David Beckham has clashed with another fan just one week after an ugly confrontation with spectators during his first home match for the Los Angeles Galaxy after returning from Italy.The latest incident saw the 34-year-old exchange words with a male in the crowd, who was wearing an England shirt, during the Galaxy's 1-1 draw with the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday.
Showing posts with label Soccer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soccer. Show all posts
July 20, 2009
Soccer: Beckham confronts fan in LA
CARSON, Calif. (AP)—Boos rained down and fans sent negative messages with their homemade signs. Things sure got ugly when David Beckham came back to town.
Beckham downplayed the rough reception in his first home game with the Los Angeles Galaxy, a 2-2 tie with AC Milan in which his corner kick set up his team’s second goal, although his halftime confrontation with a fan indicated otherwise Sunday night.
“I’m not disappointed. It doesn’t affect me,” he said. “You can’t be liked by everyone.”
Anti-Beckham sentiment ran high as the English star returned after missing half of the Major League Soccer season while on a five-month loan to the Italian club. He was the target of frequent booing and derisive banners held up in a corner of the stadium, where one of the team’s fan groups sits.
The signs all had messages directed at Beckham. “Go home fraud” read one, with a red slash through his No. 23 jersey number. Another said, “23: Repent,” while another read, “Hey Becks, Here Before You, Here After You, Here Despite You.” Another read, “Is evil something u are…or something u do.”
Beckham downplayed the rough reception in his first home game with the Los Angeles Galaxy, a 2-2 tie with AC Milan in which his corner kick set up his team’s second goal, although his halftime confrontation with a fan indicated otherwise Sunday night.
“I’m not disappointed. It doesn’t affect me,” he said. “You can’t be liked by everyone.”
Anti-Beckham sentiment ran high as the English star returned after missing half of the Major League Soccer season while on a five-month loan to the Italian club. He was the target of frequent booing and derisive banners held up in a corner of the stadium, where one of the team’s fan groups sits.
The signs all had messages directed at Beckham. “Go home fraud” read one, with a red slash through his No. 23 jersey number. Another said, “23: Repent,” while another read, “Hey Becks, Here Before You, Here After You, Here Despite You.” Another read, “Is evil something u are…or something u do.”
July 19, 2009
Soccer: Beckham to make home debut against AC Milan
CARSON, Calif. (AP)—Seven weeks after wearing AC Milan’s jersey, David Beckham is ready to compete against the perennial Italian power with the MLS’ Los Angeles Galaxy.
Beckham and the Galaxy will play AC Milan on Sunday night in an exhibition, Beckham’s first home game since returning from Italy on July 10.
“I’m looking forward to it but it’s going to be funny,” Beckham said about playing against recent teammates. “You’re always going to come up against teams you’ve played with and against in the past. It won’t be too strange.”
Despite losing stars Kaka to Real Madrid and Paolo Maldini to retirement, AC Milan still has Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato and Andrea Pirlo.
“We’ll be competitive, that’s for sure,” Galaxy forward Landon Donovan said. “For a lot of our guys, this is a very good opportunity. We don’t want to stand around like cones and get embarrassed.”
One of AC Milan’s newest acquisitions is defender Oguchi Onyewu, who started for the United States in last month’s FIFA Confederations Cup and in the 2006 World Cup.
Onyewu signed with Milan on July 7 but is expected to play later this week, as AC Milan competes in the World Soccer Challenge.
Beckham played in his first MLS game this year Thursday night against New York in East Rutherford, N.J. During the Galaxy’s 3-1 victory, fans booed Beckham every time he touched the ball.
How does the midfielder expect to be received at home?
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Beckham said. “It’s great for myself to be back playing in front of the fans that we’ve got. They’ve always been amazing to me since I’ve been here. I hope it continues.”
Beckham, who played 70 minutes against New York, said he wants to increase that total Sunday night.
“Coming back after a while of not playing, it’s easy to get an injury,” Beckham said. “It’s important that I work hard and don’t put myself in any silly positions.”
The match was part of the last-minute agreement between the Galaxy, Major League Soccer and AC Milan to extend Beckham’s loan to the end of the Serie A season in May. Originally, Beckham had to return to the Galaxy in March.
Beckham and the Galaxy will play AC Milan on Sunday night in an exhibition, Beckham’s first home game since returning from Italy on July 10.
“I’m looking forward to it but it’s going to be funny,” Beckham said about playing against recent teammates. “You’re always going to come up against teams you’ve played with and against in the past. It won’t be too strange.”
Despite losing stars Kaka to Real Madrid and Paolo Maldini to retirement, AC Milan still has Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato and Andrea Pirlo.
