Gisbergen took advantage, becoming the first driver in 60 years to win his Cup Series debut.
That victory led to Van Gisbergen moving to America as a Trackhouse Development driver and competing for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series where he won three times in 2024. In 2025, he embarks on his rookie year in the Cup Series.
Van Gisbergen will drive the familiar Red Bull paint scheme at the March 16 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, July 13 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, Aug. 3 Iowa Speedway, Aug. 23 at Daytona (Fla.) Intl Speedway and Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway.
I have enjoyed a lot of new experiences and met a lot of new people since coming to NASCAR, but it is nice to be joined by Red Bull who has been a big supporter of mine for many years back home, said Van Gisbergen.
Id love nothing more than to give Red Bull a victory as a way to thank them for joining myself, Connor and Trackhouse Racing.
Zilisch is a Trackhouse Racing development driver, stormed onto the racing scene in 2024 compiling an impressive résumé that includes winning his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen Intl plus two Craftsman Truck Series poles, victories at the Rolex 24 in Daytona, the Twelve Hours of Sebring, four ARCA races and a CARS Tour event.
Zilisch is racing full-time in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports. He already has a relationship with Red Bull when the company selected him as a Red Bull Athlete in August.
I was surprised when they presented me my Red Bull helmet and hat last summer and doubly surprised when they told me I would make my Cup debut in the No. 87 with a Red Bull paint scheme, said Zilisch. Red Bull is going to bring a lot more eyes to NASCAR, and I think everyone will win when that happens.
Agyemang & Co. make January case for future USMNT involvement
The annual January camp for the U.S. men's national team has reached its conclusion, and while the full scope of its success or failure won't be known for some time, the initial reaction is positive. The USMNT came away with wins over Venezuela and Costa Rica by 3-1 and 3-0 scores, respectively. The U.S. looked solid on both sides of the ball and was deserving of its victories.
Yet the takeaways from these matches skew more toward individual performances than the result, although the two often go hand in hand. And while those initial assessments usually focus on up-and-comers, there is an opportunity for the revival of some international careers that were thought to be dormant. It is those players who often have a better chance of an immediate recall than some of the newbies. That's as good a spot as any to lead off with in terms of which players were the winners of the camp.
Steffen makes his case to be No. 1
Matt Turner has been solid in his recent USMNT performances, but his lack of playing time with Crystal Palace has left enough of an opening that a goalkeeper hitting top form could make a push to take over. Based on Wednesday's encounter against the Ticos, Zack Steffen could very well be the player to provide that challenge.
The Colorado Rapids No. 1 certainly has plenty of experience. He was the starter for much of the 2022 cycle before losing his spot to Turner, which was followed by Steffen's shocking omission from the World Cup roster. The way back has been difficult.
Desperately in need of playing time, and coming off a knee injury, Steffen had to give up on his European dream to return to MLS. There were certainly some early struggles in Colorado, but Steffen has been on U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino's radar since the Argentine was hired, coming into both of the previous camps, although he didn't see the field. Given that the January matches were played outside of an international window, an opportunity beckoned against Costa Rica, and Steffen took full advantage.
Steffen's appearance on Wednesday was his first in a USMNT uniform since the end of 2022 World Cup qualifying, when the Ticos beat the U.S. His memories of this window's match were far brighter. Steffen delivered three saves on the night, two of which were outstanding efforts to deny Alejandro Bran in the 37th minute and Allan Cruz 11 minutes after halftime.
This is just a first step. As Pochettino put it with regard to all the players in the January camp, "They need to push themselves now, they need to come back to their clubs and be the best."
Steffen appears to be ready.
A tale of two strikers
Over the course of the two games, the U.S. got excellent performances from both of its No. 9s. Patrick Agyemang tallied in both games, while Brian White opened the scoring against Costa Rica.
Of the two, White is the more polished performer. The timing of his runs is better and his movements more subtle. That sense of anticipation explains how he has been able to score 71 goals in 196 league and cup appearances, first with the New York Red Bulls and more recently with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
It makes sense. At age 28, White is entering his eighth professional season compared to Agyemang, who is beginning his third.
Agyemang has the higher upside, though. He's four years younger, and at 6-foot-4, he has the kind of frame -- as well as deceptive mobility -- that is a nightmare for defenders to deal with. It's expected that he'll become more refined as he adds experience.
RSL pair shine in midfield
If there was one enduring image of this January camp, it was the sight of Diego Luna with cotton stuffed up his nostrils after suffering a broken nose thanks to a wayward elbow from Creichel Pérez. Then, just seconds after re-entering the match because of his injury, it was Luna who received the ball in midfield, ran at the Ticos' defense, and laid in a perfect through ball for White to latch onto and finish.
Luna's perseverance personified the competitiveness and spirit that Pochettino has been preaching since he took the job last September.
Afterwards, during a postgame interview with TNT, Pochettino said that Luna had "big balls," which sent the TNT crew into howls of laughter. In his subsequent interview with the rest of the media, Pochettino's comments were more G-rated.
"[Luna] showed great character because he wanted to stay," the U.S. manager said. "He wanted to play."
The only pity was that Luna did have to come off at halftime because of his injury. Yet his 45-minute stint showed enough for Pochettino to at least keep an eye on the Real Salt Lake midfielder going forward. Luna is ready for the next step and remains the most intriguing prospect to come out of the January camp.
He was by no means the only midfielder to shine, though.
Emeka Eneli, Luna's club teammate, was a force in more of a defensive midfield role, providing plenty of steel against a side known for its bite. Eneli also proved adept at connecting his passes and assisted on the second U.S. goal, a very sharp finish from Caden Clark. That said, Eneli looked a bit labored at times in terms of his recovery defense. It is still preseason for all of these players, which explains why there were some uneven displays from the likes of Matko Miljevic, Indiana Vassilev and Benjamin Cremaschi.
Jack McGlynn proved to be arguably the player of the camp, riding his goal and assist against Venezuela into another composed performance in 45 minutes of work against Costa Rica. Not only was his passing sharp, but his eight recoveries led the team.
Fresh faces emerge to challenge familiar backline
The U.S. defense contained more familiar names than any other part of the field, and Shaq Moore, Tim Ream, Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman all acquitted themselves well across two matches. The only goal conceded came from a set piece.
It was a pair of relative newcomers who caught the eye, though. George Campbell looked strong against Venezuela, even when he ventured forward. DeJuan Jones earned his 10th cap and was given license to get forward as much as possible from left-back. He took advantage, and dazzled with a gorgeous, outside-of-the-foot pass that sprung Agyemang for his stoppage-time tally.
Will it be enough to get called up in March for the Nations League semifinals? Jones finds himself battling a numbers game, as do many of his teammates in this camp. There just don't appear to be too many spots open, but Pochettino has accumulated plenty of data. For the likes of Steffen, McGlynn, Agyemang and Luna, there is a greater level of comfort at bringing them into the full team should the situation arise.
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
