The Asheville Cougars receive the opening kickoff and drive straight down the field. On the sixth play, QB Diamond Jr. throws a dart into double coverage to WR Nguyen for a 25yd TD.

Incredible courage to make a throw like that.


Enka managed to get one first down before punting the ball back.

The Cougars kept their foot on the gas pedal.

QB Diamond Jr. completed his eighth straight pass to start the game on 3rd-and-9 for a 41yd first down pick up to WR Sarria. Then, on the next play, MDJ used his legs for a 5yd TD on an option play.

Two drives, two touchdowns. Cougars up 14-0.


Going for his 10th straight completion, QB MDJ was intercepted by Enka DB Childs. The Jets took over on Asheville's 45yd line. But failed to get any offense going. Punt.

But, Asheville basically handed the ball to them when QB MDJ fumbled on the very next play. Back-to-back turnovers by the senior quarterback.

Enka took advantage of this miscue with a 17yd TD from QB Barnett to WR Foreman. The Jets had cut the deficit in half, 14-7.

After a stern taking to on the sideline with head coach Greg Nelson, QB Diamond Jr. buckled down and got the Cougars to halftime without committing another mistake. The gunslinger had nearly 250 passing yards in the first half.


After failing to convert on two fourth down attempts near the red zone, Asheville was given a third chance to get points to extend its lead late in the third quarter.

But, another costly turnover reared its ugly head. QB Diamond Jr. threw his second interception of the game to same guy, LB Childs. MDJ looked perplexed. He was singlehandedly keeping Enka in this game.


The Cougars' defense had their quarterback's back. They forced Enka to punt and got MDJ the ball back heading into the final frame.


You can't be serious... It's another Enka interception!

But you surely can't blame QB Diamond Jr. for this one. WR Sarria caught the ball and then lost it when he got tackled. MLB Williams just happened to be there to catch the ball before it hit the turf.


The Jets go nowhere on three consecutive plays. But, then, some magic.

On 4th-and-7, QB Barnett does the improbable and connects with WR Foreman for a first down -- one-yard short of tying the game. RB Anderson powered in the final yard.

With 4:24 remaining, all tied at 14-14.

Asheville secured three first downs before QB Diamond Jr. found himself scrambling out of the pocket to avoid a sack. Instead of just taking a minimal loss, MDJ decides to recklessly chuck the ball down the field.

Interception. It's MLB Williams again.

Coach Nelson throws his headset on the ground in frustration.

The Jets have 3:29 left to score and shockingly end Asheville's season.


Huge stop on third down to force an incompletion. Enka punts. Asheville takes over on its own 15yd line... 85yds for a touchdown... At least 60yds for a reasonable FG attempt. Here we go!

1st-and-10 (AHS-15) -- FB Glick with a 5yd run.

2nd-and-5 (AHS-20) -- QB Diamond Jr. incomplete pass.

3rd-and-5 (AHS-20) -- QB Diamond Jr. incomplete pass.

Coach Nelson is throwing caution to the wind here. The offense is staying out for fourth down deep in their own territory. Extremely gutsy call. If this goes wrong, Nelson might never have a coaching job again.


4th-and-5 (AHS-20) -- QB MDJ connects with WR Ostrander for 11yds!

1st-and-10 (AHS-31) -- QB MDJ finds WR Sarria deep for a 17yd catch.

1st-and-10 (AHS-49) -- RB Howell 10yd catch out of the backfield.

1st-and-10 (EHS41) -- FB Glick gets in on the action with a 1yd run.

2nd-and-9 (EHS-40) -- Check down pass to RB Howell nets another 1yd.

3rd-and-8 (EHS-39) -- RB Howell is stopped short with a 5yd gain.

It's too far out for a FG attempt, so it's no surprise that Nelson is going for it again on fourth down. Asheville needs three yards to keep this drive alive with 42 seconds remaining.

Here is the snap. The Jets bite on the run fake. It's a play-action pass!


4th-and-3 (EHS-34) -- QB MDJ finds a leaping WR Sarria for 17yds!

1st-and-10 (EHS-18) -- FB Glick rushes the ball up 3yds.

2nd-and-7 (EHS-15) -- RB Howell gets nothing as Asheville winds the clock down for a potential game-winning field goal kick as time expires.

3rd-and-7 (EHS-15) -- The snap is good. The hold is good.

The 32yd FG is up from K Harvey... IT'S GOOD!

Asheville escapes with a win to secure a spot in the state playoffs!



MDJ Game Stats: 33/46 passing for 442yds, 1 TD, 4 INTs; 8yds rushing on 5 carries, 1 TD, 1 Fumble - Thank goodness Harvey made that kick, otherwise I don't think I could have showed up at school on Monday. The pressure 100% got to me. But, when it mattered most, I stepped up and put together a game-winning drive.

