Soccer Watch

Trying to make sense out of the chaos that is the United Soccer Leagues, the truth is, no one really knows how events will shake out. The breakaway teams of the Team Owners Association announced Monday that they've lured two more USL franchises to their side and formed the North American Soccer League (evoking the New York Cosmos-led league of the 1970s). Meanwhile, the Austin Aztex are holding firm in the USL First Division, with Puerto Rico, Rochester, Port­land, maybe Cleveland, and possible expansion teams in New York, Detroit, and/or Ottawa. Further complicating matters, USL-1 Charles­ton says they'll drop down to USL-2 next year, and USL-2 Baltimore has apparently defected to the NASL. So if you're keeping score: Of the 11 USL-1 teams from last season, five are with the NASL, four or five are still with USL-1, and one's in the USL-2. Overall, NASL appears to have nine teams to USL-1's eight. Of course, that's as of Tuesday; it could all have shifted again by the time you read this.

The good news: Whatever happens, the Aztex will surely come out of this just fine. They're going about their business, scouting and preparing for next year – even if it's not totally clear who they'll be playing against. (In a related note, Austin ISD's locker-room renovations at House Park appear to be getting under way this week, clearing the way for the Aztex's much-anticipated move Downtown.)

The St. Edward's women's season ended Friday with a penalty-kick shoot-out loss to West Texas A&M in the NCAA Sweet 16. It's a tough way to lose – the Hilltoppers reportedly pretty well controlled the match and didn't allow a shot on goal all day. They finish up at 16-3-3; congrats on a great season. Texas A&M is out as well, losing to Florida State 2-1 in overtime; there will be no Texas teams in the Women's College Cup in College Station Dec. 4 and 6. The Division III Men's & Women's Final Fours are that same weekend in San Antonio: Dec. 4-5 at Blossom Soccer Stadium, hosted by Trinity University. Too bad the Trinity women won't be there; they lost their perfect season in a PK shoot-out in the quarterfinals.

Real Salt Lake beat the L.A. Galaxy on penalty kicks in the MLS Cup Final Sunday, becoming the first team to win the league championship after having a losing record in the regular season.

European Champions League: Arsenal in, Liverpool out in this week's next-to-last games in the group stage. Sevilla, Lyon, and Fiorentina also advanced to the knockout round Tuesday, and Barcelona served notice with a convincing 2-0 win over Inter Milan. Eight more games Wednesday; group play ends Dec. 9.