Soccer Watch

The Austin Aztex announced their first four player signings on Tuesday: a goalkeeper and three attacking players. All are graduates of different local high schools and current college players, and each is a product of the Lone Star Soccer Club:

• Michael Lisch, 21, goalkeeper (West­lake High, Wake Forest): Lisch is clearly the Aztex's biggest signing, physically as well as by reputation. The 6-foot-4-inch goalkeeper, playing in probably the top soccer conference in the country, started every game last season as a junior, including the NCAA tournament in which he blocked three penalty kicks in a shootout win over South Carolina.

• Alesi Osorio, 20, attacker (LBJ High, East Tennessee State): Osorio was All-District at LBJ, who went 45-14 and won a district title during his four years there.

• Pedro Pereira, 23, midfield (Leander, Oklahoma Baptist): A native of Brazil, he played for the 2009 Aztex PDL team.

• Kristopher Tyrpak, 19, midfield (Drip­ping Springs, Houston Baptist): Atlantic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2010, and his team's leading scorer.

The Aztex also announced that they'll maintain a 26-man roster in addition to fielding a Super-20 team. So they'll be moving fast now, with opening day just a month away. The final local tryout is this Saturday, April 7, 9am-5pm at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex, 10211 W. Parmer. See registration info at www.austinaztex.com. The season opens on Cinco de Mayo in Houston.

The European Champions League semifinals match Bayern Munich with Real Madrid, and Barcelona with Chelsea; Tuesday-Wednesday, April 17-25, 1:45pm, on Fox networks.

And the CONCACAF semifinals were being decided in Mexico as we go to press Wednesday night; hosts Santos and Monterrey look likely to make it another all-Mexico final, April 18 and 25.