Player of Game: DT Washington (3 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, 9 tackles)

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Summary: Circuit laps around Long Beach ended how you would expect them to with a bunch sprint. Alvaro Hodeg wins the opening stage over Jakub Mareczko and Magnus Cort Nielsen.

Result: 7th, 10th GC - Stage favourite Pienaar had a rough day (45th), and obviously blamed not having the proper time to warm-up as his excuse why. And yet, I still managed a Top 10 finish for the team... But, I'll keep my mouth shut since Pienaar bailed me out this morning.

Summary: Eight of the strongest GC contenders have separate themselves on the Gibraltar Road climb in the sweltering sun. They are:

Gaudu
Diamond
Wellens
Matthews
A. Yates
Teuns
Albanese
J. Alaphilippe

More punchuers here than we probably would have predicted, but we still have 3kms left to top that could drop the weaker legs.


Diamond puts the hammer down and drops Albanese and Alaphilippe under the banner. Will the rise in tempo hinder Diamond's ability to sprint for the stage win?


Absolutely. The other GC contenders use and abuse Diamond today to their advantage. Victory and GC lead to Teuns, followed by Gaudu, Wellens and Diamond.

Result: 4th (+26"), 3rd GC (+26") - So much for having team support. Harry Zuurman had an awful day today (18th, +4'03"), just like Pienaar had yesterday, and I was left all alone to fend for myself. Given the circumstances, I'd say a pretty good result that keeps me in the hunt.

Summary: You could tell Diamond was disappointed after yesterday's result and is a man on a mission today. Monster attack on the penultimate climb of Laguna Seca. SEG - Quickstep worked hard all day to make this attack possible and it's working.

Diamond with a 30-second gap at the top over the yellow jersey and the other GC contenders. Two breakaway riders remain ahead of him. He catches Danes on the downhill and leader Postlberger at the base of the final climb. But fatigue is starting to set in now.


And it's all for nothing. Diamond is reeled back in the final 450 meters and Matthews wins the stage. Another underwhelming result for the energetic Brit, to say the least. He deserved better.

Result: 4th, 4th GC (+26") - I tried. What more can I do?

Summary: Tuck in and get fast. The halfway stage in the Tour of California is a 34km ITT leaving and returning to San Jose. How much will the GC Top 5 be shaken up today? A refresh on the GC leaderboard:

1. Teuns (74TT) -- Leader
2. Gaudu (66TT) -- s.t.
3. Wellens (74TT) -- +22"
4. Diamond (73TT) -- +26"
5. A. Yates (75TT) -- +38"

Then there is wildcard, former rainbow man 6. Matthews (74TT), who is coming off a high of winning yesterday's stage.


Time check at 10.8kms gives us an early indication of how things are going on the road. The virtually GC standings now look like this:

1. Teuns (+32") -- Leader
2. Wellens (+12") -- +2"
3. Diamond (+22") -- +16"
4. A. Yates (+20") -- +26"
5. Gaudu (+1'04") -- +32"


The second time check at 23.8kms gives us a new virtual leader!

1. Wellens (+24") -- Leader
2. Teuns (+1'05") -- +19"
3. Diamond (+45") -- +25"
4. A. Yates (+43") -- +35"
5. Gaudu (+2'15") -- +1'29"


Wait, what? Diamond just stopped the clock at the finish line with a 42'50". That's provisional third-best behind the two American ladies on Team CSC who were untouchable today: Norah Marsh (42'32") and Chloe Dygert-Owen (42'39"). A little something for the home country viewers to cheer for, although not many are watching this race with hero Brandon McNulty doing his best to defend his Giro d'Italia crown.

Regardless, is Diamond's time correct? Surely that's not right. We had cameras on him the whole time, so we know he didn't cut the course. And, now the timing officials have confirmed... That time is correct.

I still don't believe it. How?


Wellens can't believe his eyes either. He was already pulling the yellow jersey on in his mind and then looks up to see that Diamond has beat him by 24 seconds when he had a 21-second lead over him at the second time check.

That's a swing of 45 seconds in just 11kms, or 4 seconds per km! That's pure insanity. Have we just witnessed the greatest come-from-behind time trial performance ever? Coming from a man who isn't even known as an elite, or even a good, time trialist.


Teuns might have almost caught Gaudu at the finish line, but he can kiss his yellow jersey goodbye. We have a new race leader!



Result: 3rd (+19"), 1st GC - I went into a zone never reached before. I was pedaling outside of my body. Faster than I have ever ridden, fueled by a perfect storm of emotions. Frustration: unleashed. Motivation: MDJ. Practice, preparation and a little bit of great form achieves excellence.

