Soccer Watch

Euro 2008 qualifying resumed this week – highlighted by Italy's 2-0 must-win over Scotland, plus revenge of the minnows: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Liechtenstein all won, former minnow Northern Ireland won two big ones (as did big brother Republic of Ireland), and even tiny Andorra held a wheezy England scoreless for more than half a game. Details at austinchronicle.com/soccer.

Landon Donovan wore the captain's armband Sunday for the U.S. and scored a hat trick as the Yanks beat Ecuador, 3-1, in a friendly in Tampa. They're in action again as we go to press in Dallas against Guatemala.

Euro Champions League quarterfinals begin April 3-4, and all four games will be shown live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes (all at 1:30pm). Tuesday: Liverpool at PSV Eindhoven, Bayern Munich at AC Milan. Wednesday: Manchester United at Roma, Valencia at Chelsea.

Houston Dynamo visits Mexican League-leading Pachuca Thursday, April 5, 8:30pm, in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal, carrying a 2-0 advantage from the first leg in Houston. DC United is at Chivas in the other semifinal, 8:30pm Tuesday, April 3. Both games are being shown live on Fox Soccer Channel.

In high school bi-district playoffs, the Travis High boys were the lone Austin winner, 4-2 in OT over San Antonio Burbank. But the suburban schools did well; Westlake and Dripping Springs boys and girls teams all won. Scores online.