SDFC shocks Toluca after receiving two red cards

San Diego FC rides the Concacaf rollercoaster to a home win, Tatis hits another bomb for DR, March Madness previews, NFL trade news and more!

Sometimes, I get enough distance from Concacaf games that I forget how crazy they always seem to get.

Somewhere around the middle of the second half last night, I was furiously texting friends to talk about how crazy the SDFC game was.

Marcus Ingvartsen got a red card for kicking a guy in the face by accident!

And then SDFC scored three goals while playing down a man!

Then Manu Duah got thrown out of the game because VAR showed that he blocked a shot (and what probably would’ve been a goal) with his arm after he had seemingly convinced the ref that it had hit his shoulder!

And SDFC still won! They beat maybe the best team in Liga MX and played down two men for some of the match and down one man for almost all of it.

19-year old Duran Ferree gave up zero goals outside of two PKs!

There were moments where it felt like SDFC captain Jeppe Tverskov was going to punch the referee in the face, there was all sorts of pushing and shoving happening all over the pitch the entire game, and all of this came after Toluca came out of the gates looking like a certified powerhouse that the San Diego side wouldn’t be able to keep up with.

As per usual, I am blown away by the steadiness of Mikey Varas and his players. The crazier the circumstances, the calmer they seemed to be. And just when I thought they were going to run out of gas (playing down a man is exhausting), they found another gear.

This team, this organization, which barely existed a year ago might not have any flaws. When issues arise, they simply push them to the side and find another way to do it.

Last night’s win should send ripples throughout MLS yet again. This team was not a flash in the pan in year 1, they were just figuring out their path to a trophy. Now that they’re fully operational, they are terrifying.

Now, onto the links…

San Diego FC

Shorthanded San Diego FC wins again in Champions Cup, tops Toluca - San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego FC’s improbable run in the Concacaf Champions Cup continued on Wednesday night.

This time, the azul and chrome offered a new degree of difficulty: They beat Toluca of Liga MX 3-2 at Snapdragon Stadium despite playing down a man for most of the match … and down two men for the final two minutes of regulation and all of stoppage time.

The result was SDFC’s third straight victory in the Champions Cup. The Major League Soccer club advanced past Mexico City’s Pumas UNAM in the first round; Wednesday marked the first of two legs in the Round of 16.

San Diego FC stun Toluca FC in Concacaf Champions Cup - One Football
The Chrome and Azul weathered a difficult start, which saw Marcus Ingvartsen sent off on a straight red card (12’) and Jesús Gallardo (16’) convert the ensuing penalty kick.

But David Vazquez leveled for San Diego in the 32nd minute, and then the US youth international midfielder put the hosts in front just after halftime. Anders Dreyer followed with a golazo from just outside the box in the 53rd minute, giving San Diego a 3-1 lead.

Toluca pulled a goal back in the 90th minute when Helinho converted from the spot after Manu Duah was sent off for a DOGSO handball on the goal line.

World Baseball Classic

D.R. hits some of the most electric home runs we’ve ever seen - MLB.com
Juan Soto, Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. all crushed monster home runs in the heavyweight bout between the D.R. and Venezuela on Wednesday night at the World Baseball Classic, which the Dominican team won, 7-5, to claim the top spot in Pool D. Those four homers came with epic bat flips and home run trots that pushed the crowd noise in Miami to eardrum-shattering decibel levels.

Italy beats Mexico to advance at WBC, along with Team USA - ESPN
Team USA advanced out of pool play in the World Baseball Classic and will face Canada in the quarterfinals Friday, averting a disastrous flameout thanks to Italy’s 9-1 victory against Mexico on Wednesday night.

The Americans’ loss to Italy on Tuesday, a stunning 8-6 defeat, left their WBC fortunes depending on the outcome of the final game of Pool B. An Italy win guaranteed Team USA a spot in the knockout round, and the Italians obliged, led by the first three-home run game in WBC history by captain Vinnie Pasquantino and five shutout innings from ace Aaron Nola.

“You’re welcome, USA,” Pasquantino said in an on-field interview with Fox Sports after the game. “We were thinking of you guys, over at your hotel. We were thinking of you guys, so I’m glad you guys could join us in the party.”

With the World Baseball Classic bracket set, we rank the quarterfinal matchups - The Athletic
U.S. manager Mark DeRosa will be sure to run his “A” lineup out this time, but his squad will have to go up against a Canada team that, with its backs against the wall, took down host Puerto Rico and then Cuba in back-to-back days to win Pool A outright.

Based on star power, the Americans should be favored to win against Canada. Games aren’t played on star power, and the U.S. is tied with Brazil, Czechia and Korea for most home runs allowed this WBC. So much for that vaunted pitching staff.

