The Los Angeles Galaxy lost David Beckham to a knee injury in the first half, then lost 4-3 on penalties to Pachuca of Mexico on Wednesday in the final of the 2007 SuperLiga.
LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Galaxy lost David Beckham to a knee injury in the first half, then lost 4-3 on penalties to Pachuca of Mexico on Wednesday in the final of the 2007 SuperLiga.
The match had ended 1-1 after extra time, the Galaxy having equalized in the waning moments of regular time on a spectacular bicycle kick from defender Chris Klein.
Pachuca had gone ahead in the 28th minute, when forward Christian Gimenez fired a low ball into the six-yard box, where it was inadvertently turned in by Galaxy midfielder Peter Vagenas.
The game raged from goal to goal in the second half, as Pachuca goalkeeper Miguel Calero and his LA counterpart Joe Cannon were both forced into several impressive saves.
Beckham had departed the pitch two minutes after the opening goal.
Despite lingering soreness in his left ankle, which has troubled Beckham since he arrived at the Major League Soccer club in July, the England midfielder started the final of the inaugural edition of the multi-million-dollar US-Mexico club tournament.
But he was forced to leave in the 30th minute, after he and Pachuca midfielder Fernando Salazar collided violently and both players departed with knee injuries.
Beckham's injury was first described as a right knee strain, but officials later said it was a sprain.
Beckham's latest injury comes in the wake of a grueling trans-Atlantic double last week, in which he played 90 minutes on back-to-back days on different continents.
Beckham played for England last Wednesday night in London against Germany, then flew overnight to play for the Galaxy against Los Angeles MLS rivals Chivas USA on Thursday night in California.
"I was really looking forward to this game, and I really felt better tonight," said Beckham, who has missed eight of the Galaxy's 12 games since joining the club on July 13. "It has gone from one thing to another, and maybe it's a sign that I need the rest, and don't come back until it's right."
The Galaxy, coming off a 3-0 MLS defeat to the Colorado Rapids on Sunday - when they played without Beckham and US team captain Landon Donovan - began on Wednesday's match in sprightly fashion, with the first real opportunity for either team coming in the seventh minute, when Beckham broke down the right wing and centered to Donovan, whose header went over the bar.
After Cannon saved an almost certain second own goal by defender Abel Xavier in the 99th minute, the score remained knotted at 1-1 after extra time and the the game was decided on penalties in favor of Pachuca when Xavier's attempt sailed wide.
Beckham, who had remained in the treatment room after halftime, returned to the sideline in a suit when the match went into extra time to watch the conclusion.
"I was on the treatment bed," he said. "But when it went to extra time I wanted to be out there on the field, cheering the lads on as best I could."
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