BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND (TICKER) — Aston Villa have signed promising American teenager Eric Lichaj.

The six-foot tall defender from Illinois was formerly at the University of North Carolina and will link up with Villa’s Academy at their new Bodymoor Heath training complex.

Lichaj, 18, attracted the attention of Villa with some impressive performances for the United States Under-20 team. He had previously represented his country at under-17 level.

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TOKYO - Japan coach Ivica Osim has proven as skilled with his rhetoric as with his tactics, outwitting the media with a tongue as ready to evoke fallen trousers as football.

Despite his failure to bring the Blue Samurai a third straight continental title, his soundbites from Asian Cup venues in Southeast Asia have revived sales of a collection of his quotations in Japan, his second home since 2003.

Humour was not lost on the 66-year-old Bosnian when Japan bowed to South Korea 6-5 on penalties after a goaless tie in 120 minutes in the third-place play-off.

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Cardinals reported “very good progress” Tuesdaynight in talks aimed at reaching a contract agreement with first-round draftpick Levi Brown.

The offensive tackle from Penn State, selected fifth overall, has missed thefirst three days of practice at Arizona’s training camp in Flagstaff.

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DALLAS, United States - David Beckham was missing and so was any hint of defending but the Los Angeles Galaxy advanced to the Superliga tournament semi-finals here Tuesday with a 6-5 victory over FC Dallas.

The triumph gave the new Major League Soccer home of English superstar miedfielder Beckham the Group A title and a match August 14-15 against Pachuca, a 1-0 winner of Chivas of Guadalajara in a match played at Denver, Colorado.

Pachuca, a Mexican club that announced a working agreement with the MLS Colorado Rapids before the match, lost 2-1 to the Galaxy a week ago at Los Angeles in the first game Beckham missed because of a sore left ankle.

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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Rafael Marquez Lugo scored on a header in the 62ndminute off a pass from Christian Gimenez, and goalkeeper Miguel Calero madeseveral brilliant saves as Pachuca beat Guadalajara 1-0 Tuesday night andadvanced to the SuperLiga semifinals.

Calero made two big stops on Gonzalo Pineda in the first eight minutes ofthe second half, then watched as Jesus Padilla sent a shot that just missed.

Calero need to make only one more tough save after the goal. Padilla brokefree to send a low drive that Calero deflected away using both hands.

HOUSTON — Chuck Hayes and the Houston Rockets have reached agreement on afour-year contract to keep the forward in Houston, Hayes’ agent said Tuesday.

“I feel good about getting it done, and I’m glad Chuck has some security,”agent Calvin Andrews said.

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SEATTLE — Nicole Powell scored 28 points and the Sacramento Monarchs beatthe Seattle Storm 78-74 Tuesday night to move within one game of first place inthe Western Conference.

Powell, coming off a career-high 29 points in a loss to Minnesota on Sunday,scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. The Storm cut a 13-point deficit to71-70, but Powell hit a 3-pointer with a minute left and made four free throwsin the final 16 seconds to hold on.

Yolanda Griffith added 13 points and eight rebounds for Sacramento (15-10),which is one game behind San Antonio and Phoenix. The win moved the Monarchsthree games ahead of Seattle (13-14) for third place.

Lauren Jackson had 30 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks to leadSeattle. Jackson, who averaged 34.3 points in her previous three games, had 10points in the fourth quarter but Seattle lost its second consecutive home game.

Seattle’s Sue Bird scored 10 of her 12 points in the final quarter, butmissed a 15-footer that could have tied the game at 74 with 20 seconds left.

The Monarchs started the second half with a 9-0 run to lead 52-39 beforeJackson scored on a three-point play. Jackson scored eight of Seattle’s 11points in the third quarter as the Storm shot 4-for-15 from the field.

Powell and Griffith combined for 13 points in the third quarter. Powell madeher third 3-pointer of the game as the Monarchs led 62-50 at the end of thequarter.

Sacramento made four 3-pointers in an 18-4 run in the first half that turnedan eight-point deficit into a 29-23 lead. The Monarchs led 43-39 at halftime.

The teams play again Friday at Sacramento.

Jackson missed an 81-72 loss at Sacramento in June because of illness.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana tight end Blake Powers was arrested after hethrew a water balloon from one car into another, hitting an off-duty policeofficer.

Authorities said the 22-year-old Powers was released from the Monroe CountyJail after he was booked Monday night on a preliminary misdemeanor charge ofbattery.

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HOUSTON — Diana Taurasi scored 19 points and fueled a late comeback as thePhoenix Mercury beat the Houston Comets 76-74 Tuesday night to sweep the seasonseries.

Trailing by four with just over five minutes to play, the Mercury (17-10)went on 10-0 run and never trailed again. Taurasi capped the run with a long3-pointer with 3:44 to go. Kelly Mazzante added five points during the spurt.

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FRISCO, Texas — With David Beckham out of action again, Landon Donovanscored a goal and assisted on three more to lead the Galaxy over FC Dallas 6-5Tuesday night and earn Los Angeles a berth in the SuperLiga semifinals.

Los Angeles finished the first round 2-0-1, despite playing without theirnew star midfielder in any of the three games. While the Galaxy will play in thesemifinals on Aug. 14, FC Dallas was eliminated from the tournament, whichfeatures four MLS teams and four from Mexico.

Alan Gordon scored twice for Los Angeles.

Beckham, who has played only 16 minutes since joining the club on July 21,did not make the trip to Texas because of an ankle injury. Beckham’savailability for the club’s next game on Aug. 5 at Toronto FC, which would behis Major League Soccer debut, will not be determined until after practice onThursday.

The game started and ended with a flurry of goals as the teams combined forsix after the 78th minute, including four by FC Dallas as it almost erased afour-goal deficit.

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