Olympic Soccer Starts, Laredo Plays for PDL Championship, and More

The Olympics opened Wednesday morning (well, Wednesday night in Beijing), with the U.S. women giving up two goals in the first four minutes to lose their first game of the year, 2-0 to Norway. The men open up Thursday against Japan; all games, women and men, will be live online (3am & 5:45am), at www.nbcolympics.com.

The Laredo Heat, who knocked the Austin Aztex out of the Premier Development League playoffs, have advanced to a record third straight PDL national title game. They host the Thunder Bay Chill this Saturday, Aug. 9, 7:45pm, live on Fox Soccer Channel.

Stoke City's top U18 Academy team is in Austin starting this week, as part of the team's affiliation with the Aztex. They'll play three exhibition games at the Town & Country Sports Complex (9100 Meadowheath Dr., near Research and 620): Thursday, Aug. 14, 6:30pm vs Lonestars 91 Red; Saturday, Aug. 16 vs Rayados of Monterey, Mexico; and Sunday, Aug. 17 vs Lonestars 92 Red. See www.austinaztex.com for details.

Jamie Watson, the Aztex' top scorer this season, was signed last week by FC Dallas.

The New England Revolution beat the Houston Dynamo in the SuperLiga final Tuesday night, 6-5 on PKs, following a 2-2 draw through regulation and overtime. The two MLS teams had bounced Mexican heavyweights Atlante and Pachuca in the semifinals last week.

The UT women's soccer team' season opener is just around the corner: on the road in California, Aug. 16.