Soccer Watch

'Tis springtime, and the Old World's fancy turns to football.

All of the major European leagues are back in full swing after the winter break, and this midweek marked the return of Champions League and UEFA Cup competition as well. From now through season's end in May, most of the Continent's top teams will be playing two games a week most weeks – with league play on the weekend, and Euro competitions and other Cup games taking center stage during the week. The 16 Champs League survivors were in action this Tuesday and Wednesday (see results below), and the UEFA Cup third round sees 32 teams in action today (Thursday). Both competitions are home-and-away matchups, with winners advancing based on cumulative score.

With national teams pointing toward the summer's Euro2004 Championship and the Athens Olympics, every game has other implications for the players as well, as they jockey for playing time for their country. Take Oliver Kahn, for example. The longtime starting goalkeeper and team captain for the German national team was the MVP of the 2002 World Cup. But he's been shaky this season for Bayern Munich, and a bad mistake on Tuesday (see below) will put his spot on the national team in question, especially since his backup, Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann, has been outspoken in his criticism of Kahn and of national coach Rudi Voeller. An interview with German soccer magazine Kicker made headlines Continentwide last week, when Lehmann said he doesn't talk to Kahn ("I didn't know we were supposed to talk") and criticized his rival's much-publicized playboy reputation as well ("I don't have a 24-year-old girlfriend. I have a different life").

The U.S. women opened Olympic qualifying Wednesday with a 7-0 thrashing of Trinidad and Tobago; play continues in Costa Rica through next week.

Americans made their mark in England as well, as Brian McBride connected from close range, off a lobbed pass from countryman Carlos Bocanegra, to put London's Fulham into the FA Cup quarterfinals against Manchester United. – Nick Barbaro

Champions League Results: Round of 16 first leg (home team listed first; return leg March 9-10)

FC Porto 2, Manchester United 1 (Portuguese come from behind to put United in a hole.)

Deportivo La Coruna 1, Juventus 0 (Italian champions will have to play better in Torino in two weeks.)

Stuttgart 0, Chelsea 1 (Despite having the better chances, the Germans were done in by defender's own goal.)

Real Sociedad 0, Lyon 1 (The better team won, though it took another own goal to make it happen.)

Bayern Munich 1, Real Madrid 1 (Roberto Carlos equalizer late, on horror mistake in goal by WC hero Oliver Kahn.)

Celta Vigo 2, Arsenal 3 (Robert Pires, swapping passes with Thierry Henry, wins it with 10 minutes left.)

Sparta Prague 0, AC Milan 0 (Lots of scoring chances, but no goals, in subfreezing Czech capital.)

Lokomotiv Moscow 2, Monaco 1 (In the snow, Monaco stays alive with a late away goal.)