A thief targeted three sports teams visiting Los Angeles recently - including CD Guadalajara when they were in town taking on their American spinoff at the Rose Bowl:

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A man with slicked-back hair who stole $26,000 in cash and jewelry from an Israeli basketball team at the Staples Center also scammed his way into two downtown hotels to steal thousands of dollars from Chivas players and a salsa music troupe, police said Wednesday.

Tickets for the seventh annual tournament that serves as the qualifying tournament for the Copa Libertadores for Mexican clubs go on sale next month.

Home Depot Center hosts games Jan. 9, 10 and 12.

More info from today's press release:

InterLiga 2010 will determine two Mexican club berths (Mexico 2 and Mexico 3) for Copa Libertadores.

Read the column here.

There were a couple of Aguirre quotes left over that didn't get into the column for space reasons.

The first concerns the infamous incident against Panama in the Gold Cup where Aguirre actually enters the field of play in an effort to influence the game.

The incident is here if you haven't seen it:

And here's Aguirre's rationale for his actions:

"When I lifted up my foot it was just an impulse.

AP photos

The win over El Salvador completes a remarkable turnaround in the fortune of the Mexicans.

Blanco, too, looks rejuvenated. Oh, and former Chivas USA striker Paco Palencia came on as a sub for him - and scored.

A roundup of the World Cup qualifying results today is here.

CD Guadalajara 2 Chivas USA 0

I "watched" this one on TV and this description of the alleged action by reporter Phil Collin is apt: "The first half was like a family reunion with everyone sitting in the living room trying to dream up something to talk about."

Still, that didn't prevent a Chivas USA player from suffering a potentially serious injury (bet Preki is thrilled with that).

For those of you not heading to tonight's Chivas-Chivas USA game at 8 o'clock in Pasadena, know that Galavision will carry the friendly live.

Incidentally, this game is being billed as the first between the teams in American soil because the two met in a charity game in Guadalajara two years ago.

I previewed Wednesday's Chivas USA-CD Guadalajara game Wednesday at the Rose Bowl. Read the column here.

BTW, two Chivas USA players - Gerson Mayen and Jorge Flores - won't play because they, along with UCLA goalkeeper Brian Perk and midfielder Michael Stevens, are in Egypt preparing for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup that starts Thursday.

The first-ever game between the two sister clubs in the U.S. was announced this morning and tickets to the 8 p.m. game went on sale at 10 a.m., starting at $20 for general admission. Call 1-877-CHIVAS-1.

"Chivas USA and Chivas de Guadalajara have done great work together for the last five years, and it will be exciting to see these two great clubs face off on the field," said Chivas USA President and CEO Shawn Hunter.

*Former LA Times writer and hyphenated American Daniel Hernandez explains: Why It's OK for Hyphenated Americans to Root for Mexican Soccer. (Tip of the hat to laobserved.com for the link).

*Here's Greg Lalas (undoubtedly a hyphenated American too) on why Landon Donovan should become hyphenated in Mexico (or something).

His name is Jesus Padilla, he's 22-years-old and he was born in San Jose.

Part of CD Guadalajara's youth system since age 14, Padilla has scored one goal in two starts (he has 24 Mexican league appearances total).

"Jesús is a talented, explosive attacking player who will help our team as we work toward a spot in the playoffs," said Chivas USA Coach Preki.

Relief for Mexican coach Javier Aguirre after Israel Castro's tying goal against the U.S. (AP Photo).

A valiant U.S. effort fell about eight minutes short today against Mexico. In large measure, the U.S. ran out of gas in a territorial game they mainly ceded to Mexico in a bid to survive the conditions.

Apparently dodgeball-playing Cuauhtemoc Blanco and the Mexicans are loose ahead of their critical game with the U.S. Wednesday. (AP Photos).

I'll update this post as events warrant and kickoff nears.

The essentials: The 1 p.m. game is in Spanish on Telemundo and in English on little known cable channel mun2, which has a free preview on DirecTV channel 203 and Dish channel 838, while Time Warner will also preview the channel.

And who thought that would ever be the case?

Read the column here.

BTW: Just heard on Twitter - Landon Donovan is on Sportsnation on ESPN2 at 1:15 p.m. today.

Another busy weekend of soccer begins this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. when Real Madrid plays Toronto (live on ESPN) and at the same time the Pali Blues take on the Washington Freedom (live on Fox Soccer Channel).

Both the Galaxy and Chivas USA are out of town this weekend, but does that mean no live soccer locally?

Midweek seems an apt time to touch on a few things I've overlooked:

*The Sounders play Barcelona at 7:30 tonight in Seattle on ESPN2. It will be interesting to see who that usually delirious crowd will predominantly be rooting for - the home team or the European champions. More here.

Here's Barcelona's Lionel Messi doing a little ball juggling atop the 605-foot-high Space needle ahead of the game.

Mexico has a better "C" team than the U.S.

Good thing no-one cares about the Gold Cup anyway.

But no matter the competition or team the U.S. should never - never - lose 5-0 to Mexico. And certainly shouldn't collapse on that scale, conceding five goals in just over 30 minutes.

How different would it have been if the likes of Rolling Hills Estates' Robbie Rogers had converted first half chances?

Bowling for Becks in KC (AP Photo)

The Galaxy failed to win a fifth consecutive game Saturday, drawing with the Wizards 1-1 in Kansas City. Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman (Peninsula High) kept his former team at bay with a superb performance. But a stunning goal of the season contending strike by the Wizards Claudio Lopez that left Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts injured was the high point of the game.

The game begins at noon Sunday on Fox Soccer Channel.