“We’ll be competitive, that’s for sure,” Galaxy forward Landon Donovan said. “For a lot of our guys, this is a very good opportunity. We don’t want to stand around like cones and get embarrassed.”
One of AC Milan’s newest acquisitions is defender Oguchi Onyewu, who started for the United States in last month’s FIFA Confederations Cup and in the 2006 World Cup.
Onyewu signed with Milan on July 7 but is expected to play later this week, as AC Milan competes in the World Soccer Challenge.
Beckham played in his first MLS game this year Thursday night against New York in East Rutherford, N.J. During the Galaxy’s 3-1 victory, fans booed Beckham every time he touched the ball.
How does the midfielder expect to be received at home?
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Beckham said. “It’s great for myself to be back playing in front of the fans that we’ve got. They’ve always been amazing to me since I’ve been here. I hope it continues.”
Beckham, who played 70 minutes against New York, said he wants to increase that total Sunday night.
“Coming back after a while of not playing, it’s easy to get an injury,” Beckham said. “It’s important that I work hard and don’t put myself in any silly positions.”
The match was part of the last-minute agreement between the Galaxy, Major League Soccer and AC Milan to extend Beckham’s loan to the end of the Serie A season in May. Originally, Beckham had to return to the Galaxy in March.
July 17, 2009
Soccer: Beckham back as Galaxy beat Red Bulls 3-1
Playing in a stadium nearly three-quarters empty, the star midfielder was slow and had little role in the Los Angeles Galaxy’s 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Thursday night.
“The most important thing is for us to get three points, and tonight we did that in style,” Beckham said.
In his first club match since the Italian League’s season finale on May 31, Beckham was often behind the play and seemed winded. He had no free-kick chances near the goal, didn’t make any crosses that created threats and didn’t even take all the Galaxy corner kicks while he was in the match.
Fans scurried down the aisles to get better pictures when he did take corner kicks, but he was booed at times.
“A few tonight, but it’s to be expected,” he said. “It’s sometimes nice to get the boos. It gives you some inspiration,”Los Angeles drew 66,237 for its 5-4 loss at the Red Bulls two years ago, the largest soccer crowd at Giants Stadium for a U.S. league game in 27 years. Attendance dropped to 46,754 for last year’s 2-2 tie and fell by 50 percent to 23,238 Thursday. Eleven of 36 sections in lower deck were covered with navy tarp, and there were only a handful of people in the second deck and none at all in the third.
“Obviously the first year was impressive,” Beckham said. “We’re in a recession so, you know, maybe that’s part of it.”
Alecko Eskandarian scored on a left-footed volley that beat goalkeeper Danny Cepero from about 28 yards in the third minute, Landon Donovan on a right-footed shot from about the same distance in the 31st and Eddie Lewis from 15 yards in the 45th.
Los Angeles (6-3-9) has won four straight MLS games for the first time since September-October 2007 and is fighting for a playoff berth. The Galaxy had not won at New York since 2000.
“I became a better coach with the addition of David Beckham,” the Galaxy’s Bruce Arena said.
Juan Pablo Angel had an 87th-minute penalty kick and failed to convert one in the 90th for the Red Bulls (2-14-4), who would be a lock for relegation if the MLS had relegation. They dropped to 0-9-2 in the league and 0-10-2 overall since beating San Jose on May 8.
Coach Juan Carlos Osorio apologized for his team’s performance.
“I feel sorry and I want to apologize to the fans,” he said.
Beckham appeared to go out of his way to be friendly with Donovan, who in a book out this week criticized his teammate as unprofessional for allegedly quitting on the Galaxy in the late stages of a disappointing 2008 season.
Beckham and Donovan, who regained his captain’s job from the Englishman, shook hands and embraced ahead of the opening whistle. Beckham draped his arm around Donovan after the American scored, and the two hugged after Donovan assisted on the 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 after attending the ESPY awards in Los Angeles.
“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.”
Beckham, twice runner-up in FIFA player of the year voting and former star with Manchester United and Real Madrid, joined the Galaxy with great fanfare two years ago. He bolted for a half-season loan to AC Milan in January, saying he needed to face top competition to keep a spot on England’s national team, and he likely will return to Europe at the start of 2010 to stay sharp ahead of the World Cup.
For now, though, he’s trying to make the MLS postseason for the first time.
“We’re playing with players that have got a lot of confidence,” Beckham said. “They’re not scared to just, you know, do stuff on their own. You know, they don’t feel as if they have to give the ball to certain players in attacking positions because they can do it themselves.”
NOTES: Eskandarian, acquired by Chivas USA on July 1, was an All-America at Bergen Catholic High School and is a son of former Cosmos star Andranik Eskandarian. … Red Bulls D Carlos Mendes had season-ending surgery to repair a torn hip labrum. … New York signed 25-year-old Ernst Oebster from sister club Red Bull Salzburg. He had two goals in five league matches, three Austrian Cup and four UEFA Cup qualification matches last season, scoring three goals.
