News on the Copa América, Under-20 World Cup, Asian Cup, Austin Lightning, and More

The Austin Lightning are on the road this weekend in Laredo. Their next home game is July 29 against the DFW Tornados; still waiting for news on rescheduling the two games rained out in June.

The U.S. beat Brazil, 2-1, to finish atop their group in the Under-20 World Cup. They face Uru­guay in the Round of 16 as we go to press; the quarterfinals are Saturday-Sunday, the semis Wednesday-Thursday, and the championship is Sunday, July 22, at 2:15pm. All games are being shown live on Galavision and TeleFutura.

Brazil will face either Argentina or Mexico in the Copa América final; they edged Uruguay on penalty kicks in the first semifinal. The championship final is on Sunday, July 15, 4pm on Univision.

The Asian Cup is under way, co-hosted by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Australia, newly an Asian country, is considered the favorite off their impressive World Cup performance.

The U.S. women take on Norway on Saturday, Bastille Day, at 5pm, live on ESPN2. And with two months until World Cup kickoff, coach Greg Ryan has named the first 18 players for the U.S. squad.

Both the L.A. Galaxy and Houston Dynamo were knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup by lower division teams on Tuesday; Houston fell to the D1 Charleston Battery, 1-0, and the Galaxy was embarrassed by the D2 Richmond Kickers by the same score.

The MLS All-Star game is Thursday, July 19 (8pm, ESPN2); this time around, the MLS takes on Glasgow Celtic, preparing for the upcoming start of the Scottish season.

Fans of North London club Arsenal are hurting, as William Gallas, Cesc Fabregas, and Freddie Ljungberg are all rumored to be mulling offers to follow Thierry Henry out the door.