Aztex Update, WCQs, Bye Bye Beckham?

Austin Aztex final tryouts are this weekend, Feb. 7-8, at St. Edward's University: Saturday, 9:30am and 1:30pm; Sunday 9:30am. The public is welcome; come on out to see if you can spot some talent that might make one of the 2009 rosters (United Soccer Leagues-1 pro or Premier Development League amateur). The Chantico's Army supporters group will hold an organizational meeting after the Saturday practice: 4:30pm at Opal Divine's Penn Field, 3601 S. Congress. Another group, Lone Star Delinquents, is getting together at the Flying Saucer, in the Triangle, tonight (Thursday) at around 5:30pm. The Aztex have signed four more players for their USL-1 squad: winger Jarius Holmes from the PDL St. Louis Lions, English midfielder Alex Tapp from third division Milton Keynes Dons, and two local boys, both veterans of last year's PDL Aztex: striker A.J. Godbolt and special congrats to defender Wes Allen, an Anderson High grad, and the first player profiled last year in Thomas Hackett's "Playing Through" (April 4, 2008).

Below: World Cup Qualifying starts next week; Beckham and Donovan both leaving the MLS?

The final round of World Cup Qualifying starts this week, as the U.S. hosts archrival Mexico, 6pm Wednesday, Feb. 11 in Columbus, Ohio (live on ESPN2). Also in the group: Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago, El Salvador, and Honduras; the top three qualify for South Africa 2010.

The L.A. Galaxy and MLS appear to have suffered a one-two punch, as both Landon Donovan and David Beckham – on off-season loan to European clubs – seem likely to make their moves permanent. Donovan is settling in well at Bayern Munich; time will tell. But it's Beckham, so ordinary in his two years with the Galaxy, who is a revelation at AC Milan, with two goals and three assists in his first five games, to lead the team into second place in Serie A. Coach Carlo Ancelotti says he's "given us a new boost in quality and in enthusiasm" and that "his desire is to stay - he hasn't hidden that - but it's a problem between him and the Los Angeles Galaxy."