“The most important thing is for us to get three points, and tonight we did that in style,” Beckham said.
In his first club match since the Italian League’s season finale on May 31, Beckham was often behind the play and seemed winded. He had no free-kick chances near the goal, didn’t make any crosses that created threats and didn’t even take all the Galaxy corner kicks while he was in the match.
Fans scurried down the aisles to get better pictures when he did take corner kicks, but he was booed at times.
“A few tonight, but it’s to be expected,” he said. “It’s sometimes nice to get the boos. It gives you some inspiration,”Los Angeles drew 66,237 for its 5-4 loss at the Red Bulls two years ago, the largest soccer crowd at Giants Stadium for a U.S. league game in 27 years. Attendance dropped to 46,754 for last year’s 2-2 tie and fell by 50 percent to 23,238 Thursday. Eleven of 36 sections in lower deck were covered with navy tarp, and there were only a handful of people in the second deck and none at all in the third.
“Obviously the first year was impressive,” Beckham said. “We’re in a recession so, you know, maybe that’s part of it.”
Alecko Eskandarian scored on a left-footed volley that beat goalkeeper Danny Cepero from about 28 yards in the third minute, Landon Donovan on a right-footed shot from about the same distance in the 31st and Eddie Lewis from 15 yards in the 45th.
Los Angeles (6-3-9) has won four straight MLS games for the first time since September-October 2007 and is fighting for a playoff berth. The Galaxy had not won at New York since 2000.
“I became a better coach with the addition of David Beckham,” the Galaxy’s Bruce Arena said.
Juan Pablo Angel had an 87th-minute penalty kick and failed to convert one in the 90th for the Red Bulls (2-14-4), who would be a lock for relegation if the MLS had relegation. They dropped to 0-9-2 in the league and 0-10-2 overall since beating San Jose on May 8.
Coach Juan Carlos Osorio apologized for his team’s performance.
“I feel sorry and I want to apologize to the fans,” he said.
Beckham appeared to go out of his way to be friendly with Donovan, who in a book out this week criticized his teammate as unprofessional for allegedly quitting on the Galaxy in the late stages of a disappointing 2008 season.
Beckham and Donovan, who regained his captain’s job from the Englishman, shook hands and embraced ahead of the opening whistle. Beckham draped his arm around Donovan after the American scored, and the two hugged after Donovan assisted on the 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 after attending the ESPY awards in Los Angeles.
“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.”
Beckham, twice runner-up in FIFA player of the year voting and former star with Manchester United and Real Madrid, joined the Galaxy with great fanfare two years ago. He bolted for a half-season loan to AC Milan in January, saying he needed to face top competition to keep a spot on England’s national team, and he likely will return to Europe at the start of 2010 to stay sharp ahead of the World Cup.
For now, though, he’s trying to make the MLS postseason for the first time.
“We’re playing with players that have got a lot of confidence,” Beckham said. “They’re not scared to just, you know, do stuff on their own. You know, they don’t feel as if they have to give the ball to certain players in attacking positions because they can do it themselves.”
NOTES: Eskandarian, acquired by Chivas USA on July 1, was an All-America at Bergen Catholic High School and is a son of former Cosmos star Andranik Eskandarian. … Red Bulls D Carlos Mendes had season-ending surgery to repair a torn hip labrum. … New York signed 25-year-old Ernst Oebster from sister club Red Bull Salzburg. He had two goals in five league matches, three Austrian Cup and four UEFA Cup qualification matches last season, scoring three goals.
July 15, 2009
Soccer: Real captain heaps praise on Ronaldo
MAYNOOTH, Ireland (AFP) - – Real Madrid captain Raul heaped praise Tuesday on his new teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, calling the Portuguese international winger "super nice" and a "hardworking".
"He is super nice, normal and very harworking," he told a news conference in Maynooth, Ireland where the club began a nine-day pre-season training camp on Tuesday.
"He is integrated. He seems very happy. In the media it seems like everything he does and says, every gesture, has a lot of meaning but he is much more normal than people think," the 32-year-old added.
Real signed Ronaldo from Manchester United last month on a six-year deal worth around 94 million euros (131 million dollars) and he will reportedly be paid 13 million euros each season, making him the most expensive player in the world.
The 24-year-old, was officially unveiled before some 75,000 ecstatic Real fans on July 6 at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, is being protected by several security guards during his stay in Ireland.
Real will play a friendly match against current Irish champions Shamrock Rovers on July 20, two days before its training camp in Ireland ends.
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