David Beckham scored off one of his signature free-kicks andreceived a yellow card as LA Galaxy were beaten 5-3 by Sydney FC intheir exhibition match in Australia on Tuesday.
The world's most recognised footballer produced one of hisfabled set pieces just before half-time to give his US club somejoy after being over-run by the fitter Sydney players in theopening half.
The sell-out 80,295 crowd was hushed when Beckham was upended ina tackle mid-way through the opening half and gingerly limped aboutfor a few minutes before recovering to score. Sydney midfielderBrendon Santalab slipped as he tried to chase down Beckham,knocking over the former Manchester United and Real Madrid starjust after he had kicked the ball.
"I always try to stay on the field whether I'm injuredor get kicked in games, it's part of the game," saidBeckham, who lasted the whole game. "I'm quite a stubbornperson so when I want to play and when I want to stay on there arenot many people who can bring me off and convince me to comeoff.
"The first time I heard about the 55 minutes I wascontracted to play here was yesterday, but I wanted to stay on forthe whole game, there were so many fans and they expect you toperform and be out there for as much as possible."
Beckham was in the wars again early in the second half when heresented a body check from substitute Robert Middleby and cameafter him angrily pointing his finger. He got his revenge mid-waythrough the half when he scythed Middleby down in a tackle but bothplayers broke into smiles and embraced each other as the formerEngland skipper was shown the yellow card.
"It was all in good fun at points and when he hit me and Iknew that he done it on purpose so I just bided my time and gavehim a friendly one back... We laughed and joked about itafterwards," he said.
But Galaxy, well into their off-season, finished a man shortwhen defender Kevin Harmse received his second yellow card afterappearing to tread on the forearm of Adam Biddle while the Sydneyplayer was on the ground 13 minutes from the end.
Sydney FC surged to a 3-0 lead in a lively nine-minute spell toexpose sloppy marking from the tiring Galaxy defence. Striker AlexBrosque scored twice in the 20th and 26th minutes running on topasses from Brazilian Juninho and Ufuk Talay.
Juninho, who played against the former Manchester United star inthe English Premier League for Middlesbrough, produced anotherclassy pass for Ruben Zadkovich to blast home through the gloves ofGalaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon in the 29th minute.
But the crowd got what they came for minutes before half-timewhen Talay brought down Carlos Pavon about 24 metres out directlyin front of the Sydney goal, Beckham's ideal shootingrange.
And the English superstar didn't disappoint with a curlingfree-kick into the top left-hand corner. Beckham stood with hisarms raised to milk the acclaim of his devotees.
"That sort of situation there is always a certain amount ofpressure on me to score because people expect you to do it everytime there is a free-kick given in that position," Beckhamsaid. "It's something that I've always practised, kidsask me how I take the free-kicks, it's what I've alwaysdone and will continue doing. I was happy to score because of theamount of fans there and the amount of attention that had been onme."
Galaxy pulled back another goal through Edson Buddle in the 49thminute as the Americans found more space to attack the Sydneydefence. But the Sydneysiders rounded things off with two moregoals for Middleby in the 54th minute and Iain Fyfe three minutesfrom time.
US international Landon Donovan ran around goalkeeper Bolton topull one back for Galaxy in the final minute. Beckham and Galaxyhead to New Zealand on Thursday for their second and final tourgame against Wellington Phoenix on Sunday.
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