Soccer Watch

The Austin Aztex gave up another late goal, this one in the 85th minute, to lose their home finale, 1-0, to USL-1 regular season champs-to-be Portland Timbers. The Aztex end their season this week with games at Portland and Vancouver ... and then the rebuilding begins for next year; fans are already speculating over who's going to be back for 2010. We'll get our first glimpse of what some of that may be when the Aztex host Rayados of Monterrey, Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Round Rock Independent School District's Palace on Parmer. The Rayados currently have the second-best record in the Mexican Primera Division.

The UT Longhorns dropped two games last week in the Bay Area: 2-1 to St. Mary's and 4-2 to No. 14/16 Cal. The young Horns (now 1-3) host Louisville at 7pm Friday, Sept. 11 (advance sale only: a ticket and a popcorn for $3; call 232-3865), and Kentucky at noon Sunday, Sept. 13 ($3 web coupon), Myers Stadium, Red River & Manor.

UT's not the only game in town, though. The St. Edward's women are off to a strong start (again) – at 3-0-1, they're ranked 15th in the nation and have yet to allow a goal this season. The Hilltopper men are 0-3, but all three losses are to nationally ranked opponents. The women are on the road this weekend; the men host two more nationally ranked teams: No. 4 Fort Lewis, at 5pm Friday, Sept. 11, and No. 13 Colorado School of Mines, 1:30pm Sunday, Sept. 13.

The U.S. got a shaky come-from-behind win over El Salvador on Saturday in Salt Lake City, staying on track in World Cup Qualifying; but heading into Wednesday night's game at Trinidad (the eighth of 10 in all), four teams are within a point of the top in the group, with only three getting automatic spots. Mexico seems to have righted their ship with a decisive 3-0 road win over previous group leaders Costa Rica... Elsewhere, Brazil stunned host Argentina, 3-1, to earn a spot in South Africa and put Diego Maradona's boys in serious trouble after their first home WCQ loss since 1993. England's in as well, after a sparkling 5-1 thrashing of second-place Croatia; Spain, Ghana, and Ivory Coast clinched spots as well. That makes 11 of the 32 slots filled; qualifying continues Oct. 10 & 14.