By BARRY WILNER
AP Sports Writer

This was the perfect Gold Cup for an outsider to steal. Honduras, perhaps. Or Canada.

Instead, Sunday's final at the Meadowlands will have that familiar if not comfortable look
when the United States and Mexico, by far the most dominant nations in CONCACAF, meet for the title.

There are almost two dozen soccer games listed in today's Daily Breeze print edition (y'know the thing made of dead trees that only costs a quarter, but is far easier to carry around than a laptop) you can watch on TV today through Sunday (and far more than that on niche channels).

Arguably the highlight: U.

When I told my wife about today's soccer schedule, she gave me on of those "so you want to remain married" looks?

No wonder. And this isn't a complete list of televised games, just my picks

10 a.m. ESPN2 - Houston Dynamo at Toronto FC (the Western Conference leaders visit the Eastern Conference co-leaders;final was 1-1).

Without kicking a ball Thursday night thanks to the chaotic Mexico-Panama game.

Check out the "action" here including the stupidity of Mexican Coach Javier Aguirre at the end of the highlights:

Canada also went through as did Guadeloupe, which beat Nicaragua 2-0 in the first game of the night.

Monday leftovers:

*The Galaxy's Chris Klein doesn't want David Beckham to, y'know, take things out of context. I say go out to a bar and have Becks pick up the tab (don't overlook the comments on the story).

Lawndale's Kei Kamara and his MJ tribute. (I'm sure it's on YouTube, but that site is down for maintenance right now).

Get caught up on the weekend's soccer in 60 seconds or less:
*The Galaxy had three shots on goal, scored on one of them and beat the MLS-leading Dynamo Sunday at Home Depot Center.

*Highlights:

*Heartbreak for the Americans in South Africa.

*Reaction:

*Mexico and Guatemala drew Sunday in San Diego in Gold Cup warmup.

Only six players on the 23-man roster have caps in the double digits - Freddy Adu, Brian Ching, Jimmy Conrad, Steve Cherundolo, Heath Pearce and Santino Quaranta.

Chivas USA and Galaxy fans will not doubt be more interested in the players not picked; there is no Landon Donovan, Jonathan Bornstein or Sacha Kljestan on the U.

The 2-2-9 Galaxy face the similarly struggling 2-8-3 Earthquakes at 1:30 p.m. today on ESPN2, the start of a seven-game stretch that sees LA play five matches on the road. The Galaxy, seeking to rebound from last week's 2-0 home loss to Real Salt Lake, are without the suspended Eddie Lewis, while Landon Donovan is on national team duty.

The games that matter:

1:30 p.m. Saturday ESPN2 Galaxy at San Jose Earthquakes
5 p.m. Saturday KFTR San Luis at Chicago Fire
7 p.m. Saturday Tigres at Chivas USA
11 a.m. Sunday ESPN Brazil-Italy
11:25 a.m. Sunday ESPN2 Egypt-U.S.
3 p.m. Sunday Fox Soccer Channel FC Gold Pride at Sol

Meanwhile, the Galaxy tradition of shipping out apparently subpar players only to see them become reborn elsewhere continues in Portland with former goalkeeper Steve Cronin and in the nation's capital where Josh Wicks is supplanting Louis Crayton.

After months of rumors, the deal is done and Cristiano Ronaldo will now do his pouting, um, playing in Spain with Kaka.

Well, that was a bit of an anticlimax for Chivas USA.

It was also a game that featured, said Chivas USA Coach Preki, "the dumbest goal ever."

See for yourself:

Mexico made heavy work of Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday, but are back (sort of) on track in WCQ.

As an English-born, naturalized Canadian citizen who lives in the U.S., nations don't mean that much to me.

Except when it comes to soccer.

Because in soccer different nationalities, cultures and races serve to remind me not how different people are, but how much many share an obsessive interest regardless of where they are from in a ball rolling around a pitch chased by 22 sweaty people.

It was close though.

The details.

We'll just have to wait on top Mexican clubs visiting regularly just across the border.

Chivas USA and the Galaxy might not like the competition for Latino fans, but it could happen.

AP Photo

Azteca Stadium in Mexico City sat eerily empty Sunday during the game between Club America and Tecos because of the swine flu outbreak.

CONCACAF today canceled the remainder of the Under-17 championships in Tijuana and postponed the second leg of the Champions League final because of escalating fears of a swine flu pandemic.

The Galaxy, Chivas USA and Sol are all in action today, but the big news of the morning just landed in my e-mail: Toronto FC Coach John Carver has resigned, the club announced this morning.

Slightly curious timing.

Toronto became the first MLS team to beat Chivas USA in midweek and faces Kansas City Sunday.

Briefly:

*Mexico will play Guatemala June 28 in San Diego, Soccer United Marketing announced today, with tickets also going on sale today to Visa cardholders over at Ticketmaster. Tickets start at $25. Sales to the general public begins May 5.

The San Diego game comes four days after Mexico plays Venezuela in Atlanta just before the Gold Cup begins.

I'll have more later on today about the Galaxy, Chivas USA and (hopefully) Seatlle Sounders' injury issues after training.

It does, however, sound like Seattle Coach Sigi Schmid has first-choice back-up (yes, you read that right) goalkeeper Chris Eyelander available for the big game against Chivas USA at Home Depot Center.

Playing a little catch-up this evening, so you should know:

*Mexico soccer coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was fired today, a day after El Tri crashed to a 3-1 loss against Honduras in World Cup qualifying.

Less than a year into the job, the former England coach had just one win in its last
seven games. Click to continue reading...