Globetrotting Beckham can't lift Galaxy

LOS ANGELES: David Beckham lived up to his jet-setting reputation, literally, but his trans-Atlantic trek ultimately proved futile in footballing terms.

After playing 90 minutes in England's 2-1 friendly loss to Germany at Wembley on Wednesday, the former England captain arrived in Los Angeles with just hours to spare and was put in the starting lineup in the Galaxy's Major League Soccer SuperClasico Los Angeles derby with Chivas USA.

Chivas, who share the Galaxy's Home Depot Center ground, won 3-0, thanks to two goals from Cuban striker Maykel Galindo and another from Mexican midfielder Francisco Mendoza

"It wasn't our intention to play him at all, but he came in today and said that he was OK," said Galaxy manager Frank Yallop.

"Given our position in the league, we need points. Even when we were down 2-0 it would only have taken a single bit of magic from David to get us back into the game."

Beckham couldn't summon that magic however, and by the end of the match was visibly tired, walking slowly and with a slight limp that was even more pronounced in the post-game locker room.
   
It was hardly surprising.

The player had just completed a 10,884-mile return trip and will face the same arduous journey again in September when he will be needed back in London for England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia.

"His presence is very important to the team," said veteran defender Abel Xavier. "Whether he plays 20 minutes or 90 minutes, it doesn't matter."

But the travel had taken a toll, and after experiencing some dizziness in the first half, Beckham took advantage of breaks in play to run to the touchline to swig water and sports drinks.

Nevertheless, he returned for the start of the second half, to the delight of the sell-out crowd at the 27,000-seat stadium.

"He's a trouper," said Yallop. "He did the exact same thing in New York - he didn't want to come off."

A minute before halftime, a brief brawl broke out after Chivas central defender Jesse Marsch caught Beckham with a waist high tackle, and the Galaxy captain - whose entrance into the MLS has been hampered by an ankle injury - angrily confronted him.
   
As players from both teams rushed in, Galaxy midfielder Kevin Harmes threw a punch and was head-butted by Chivas defender Alex Zotinca. Both players were red carded by referee Terry Vaughn, and Marsch received a yellow card.
   
"He had kind of gotten a piece of me quite before that," Marsch said of Beckham. "So it was somewhat a retaliation, somewhat a tactical foul because he was on a break. I said it was harder than I would have liked it to have been, and I apologized to him. I told him I respect what he's about. He was kind of done with me though."

Marsch said he didn't see much of the ensuing fracas, but he didn't think it had anything to do with multi-millionaire Beckham's reputation, just as his original tackle hadn't.

"It was two teams standing up for guys on their team," he said. "I think every one respects him over there, and I hope guys respect what I'm all about here. I appreciate all my teammates sticking together and that's what a team's about."