David Beckham's return to Major League Soccer was a low-key affair, the star midfielder barely factoring into the Los Angeles Galaxy's 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls yesterday.
David Beckham's return to Major League Soccer was a low-key affair, the star midfielder barely factoring into the Los Angeles Galaxy's 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls yesterday.
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Playing in a stadium nearly three-quarters empty, Beckham looked sluggish, making no significant crosses, taking no free-kick opportunities near the goal and not even taking all of the Galaxy's corner kicks.
"The most important thing is for us to get three points, and tonight we did that in style," Beckham said.
It was Beckham's first MLS match since the finish of the Italian League season on May 31.
The 34-year-old former England captain had been loaned by the Galaxy to AC Milan with the proviso that he return for the entire 2009 MLS season, but he got his stay in Europe extended.
Some fans clearly still felt the lure of his fame, angling for pictures when he did take a corner kick, but many booed when Beckham came out of the match in the 70th minute.
"A few tonight, but it's to be expected," he said of the jeers. "It's sometimes nice to get the boos. It gives you some inspiration."
Not only was Beckham's belated return to the MLS seen by many as a slap in the face to US football, but a squabble with Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan has further sullied his return.
Beckham appeared to go out of his way to be friendly with Donovan, who criticized his teammate in a book published this week, charging Beckham failed to give his all for the Galaxy in the latter stages of their disappointing 2008 campaign.
Beckham and Donovan, who has resumed his role as captain after the armband was stripped from the Englishman, shook hands and embraced prior to yesterday's kickoff.
Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, who sat down with Donovan and Beckham to help smooth out their differences, said he was delighted to have the English star back.
"I became a better coach with the addition of David Beckham," Arena said.
Beckham embraced Donovan again after the US national team captain scored, and they hugged again after Donovan helped create Los Angeles' third goal.
"There was never a doubt in our minds that these guys would work together," Arena said. "It was certainly a great moment with all the buildup of the so-called questionable relationship."
Donovan had come to New York on a red-eye flight after attending a television sports awards show in Los Angeles. After days under the microscope, he took the attitude that all publicity is good publicity.
"It's not often that soccer is on the front of people's minds in this country, and right now it seems to be," Donovan said. "Not necessarily for the right reasons the last couple of weeks, but people are talking about it, and that's good."
Whether Beckham will be able to smooth things over with all US fans, however, remains to be seen.
The Galaxy drew a crowd of 66,237 for their 5-4 win at the Red Bulls two years ago, the largest football crowd at Giants Stadium for a US league game in 27 years.
Attendance dropped to 46,754 for last year's 2-2 draw and fell by 50 percent to 23,238 Thursday. While the turnout was low, it was still more than double the Red Bulls' previous home average this year of 11,385.
"Obviously the first year was impressive," Beckham said. "We're in a recession so, you know, maybe that's part of it."
The Galaxy said yesterday that their upcoming exhibition against AC Milan at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles is sold out.
Alecko Eskandarian, Donovan and Eddie Lewis scored first-half goals for the Galaxy, who are battling for an MLS playoff berth.
Juan Pablo Angel scored on an 87th-minute penalty, but failed to convert another in the 90th minute for the MLS-worst Red Bulls.
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