LA Galaxy 3
Oceania All Stars 0
KEY POINTS:
An Oceania All Stars team were no match for David Beckham's well-drilled LA Galaxy in an exhibition soccer fixture at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium tonight.
Ahead 3-0 at halftime, the Major League Soccer team couldn't add to their score in a somewhat scrappy second half, even with Oceania struggling to find combinations right from the first whistle.
The ball distribution skills and vision of former England captain Beckham, who played all but the final 10 minutes, kept Oceania at sixes and sevens, with his passing game and skill at set pieces proving a constant thorn.
Beckham lit up the crowd with an early strike, his rocket volley from just outside the box after two minutes forcing former Aston Villa and Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich into a fine reflex save.
But just a minute later, Jovan Kirovsky struck from almost the same position as the makeshift Oceania team allowed the Galaxy midfield too much space and the former Dortmund striker slammed the ball past Bosnich.
The Galaxy made it 2-0 barely 10 minutes later after two raking passes from one end of the field to the other followed by a pinpoint cross found the head of Alan Gordon to telling effect.
Midfielder Brandon McDonald made it 3-0 after 30 minutes when he was left unmarked at the far post to nod in.
The second half grew progressively more scrappy, with yellow cards on both sides culminating in the sending off of Galaxy midfielder Josh Tudela after 71 minutes. Already on a yellow card, Tudela received a second yellow as he held back Tahitian national David Muta as he headed goalward.
The charity fixture proved an ideal chance for Beckham to get in some game time before he joins AC Milan on loan in January .
- NZPA