It couldn't have been scripted better: the home team wins 5-3, the
international celebrity footballer scores with a trademark free kick
just before half time, and said superstar plays the whole game despite
hurting his ankle midway through the first half, serving up more free
kicks and corners for the enjoyment of the sell-out crowd.
Thanks to an express train from Central I was at the ground before the
gates opened and was seated, $10 program in hand, well before the rest
of the family arrived and proceeded to inflate the souvenir hands that
were left on every seat.
For some reason my daughter refused to wear last season's Galaxy shirt
with Beckham's name on the back that we bought for her in Thailand.
To kill two hours we attempted the quiz in the back of the program,
which proved I shouldn't claim to know much about football, and watched
the warm-ups.
I promised the family that Elton John would provide a pre-match number.
But all we got was some girl from Australian Idol.
Sydney's team was missing a couple of key players and youngsters were
pushed into the starting line-up.
Galaxy had American hero Landon Donovan starting. But all the mob cared
about was Mr Beckham.
Donovan had the first shot. Sydney's Alex Brosque was caught offside and
Galaxy's Carlos Pavon was gifted an opportunity and shot directly at
Clint Bolton.
Sydney looked nervy at the start, giving away lots of possession, but
soon started to dominate, largely because they were more enthusiastic.
Galaxy were playing out of season, after all, and didn't have to prove
something to 80,000 fickle football fans.
With Beckham keenly pursued by Ruben Zadkovich - the Sydney player beat
the superstar three challenges in a row - Juninho stole the glory in the
opening period. He ran dexterously at the Galaxy defence and slipped
innumerable balls into the path of the Sydney strikers. One put Brosque
into the Galaxy penalty area, allowing the A-League's top goalscorer to
hit the woodwork.
Pavon fooled Iain Fyfe and crossed in for Bolton to save. Nikolas
Tsattalios returned the favour at the other end, crossing from the left
for Joe Cannon to save.
Donovan hit a good shot over the Sydney crossbar, Beckham bent one, but
Brosque was first to score thanks to a great pass from Juninho. The
Brazilian on the left picked out Brosque free at the top right of the
Galaxy penalty area. It was an easy goal.
Bolton saved low to his left on a Beckham shot, Brendon Santalab beat
Beckham, and Sydney got in another brisk shot at Cannon.
Sydney skipper Tony Popovic was good dispossessing Donovan and in the
27th minute a brilliant ball from Ufuk Talay found Brosque who beat
Cannon, hit the right post and put away the rebound.
Two minutes later Zadkovich on the left received another lovely ball
from the right, struck it first time, Cannon mishandled and Sydney were
3-0 in the lead.
Only one thing could make the crowd happier. And that was coming.
Kevin Harmse copped a yellow card for hurting Juninho, Beckham was
limping from a clash with Santalab, and Galaxy were resorting to long
shots.
In the 37th minute Mark Rudan replaced the weary Mark Milligan and Chris
Klein had another long shot that Bolton tipped around the right post.
Rudan headed clear a Beckham corner then cleared off the toes of Ante
Jazic. Bolton saved another Beckham corner and Rudan shepherded the ball
away from Edson Buddle.
Pavon almost worked a good one-two with Buddle and Klein had another
long shot, high.
Fyfe hit a good low ball in from the right sideline and Brosque just
lost control in front of goal.
Then. Beckham got his free kick. Twenty-five metres from goal. Slightly
to the right of centre. He swung it over the left end of the wall, past
the lunging Bolton and inside the left post. Perfect. As expected.
The half time urinal analysis included Sydney fans saying, "It just goes
to show what we can do when Zdrilic isn't on the field."
And some Poms complaining that Beckham was playing too deep and doing
nothing.
A host of substitutions were made, including the goalkeepers, and Robbie
Middleby replacing Juninho.
Buddle got another goal back for Galaxy, coming into the left of the
Sydney penalty area and shooting across Bolton inside the right post.
Santalab hit a ripper onto the Galaxy crossbar, Beckham had a whine
about Middleby's tenacity, and in the 54th minute Talay played through
to Brosque who pushed the ball into the Galaxy keeper for Middleby to
collect and score into an empty net.
Zadkovich shot just wide of the right post, Beckham hit a free kick into
Ben Vidaic, and from the resulting corner Peter Vagenas slashed wide.
Middleby again got in trouble for his over-zealous tackling, David
Zdrilic replaced Zadkovich, and Beckham copped a yellow for some payback
on Middleby.
Beckham lobbed a nice ball through for Donovan but Bolton came off his
line to clear. Popovic had a chance but didn't realise the ball was just
behind him in the Galaxy goal box.
Adam Biddle showed a bit of inexperience getting muscled out of the way
by Harmse and complaining about it. Then retaliating when Harmse showed
his contempt for Biddle by stepping on him. Harmse got his marching
orders for his second yellow and Biddle was lucky not to get a straight
red.
Donovan had a shot that Bolton couldn't hold, Kyle Veris headed wide,
Fyfe shot wide from distance and Santalab had a free kick on the right
that he pulled back for Terry McFlynn whose shot was held high by the
Galaxy keeper.
Then 70,000 morons in the stadium participated in a Mexican wave. Never
mind the action in the Galaxy penalty area. Did they want see goals or
not?
In the 87th minute Biddle crossed from the right corner, the keeper
spilled and Fyfe scored: 5-2 to Sydney.
Sydney continued to pepper the Galaxy goal with soft shots. Beckham was
still on. And Donovan got a consolation goal, going wide to the left of
Ivan Necevski and shooting into an empty net.
The mob couldn't have been happier at full time. And football, courtesy
of David Beckham, made the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald the
next day. Along with the feisty girls from Liverpool Rangers (Ed. Mr Webb has no affiliation with Liverpool Rangers, or not!)
Report by Stephen Webb for BOTN
Sydney FC player Aex Brosque was named ‘Man of the Match’ and Beckham announced that his much coverted shirt was promised to Juninho.
Sydney FC team: 1.Clint BOLTON (gk), 2.Iain FYFE, 3.Nikolas TSATTALIOS, 5. Tony Popovic(captain), 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH, , 11.Brendon SANTALAB, 14.Alex BROSQUE, 16.Mark MILLIGAN, 21.Adam BIDDLE, 22.JUNINHO, 23.Ufuk TALAY,
Substitutes: 4.Mark RUDAN, 7.Robbie MIDDLEBY9.David ZDRILIC, 13.Ben VIDAIC, 15. Terry MCFLYNN20.Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), - All substitutes were used.
Out/rested: 10.Steve CORICA 28.Michael BRIDGES, 17. Jacob Timpano (injured),12. Patrick (injured),
La Galaxy team: 1. Joe CANNON (gk), 4. Ante JAZIC, 5.Chris ALBRIGHT, 6. Kevin HARMSE, 7. Chris KLEIN, 10.Landon DONOVAN, 14. Edson BUDDLE, 16. Kyle VERIS, 20.Carlos PAVON, 23. David BECKHAM (Captain)
Substitutes: Steve CRONIN (gk), 8. Peter VARGENAS, 13. Cobi JONES, 19. Josh TUDELA, 35. Lance FRIESZ (gk)
Out/Rested: 12.Troy ROBERTS, 15.Quavas KIRK, 21.Alan GORDON, 27. Michael CASO
Referee: Mark SHIELD (Australia)
Picture Gallery (for BOTN by Stephen Webb)
(Becks pecks - for BOTN by Stephen Webb)
