It was a little dicey at the beginning and a little slow in finding momentum, but the USA won their game against Brazil to move to 1-1 in the Men's Rugby 7s competition at the Rio 2016 Olympics Tuesday.

The Eagles were coming off a last-second loss to Argentina, and needed not only a win, but a big win, to keep themselves in quarterfinal contention. Head Coach Mike Friday shook up the lineup a little bit, starting Chris Wyles and Nate Ebner and leaving Danny Barrett and Maka Unufe on the bench. Early on it seemed as if whatever lineup the Eagles had, they weren't going to be able to get the ball. Brazil dominated possession early on.

However, the host nation couldn't break through a pretty solid USA defense, and eventually it was the Eagles that opened the scoring. Ben Pinkelman stole a lineout ball in the USA 22, and Wyles took off into midfield before running a switch move with Perry Baker. The World Series All-Star wing tried to break away, but was caught by the Brazilian defenders. Wyles, however, was right behind to clear out and the ball was sent wide the other where, where Pinkelman surged on and then popped a pass inside to Folau Niua, who did the rest.

Madison Hughes converted the try for the 7-0, and soon it looked as if it would be more. Baker went high into the sky to take the restart, and while Ebner looked to be on the charge, he opted to pass it wide, and a knock-on later Brazile had the ball. The Eagles continued to pressure, though. Hughes forced a penalty and then Brazil got a yellow card for kicking the ball away. After that it was a matter of time, and a superb line from Ebner on a Hughes pass put the rugby-football-rugby convert over for his first Olympic try.

Up 14-0, the USA team struggled to build on that lead in the second half. They seemed to be trying a little too hard to make it all work perfectly, rather than take one more ruck and recycle. And again, oddly, Baker was hardly seeing the ball. A turnover by the USA looked to result in a try but that was called back for a knock-on. However, that play also involved Ebner putting in a late (and no-wrap) tackle, and he had to sit for two minutes.

The USA players defended well once more, with Wyles forcing a dropped ball. Then on as a sub, Unufe broke through and almost went the distance before being ankle-tapped to the grass. Brazil got a yellow card for killing the ball, and it was 6-on-6.

Finally, with that much space, something logical had to happen. The USA plays lobbed it out to Carlin Isles - on for Baker - and Isles took a line sideways and around his marker, and scored in the corner the type of try only he can get away with. That made it 19-0, and with Ebner back on the field, the Eagles got the ball back with no time left thanks to a thumping tackle from Danny Barrett, and then Unufe charged through some grasping arms to finish it off.

It wasn't precise - the USA players can link up with each other so much better - but they put a hurting on the Brazil team nonetheless, and ended Day 1 at 1-1.

Ebner, getting to play almost an entire game, was very effective as a runner and as a tackler. He was perhaps a bit too unselfish at times, but filled in wherever he was needed. Pinkelman was dangerous and frantic, but it seemed as if the sidestepping, run-and-gun play of Hughes and Baker was a little muted.

USA 26

Tries: Niua, Ebner, Isles, Unufe

Convs: Hughes 3

Brazil 0