College Basketball

Your 2026 March Madness Primer - Sports! with Rodger Sherman
The most important story in college basketball is easy: The 31-0 Miami RedHawks.

Miami completed their entire regular season without losing. That doesn’t happen in men’s college basketball, because there are thirty one games. the first team to make it through the regular season without a loss since Gonzaga in the 2020-21 pandemic season and the first mid-major since Wichita State in 2013-14.

If you haven’t watched our RedHawks in action (MACtion, technically), you’re probably picturing a mid-major juggernaut. They’re blowing out their overmatched competition game after game. They’re the cream of the crop of the best of the rest. Maybe they’ve even got a future NBA player.

Nope! Not our RedHawks! These are the all-time skin-of-their-teeth all-stars. All their nails are bitten. All their barns are burnt. They keep flipping a coin and it has come up “tails” dozens of times in a row. Statisticians are fuming. I think they are physically and spiritually incapable of losing.

March Madness: The fight for the four No. 1 seeds is coming down to the wire - Yahoo Sports
As recently as Feb. 21, when the selection committee unveiled its in-season top 16 teams, Iowa State controversially landed the final No. 1 seed. The Cyclones have since dropped three of five games, plummeting to a projected No. 3 seed and opening the door for someone else to take their place.

A two-team sprint between Florida and UConn will likely determine who will supplant Iowa State. The reigning national champion Gators appear to have a narrow edge as both teams prepare to open conference tournament play later this week.

Tritons Rally Past Cal Poly in Big West Opening Round - UCSD Tritons
UC San Diego freshman Hudson Mayes scored 23 points – 16 after halftime – as the Tritons rallied from an 11-point second half deficit to top Cal Poly, 72-69, in the opening round of the Credit Union 1 Big West Championship Wednesday night inside Lee’s Family Forum. The win propels No. 5 UC San Diego into the quarterfinal round, where the Tritons (23-10) will meet four-seed CSUN Thursday evening.

Odds & Ends

NASCAR drivers assigned to Coronado squadrons ahead of June’s historic races - San Diego Union-Tribune
Since NASCAR announced the inaugural race over a road course at Naval Base Coronado last October, more than a dozen drivers have visited the site and shared time with servicemen.

The latest link between the Navy and NASCAR was established Wednesday, when 38 Cup drivers were assigned spots with Navy commands at Coronado.

Each driver will spend time with sailors at his assigned command during the June 19-21 races. The drivers will also display their commands’ insignias on their cars.

Guys who ran $3.5M fake charity at Petco Park, Snapdragon Stadium plead guilty - NBC 7 San Diego
Two men who ran a fake charity that claimed to support youth softball through concessions sales at Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium have pleaded guilty to federal charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.

Noly Hermoso Ilarde, 57, of San Diego, and Martin Jose Rebollo Jr., 58, of Chula Vista, claimed to run “Chula Vista Fast Pitch,” which was selected to sell concessions at the two San Diego sports venues with an agreement that around 10% of sales would go to the supposed charity.

But as the charity didn’t exist, Ilarde and Rebollo pocketed most of the money they received, with some money left over paid to people who worked the concession booths and no money going to youth softball activities or any other charitable purposes, prosecutors said.

Maxx Crosby commits after nixed trade to Ravens: I’m a Raider - ESPN
All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby expressed his commitment to the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday night in his first public comments since the Ravens nixed a trade that would’ve sent him to Baltimore.

“Everything Happens For A Reason,” Crosby wrote in a post on X. “Believe Nothing You Hear & Half Of What You See. Im A Raider. I’m Back. Run That S---.”

Crosby’s post came just days after he bid an emotional farewell to the Raiders, whom he has played for since 2019, and expressed excitement about joining the Ravens after they agreed to acquire him in exchange for two first-round picks, including the 14th draft choice in 2026.

Tottenham extend season ticket-renewal window until fans have ‘full clarity’ on Premier League status - The Athletic
Tottenham Hotspur have extended the window for supporters to renew their season tickets for the 2026-27 campaign until June 7, due to the increasing threat of relegation to the Championship.

Last month, Tottenham announced they would freeze season ticket prices for next season following consultation with supporters’ groups. At the time, Spurs sat 16th, five points above West Ham United in 18th.

But having failed to win a league game in 2026, Spurs now sit just one point away from the relegation zone with nine games remaining of the Premier League season.

Iran Plans To Boycott World Cup Due To FIFA Peace Prize Winner’s Murderous, Unprovoked War - Defector
“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader,” Iran sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Wednesday in reference to the U.S. government, “under ‌no circumstances ‌can we ⁠participate in the World Cup.” He added, “Given the malicious actions they have carried ‌out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands ‌of our people. Therefore, we ⁠certainly cannot have such a presence.”