Soccer Watch

Fallout continues from the Austin Aztex's abrupt departure for Orlando, Fla., as various fan groups mull trying to form a community-owned team, luring investment for another go at a higher level, and/or declaring loyalty to one of a few lower-level amateur teams and leagues that have come sniffing around. Looks like the soccer-specific stadium at Highland Mall is on hold for a bit, though.

The UT Longhorn women ended the regular season with a 1-1 draw against sixth-ranked rival Texas A&M, then fell to Oklahoma, 1-0, in the first round of the 2010 Big XII Championship tourney Wednesday morning (Nov. 3). The Horns (11-5-4) should merit an at-large bid to the 64-team NCAA Divi­sion I tournament, to be announced Monday, Nov. 8 (ESPNU, 3:30pm).

The St. Edward's women (15-0-1, and sixth-ranked in the nation in Division II) end the regular season on the road this weekend in Laredo and San Antonio, before heading into the NCAA South Central Regionals on Nov. 11... The St. Ed's men (9-5-2, 5-2 in conference) host UT-Permian Basin at 4pm Friday, their last home game of the season.

The UT Men's Cub team won their regional tournament in Lubbock Sunday, earning a bid to the national tournament, Nov. 18-20 in Phoenix. The Horns play an alumni game this Friday at Whitaker Fields.

Major League Soccer playoffs started last weekend, with the return legs this weekend, all televised live: San Jose at New York, Thursday, 7pm, ESPN2; Dallas at Salt Lake, Saturday, 8:30pm, FSC; Colorado at Columbus, Saturday, 3pm, TeleFutura; and Seattle at Los Angeles, Sunday, 8pm ESPN.

Some interesting results in European Champions League action this week, but when the dust settled, all four English clubs are leading their groups, and all the Spanish and Italian teams are in position to advance as well; final games are Nov. 23-24 and Dec. 7-8.

The other Euro seasons are heating up as well, just as the weather gets colder. One of the hottest rivalries, the Lazio-Roma derby, is live on FSC this Sunday, Nov. 7, 8am.