Ooh la la!

Leave it to those Italians.

Juventus' Paolo De Ceglie, left, and Giorgio Chiellini, right, not only gave their shirts to fans in the wake of the Italian club's 1-0 victory over Maccabi Haifa in Israel Tuesday, but their shorts, too. (AP Photo).

I offer this picture not so much so we can ogle Italian bums (although my wife, ahem, begs to differ), but as a vivid reminder that the UEFA Champions League is on again today.

Briefly:

*The MLS playoffs begin tonight and Seattle Sounders fans will demonstrate the right way to support a team - by going freaking nuts in the stands. Hope Galaxy and Chivas USA fans are taking note. The Dynamo-Sounders game is on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. Game preview here.

*Incidentally, the U.

Read it here.

Oh, and the Becks to AC Milan deal is done, say the Italian club.

BTW, the U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team predictably lost 2-1 to a technically (and creatively) superior Spain Monday in Ghana at the World Cup for that age category.

San Pedro's Carlos Martinez was an unused sub; Fontana's Victor Chavez played the second half.

Because my e-mail in-box is clogged, I give you:

*Word that San Pedro's Carlos Martinez (Wilmington Jr.) and Fontana's Victor Chavez were selected to the U.S. Under-17 team that will play in the World Cup for the age group later this month in Nigeria. Full squad and schedule here.

*A Q&A with Robbie Rogers of Rolling Hills Estates in the wake of his World Cup qualifying performance here.

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.

Here's the full squad:

goalkeepers - Sean Johnson (Central Florida; Lilburn , Ga. ), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas; Middleton, Wis. ), Brian Perk (UCLA; Rancho Santa Margarita)

defenders - Gale Agbossoumonde ( Miami FC; Syracuse, N.Y. ), Kyle Davies (FC Dallas; Danville, Calif.

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.

Briefly:

* The San Fernando Valley Quakes of the Premier Development League announced today that they are the latest casualty of the economy. The team lasted three years. The 2009 season was scheduled to begin May 1.

* MLS gets its Becks bucks.

* Manhattan Beach resident Amy Massey, a defender with the USC soccer team, will attend Oxford on a NCAA scholarship.

Briefly:

*MLS "eye candy" Robbie Rogers of Rolling Hills Estates (and others) here. Also featured: Chivas USA 's 'sexy" Sacha Kljestan and rookie Galaxy defender A.J. 'the hunk" DeLaGarza.

*The U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team plays Cuba at 4 p.m. Tuesday in its opening game of the regional championships in Tijuana.

A few items to get caught up on today:

*Midfielder Carlos Martinez (Wilmington Jr.; San Pedro) was today named to the U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team that will compete in the 2009 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship that begins Tuesday in Tijuana.

The U.S. opens against Cuba Tuesday, plays Canada on April 23 and Honduras April 25.

I stopped blogging about high school soccer last year and I don't think any readers noticed (or at least said anything). All the newspapers this bog is affiliated with have prep sports blogs now and I didn't want to be redundant.

But what about youth soccer?

Do you care? Let me know.

Photo by Juan Miranda/Chivas USAEduardo Lillingston, Chivas USA's newest signing in action against the Dynamo tonight.

Chivas USA drew 2-2 with the Houston Dynamo Friday night at Home Depot Center with Atiba Harris and Shavar Thomas scoring. (Full disclosure: I was stuck at work with a project and missed the game).

Briefly:

*Could Inter Milan also play in Carson this fall? Don't bet on it.

*The U.S. Under-20 Men's Team plays Trinidad & Tobago tonight, but Chivas USA's Jorge Flores will not be there after getting a late red in his first start for the team against El Salvador. Here's what he had to say after his ejection.

Briefly:

*David Beckham said the ankle he twisted Tuesday should be fine by the weekend, although it sounds worse than he's letting on (sound familiar?).

*The U.S. moved up three spots to 17th in the latest (always suspect) FIFA rankings released today.

The top seven spots remained unchanged with Spain atop the pile and Croatia seventh; Mexico, BTW, moved up one spot to 23rd.

Catching up after a Beckham-centric couple of days it's worth noting that:

*Veteran Chivas USA defender Claudio Suarez announced his retirement Saturday and chatted on ESPN Deportes Radio live in Lynwood. The Rancho Palos Verdes resident plans to stay in the area play soccer in a semi-professional league and start youth soccer clinics with Ramón Ramirez and Robert Zuñiga.

CONCACAF announced today that it will use a record number of U.S. venues - 13 - for the Gold Cup set for July 3-26, including the opening doubleheader of the tournament July 3 in Carson at Home Depot Center.

What teams will play where will be announced at a later date.

"While 13 cities create logistical challenges, we think the benefits of reaching out to more venues are clearly worthwhile," CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said.

Briefly:
*Chivas USA's Jorge Flores got the start for the U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team tonight in its 3-0 victory over Jamaica in the opening game of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. Next up: Honduras on Sunday.

*Earlier today, Natasha Kai scored the U.S. winner in stoppage time in a 1-0 victory over Iceland to qualify for the Algarve Cup final in Portugal.

The Galaxy's Landon Donovan is apparently too old for Germany's Bayern Munich:

MUNICH (AP) -- Landon Donovan is unlikely to stay with Bayern Munich on a longer contract once his loan expires in mid-March, according to the club's chairman.

Donovan practiced with Bayern in December and then joined the German champions during the Bundesliga's winter break in a loan deal similar to the one his Los Angeles Galaxy teammate David Beckham has with AC Milan.

The WPS released the schedule for its first season today, including games for the Los Angeles Sol, which becomes the third (!) professional soccer team at Carson's Home Depot Center.

