LOOKING IN ON: SOCCER

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 | 7:06 a.m.

The pasta and pizza were fantastic, but what UNLV men's coach Mario Sanchez really savored during a recent trip to Italy was the chance to match wits against some of the world's best soccer minds.

"For me, it was a dream come true," Sanchez said. "To coach in Europe and be in that environment and coach against the best teams in the world, I had to pinch myself."

Last year, Sanchez was appointed coach of the Olympic Development Program's Under-17 boys' for the Far West states or Region IV.

His team represented the United States in an exclusive international 16-team tournament in Italy from April 22 to May 1. The 16 teams included youth squads from famous programs such as AC Milan and Juventus of Italy and Olympiakos of Greece.

Aside from one player's emergency appendectomy, the trip exceeded expectations as the U.S. squad advanced to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Atletico Mineiro of Brazil.

A year ago, an Under-17 team from another U.S. region went home after losing all three of its group games.

"Everybody was into watching the American team," Sanchez said. "We just put on a good show. As the tournament went on, we got more and more confident."

Sanchez's team defeated Napoli, former home of the soccer legend Diego Maradona, in its second game. Napoli players and coaches didn't even shake the hands of their foes after the 3-0 loss.

UNLV recruit Danny Cruz scored twice against Napoli.

"The whole game was battle, battle, battle," Cruz said. "They got frustrated, banging us around. We were a small team, but we were fast and we were smart. They were disrespectful.

"Those kids get paid to play, and they lost to a select group of kids."

In the quarterfinals, the U.S. squad dispatched Juventus. At the start, the overflow crowd of more than 6,000 chanted "Ju-ve! Ju-ve! Ju-ve!" By the end, it was chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A!"

"That was the best feeling ever," said Cruz, a 5-foot-8 forward from Ironwood High in Glendale, Ariz.

The run ended in a 2-0 defeat to Atletico. Sanchez was impressed by the Brazilian side's 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-4 center backs and Mineiro's technical ability.

"And their joy and passion," Sanchez said. "When they scored, the whole team celebrated together. It was really something to see firsthand."

Hello, Danny

Sanchez said UNLV fans will be impressed by Cruz's athletic ability, determination and leadership.

During the tournament in Italy, coaches from other teams approached Sanchez as they watched Cruz play.

"We knew he was good," Sanchez said, "but everyone kept coming up to us and said, 'Are you kidding me?' "

Cruz turned down scholarship offers from Portland, New Mexico, St. John's and Connecticut, among others, to play for a team that won only one match last season.

"But it wasn't like they were getting blown out," Cruz said. "Mario never made them feel terrible, and you could tell that those kids wanted to be there.

"I want to be at a program with kids who want to be there, and I do want the challenge. Yeah. I want to make a difference."

On hiatus

Needing more time to resolve venue and coaching issues, the four-year-old Las Vegas Strikers of the semiprofessional National Premier Soccer League are sitting out the upcoming season. However, co-owners Steve Lazarus and Frederic Apcar vow to return in 2008.

Pay for play

The MLS Players Union recently released its salary list, and we're wondering what former UNLV player Rod Dyachenko does on the side for gas money and rent.

Dyachenko, on D.C. United's developmental list, makes $17,700.

Las Vegas High graduate and Colorado Rapids striker Herculez Gomez earns an annual salary of $49,350.

You'd think the union could at least spell its players' names correctly - it spells Gomez's first name "Hercules."