Former UNLV, Las Vegas High soccer star shines in Gold Cup

Until past weekend, El Salvador was mostly known for its volcanoes, java beans and governmental instability. That was earlier a valiant comeback connected the shot pitch, led by a erstwhile Las Vegas High and UNLV star, fell conscionable abbreviated successful the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which crowns it champion Sunday astatine sold-out Allegiant Stadium.

After falling down 3-0 to 2022 World Cup big Qatar, Joaquin Rivas scored 2 goals successful 3 minutes to propulsion El Salvador wrong 3-2. Six minutes later, helium had a imaginable 3rd extremity nullified by offsides.

Although Rivas was denied connected 2 much chances successful the game’s dying moments that would person tied it, his exploits volition not soon beryllium forgotten backmost location successful Central America.

Thank you Joaquin Rivas!! Great Job!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 https://t.co/zberYEvLii

— 𝚃𝚊𝚕𝚒 (@Cobal7hue) July 25, 2021

“It was unthinkable to spot a feline who had an interaction connected our program, that’s truly been dedicated to honing his craft, and literally, he’s present a leader successful El Salvador,” UNLV men’s shot manager Rich Ryerson said of the guardant calved successful Santa Ana, El Salvador.

Rivas, who was named the Review-Journal’s Player of the Year successful 2009 aft scoring 34 goals during his elder play for Las Vegas High’s authorities title team, scored 10 during a UNLV vocation that ended successful 2013. The 29-year-old has spent astir of his pro vocation successful the second-tier USL, wherever helium presently plays for FC Tulsa.

“He’s been grinding it retired arsenic a pro and I couldn’t beryllium much blessed for him,” said Ryerson, who was connected his mode to Alaska for a shot campy and watched Rivas astir propulsion retired the triumph connected his laptop. “He’s made a batch of Salvadorians proud; he’s made a batch of radical successful Las Vegas proud.”

Rivas earlier this summertime took portion successful a UNLV Caravan video celebrating the school’s soccer-playing professionals and spoke of being called up to El Salvador’s nationalist side.

“It’s a feeling you would person to acquisition yourself to cognize what it means,” said Rivas, who besides scored successful El Salvador’s 2-0 Gold Cup triumph implicit Guatemala. “It’s an astonishing feeling erstwhile a full state is down you and you’re playing for pride.”

HERE COMES EL SALVADOR 🇸🇻

They people 2 goals successful little than 5 minutes and are present wrong 1 of Qatar! pic.twitter.com/mpMXlSMQ2g

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 25, 2021

Around the horn

— Former Bishop Gorman prima Joey Gallo appeared for his archetypal Yankees zoom telephone with a freshly shaven look Friday per a longstanding nine rule.

“I virtually had conscionable gotten a haircut that time and had the beard trimmed and everything,” the two-time All-Star said astir being traded to New York from the Texas Rangers Thursday. “Three hours aboriginal they said you got traded; you’re going to New York. And I’m similar I conjecture I’m going to person to shave this.

“So I went location and did it connected my own. I should astir apt person a nonrecreational bash it astatine immoderate point. But you cognize that’s portion of the rules erstwhile you play successful New York and I don’t caput doing it.”

Joey Gallo is here. pic.twitter.com/sCPcWEegDf

— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) July 30, 2021

— Gallo’s buddy and Bonanza High grad Kris Bryant volition beryllium capable to support his chin whiskers successful San Francisco aft being traded from the Cubs to the Giants conscionable earlier Friday’s deadline. But his father, Mike, said it’s premature to foretell wherever the erstwhile NL MVP volition upwind up aft becoming a escaped cause astatine season’s end.

“We’ll spot however helium likes San Francisco,” the elder Bryant said. “San Diego would person been ideal, I’m sure. He’ll astir apt extremity up astatine archetypal basal later, truthful I deliberation possibly San Diego volition beryllium successful the representation later.”

Kris Bryant played assemblage shot astatine the University of San Diego. The Padres were said to beryllium buying their archetypal baseman Eric Hosmer. So possibly Mike Bryant volition person an adjacent shorter region to question to ticker his lad play sooner alternatively than later.

The infinitesimal Kris Bryant was traded. He was crying. What an affectional moment. pic.twitter.com/0cSnTfSh71

— Cubs Live (@Cubs_Live) July 30, 2021

— The starting clip for this year’s National Finals Rodeo performances astatine the Thomas & Mack Center Dec. 2-11 has been moved up an hr from 6:45 p.m. to 5:45 to accommodate TV and section honky-tonk owners, though lone the TV folks were mentioned successful the quality release.

**BREAKING** #WranglerNFR New Start Time
Continue Reading https://t.co/wzbF6qMG8a pic.twitter.com/fc6j0ToJzn

— Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (@LasVegasNFR) July 28, 2021

0:01

A shot instrumentality named JR was person successful the clubhouse for Tweet of the Day erstwhile helium posted this connection to his relationship Friday:

“I wore my Cubs jersey contiguous and astir got traded.”

I wore my Cubs jersey contiguous and astir got traded

— JR🐻 (@fernn_8) July 30, 2021

Contact Ron Kantowski astatine rkantowski@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski connected Twitter.