Summary: Bravo! A breakaway win for Garikoitz Bravo.

Result: 69th, 1st GC - Rest day for the big day tomorrow.

Summary: Snow danced in the wind as the peloton powered up to today's highest summit with 66kms to go. Multiple breakaway riders remain scattered up the road with SEG - Quickstep controlling the tempo.


A. Yates on the attack with 3.4kms to the top of the final climb. Obviously, fellow countryman Diamond is following, among others.


Now Diamond is going over the top of Yates. The yellow jersey wants to stamp his authority on this race with a stage win. Three breakaway riders still linger 22 seconds up the road. 2.4kms left to climb.


Diamond has shrunk the front group down to just four strong men with the breakaway riders left behind now as well.

Diamond (GC Leader)
A. Yates (4th, +1'07")
Gaudu (8th, +2'44")
Haig (11th, +4'12")


Yates leads them under the banner for the final uptick to the finish line.


Gaudu holds off the surging yellow jersey to win the stage!

Result: 2nd, 1st GC - One of those sprints you want to have back. Gaudu got the inside line to the finish and I didn't quite have the acceleration to go around him after my attack on the previous climb. But, the GC victory is now firmly mine with a flat celebration stage tomorrow!

Summary: Stage 1 winner Alvaro Hodeg hits the front first in hopes of book-ending this stage race with stage wins.


Rare to see the yellow jersey contesting the final sprint here in California, but here is Diamond flying past his teammate Pienaar.



Result: 1st, 1st GC, 2nd Points, 2nd KoM - I guess America isn't so bad. But, I'm coming home. See you soon Grace... and my son.

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I'd really love to cheer that amazing time trial... but I hate that now the MDJ football timeline has me doubting that brilliance... a motor would have made up four seconds per kilometre for sure But hopefully that was just our man being amazing, and he can be proven innocent soon enough in the future timeline!

You could obviously be right - but how stupid would you need to be to use the motor only for the last section? If he really did, he'd deserve to be caught and banned tbh

Summary: Dispossessed in the midfield by recently unretired Nigeria veteran Wilfred Ndidi, Australian's star striker Ian Hughes from Manchester United looked helpless as John Hamzat received the pass and dribbled past two defenders before rocketing in the first goal of the match in the 20th minute.

A little over 10 minutes later, Nigeria's other returnee who also decided to unretire to compete in the upcoming World Cup, Alex Iwobi, assisted winger Henry Onyekuru to have the Flying Eagles soaring up 2-0.

Hughes got Australia back in the match with a breakaway goal coming 45 seconds before the first half stoppage time could be announced.

A set piece gone horribly wrong allowed Australia to counter-attack and eventually led to Hughes heading home his second goal of the game to tie the score at 2-2 in the 67th minute. And that's all she wrote.

Rating: 6.7 - I'll take the blame for Australia getting that second goal. I just got subbed on and put myself in the box for the free kick instead of staying back with us leading 2-1. We didn't have enough numbers back to stop their counter-attack, so it's a draw instead of a win.

Player of Game: Ian Hughes, Australia (8.8)

Summary: After a half hour of hard fought football, a soft penalty call on a push in the back inside the 18-yard box gifted Colombia a shot from the spot. Captain striker Juan Hernandez from Watford blasted the PK into the top left corner, just out of reach of Nigeria GK Joseph Sunday.

Nigeria's backline was then beat on a ball over the top to allow Brayan Hernandez to score in the 38th minute to push Colombia ahead 2-0.

The football gods stepped in by awarding Nigeria a penalty kick in the 52nd minute after Victor Osimhen was dragged down in the box. Osimhen took his own penalty and... SCORED!

After Diamond missed a clean look from 20 yards out, Nigeria got a second chance to tie the game when 21yo sub Hassan Ibeh, making his second career cap, hit the deck in the 80th minute.

Colombia appeals that Ibeh flopped. VAR would probably agree, but the referees don't have technology to help them this evening.

So, the official points to the spot. Another penalty! Osimhen up again... He goes the same way and... GOAL! All tied at 2-2 with 10 minutes left.

Chances then go begging at both ends. But nothing goes in, 2-2 draw.

Nigeria keeper Sunday did suffer a stubbed index finger in the final minutes and was subbed off as a pre-cautionary measure. It shouldn't keep him out of the World Cup.

Rating: 7.2 - Proud of the guys for fighting back. We might not be a traditional top tier team, but certainly don't overlook us. We have the talent to compete with anyone. We truly believe that.

Player of Game: Victor Osimhen, Nigeria (8.8)