Here are the basics from the league's (edited) press release:

The previously announced home openers that begin Sunday, March 29 with the WPS inaugural match between the Los Angeles Sol and the Washington Freedom and continue during WPS Kick-Off Week with a full slate of league games on April 5 will be followed by regular weekly action over the next five months for a total of 70 league match-ups, three post-season contests and one WPS All-Star Game.

Noted:
*The Galaxy play their final preseason game (otherwise known as the "Will David Beckham return from AC Milan lottery?) March 14 in Tempe, Ariz., against the Chicago Fire, the club announced today. The Galaxy opens their season in Carson March 22 against D. C. United.

The game is part of an effort to locate an MLS team in the area, according to the press release:

The PHX Soccer Clasico is the first major event for Phoenix Soccer Development.

Contrary to previous reports, David Beckham started and went 45 minutes in AC Milan's friendly in Dubai today. Game details here.

Now we'll see whether he makes his Serie A debut Sunday against Roma in a game scheduled to air live at 11:30 a.m. on Fox Soccer Channel.

Also:
* Sky Blue FC - the New York-New Jersey Women's Professional Soccer entry - announced today the club's first player signings, who include Pali Blues' Australian international Collette McCallum.

Cal State Dominguez Hills junior defender Kevin Gallaugher was today named the Division II National Player of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

He led the Toro defense to 14 shutouts on the year, including three in five games in the NCAA postseason. The defense gave up just 19 goals on the season.

In Detroit tonight, it was U.S. 1 China 0. Attendance: 11,933 (in economically depressed Michigan on a freezing night, a far better attendance than at the HDC).

Game story.

Gratuitous list of the week.

Sacha Kljestan's Olympic goal against Holland was the U.S. Soccer Goal of the Year.

Remember when Chivas USA said, um yesterday, that no changes in the coaching staff were imminent?

Strike that.

Assistant Coach Mike Matkovich has joined the U.S. Men's Under-18 National Team as head coach.

"Mike Matkovich was a key contributor to our coaching staff this past season.

Women's Professional Soccer 's L.A. Sol opens the league's inaugural season Sunday, March 29 in a nationally televised 3 p.m. game against the Washington Freedom at Home Depot Center, the team will announce Tuesday.

The league's other five teams will begin play the following weekend.

"We are certainly honored that WPS has chosen us to host the league's inaugural game; it will be a great reward for all of the women's soccer fans in the Southland who have been anxiously awaiting our arrival," said Los Angeles Sol General Manager Charlie Naimo.

Two national titles and one world championship for teams and players from Southern California in one day?

Believe it.

Not only did Cal State Dominguez Hills win a second national championship earlier today, but Rolling Hills Estates' Whitney Engen went the full 90 as North Carolina came from behind to beat Notre Dame 2-1 today in the NCAA Women's College Cup.

At 11 a.m. Sunday in the NCAA Tournament final North Carolina (24-1-2) plays Notre Dame (26-0) with the Palos Verdes Peninsula's Whitney Engen in command of the defense for the Tar Heels.

(BTW, how can you write an entire story about Engen and not quote her?).

Then, UCLA's scoring sensation Sydney Leroux (four goals, two assists) and the rest of the U.

First the Goners:
*Germany is out of the Under-20 Women's World Cup after losing 1-0 to the U.S. today on a Sydney Leroux strike. The UCLA forward added to her tournament-leading goal total, which now stands at five. The U.S. plays North Korea in Sunday's final.

*Landon Donovan has gone from the Galaxy on loan to Bayern Munich until March 15, according to the German club's Web site.

Quickly:
*David Beckham + long flight = nothing to say.

*Bruin Sydney Leroux and the U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team are 90 minutes away from the final of the Under-20 Women's World Cup when they play at 2 p.m. Friday on ESPNU against Germany. The former player for Canada has four goals, while the team as a whole has scored nine in three games and conceded none.

First, the flameout:

From the press releases pile-up department:
*Simi Valley-based Los Angeles Futbol Club has become the third youth team in the U.S. to partner with EPL team Chelsea.

What does that mean?

From the (edited) press release:

LAFC will now be LAFC Chelsea and host Chelsea tournaments, training sessions and a player and coach exchange program.

A 13th minute goal proved lucky for UCLA (21-0-2) Saturday, giving them a 1-0 win over USC (16-5-2) and a sixth straight NCAA Quarterfinal appearance.

Game story.

The Cal State Dominguez Hills men defeated Midwestern State 2-1 and earned a place in the NCAA Division II Final Four for the first time in seven years.

UCLA striker Sydney Leroux, who played for her native Canada at age 14 in the Under-20 Women's World Cup four years ago, came off the bench to score two goals and create another in the 3-0 U.S. win today over France in Chile.

"Today, it was Sydney who was the star," said U.S. Coach Tony DiCicco.

OK, so you don't care about the U.S. Men's National Team game against Guatemala (live at 5 p.m. on ESPN Classic and Galavision from Colorado) because the Americans have already qualified for the final round of World Cup qualifying.

Still, there are five teams vying for three remaining places in CONCACAF's hexagonal.

A few items this morning:
*The impending David Beckham loan deal to AC Milan has prompted the Galaxy to postpone its scheduled Dec. 11 game against the Queensland Roar due to the uncertainty of his availability, according to the BBC. Hmmm, it's the Beckham tail clearly wagging the Galaxy dog.

The MLS playoff schedule:

Conference Semifinals, Game 1:

4:30 p.m. Thursday - Chicago Fire at New England Revolution on ESPN2/Deportes.

1 p.m. Saturday - Houston Dynamo at New York Red Bulls on Direct Kick.

3 p.m. Saturday - Chivas USA at Real Salt Lake on Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Espanol.