By IANS
Los Angeles : Former England captain David Beckham flew back from London and started the game for the Los Angeles Galaxy but was unable to inspire his team in its derby clash with Chivas USA.
Maykel Galindo scored two goals to lead Chivas to a 3-0 victory over Galaxy here Thursday in the Major League Soccer clash, handing Beckham his third defeat within seven days.
After a scoreless first half, Galindo snatched the ball off Galaxy defender Kyle Veris and sent a quick shot past goalkeeper Joe Cannon to give Chivas the lead in the 58th minute.
Barely 10 minutes later, Galindo struck again to take his tally to 10 for the season.
Francisco Mendoza followed with his first MLS goal in the 88th minute, taking a pass from from Sacha Kljestan and curled in a left-footed shot from 12 yards out to complete the rout.
“If it’s not the worst result since I’ve been here, then it’s pretty close,” Galaxy coach Frank Yallop said. “I suppose you can make some excuse for travel and such, but overall, a pretty poor performance. I didn’t see a lot of fight in the team tonight.”
Beckham, who managed just two shots that both were off target, was involved in a 48th minute skirmish.
After the star midfielder was fouled by Jesse Marsch, Chivas defender Alex Zotinca and Galaxy midfielder Kevin Harmse both were ejected for violent conduct. Zotinca head butted Harmse, who had first punched the Chivas player.
“I apologized to him,” Marsch said of his tackle on Beckham. “I respect him. The challenge was a little harder than I would have liked it to have been, I was just trying to slow him down.”
“I wasn’t going to play him at all,” Yallop said of Beckham, who played all 90 minutes in England’s 1-2 defeat to Germany at the Wembley Stadium Wednesday.
“But he wanted to play and realises the situation that the team is in. We need points and he’s that kind of a guy, at 2-0 down, he could have a bit of magic and make a difference.
“At the end, he looked a bit hobbled and he should have been rested.”