Beckham nets SuperClasico winner

Midfielder's 18-yard strike helps Galaxy edge city rivals Chivas USA

Beckham scored the only goal of the match in the 80th minute of the SuperClasico, leading the Galaxy to a 1-0 victory against Chivas USA on Saturday night in front of a raucous crowd at The Home Depot Center.

It was a big win for the Galaxy (9-4-11, 38 points), who gave themselves breathing room in second place of the Western Conference standings and extended their lead over rival Chivas USA (10-9-3, 33 points), who remain in fourth place.

After repeated efforts to get something going offensively, Beckham was in the right spot in the 80th minute when, on a throw-in, the ball bounced off a bunch of players inside the box straight to him. Beckham was there to fire the shot from atop the penalty area to give LA the only goal they would need.

It ended the frustration of failing to score against a makeshift Chivas USA backline that included one player (Marcelo Saragosa) starting in an unfamiliar position and another (Yamith Cuesta) making his first MLS start.

The first 15 minutes of the match got off to a furious pace, with both teams creating scoring opportunities they were unable to convert into goals. It started early, too, as Chivas USA forward Maicon Santos fired a shot in the second minute from roughly 30 yards away that was saved by Donovan Ricketts, who dived to his right to make the stop.

Adding to the early pace of the match was the physicality, which seemed only a matter of time with these heated rivals. It came to in the sixth minute, when Chivas USA midfielder Jesus Padilla and Galaxy defender Todd Dunivant exchanged words and shoves after Padilla, not once, but twice, collided with Dunivant while he dribbled down the sideline. The play set off Dunivant once he hit the ground, and he expressed his dissatisfaction to Padilla immediately.

Santos nearly put Chivas USA ahead again in the 14th minute, when he boomed another shot from roughly 30 yards out that bounced past a diving Ricketts, but rolled a few feet wide of the upright.

The Galaxy, who had done more defending than attacking until this point, responded the very next minute by getting into the offensive act. Forward Mike Magee took a shot from left inside the box that rolled just past the far post.

The Galaxy had relied on Beckham's long passes from the right flank to create their chances early on, and in the 18th minute it almost paid off. From about 35 yards away near the right sideline, Beckham hooked a cross into the box that sailed past Chivas USA 'keeper Lance Parker, straight to the head of Eddie Lewis. But Lewis' header shot straight down into the turf, nowhere near the open net.

The rest of the first half settled into a more traditional pace, but it belonged, for the most part, to Chivas USA, which outshot the Galaxy 8-3, including 3-1 on goal.

The Galaxy came out of halftime with a shot to break the scoreless tie right away. In the 46th minute, Beckham's free kick sailed over the crowded box and was saved by Parker, who batted it down to the turf. A brief scramble for the ball ensued, but Chivas USA managed to clear it away.

Beckham again set off the Galaxy's next scoring chance in the 52nd minute, when he threaded a pass to Magee who one-touched the ball to Lewis inside the box. Lewis, however, jumped and tapped the ball just beyond the far post, failing to finish an artistic sequence.

The pace slowed down for the next 20 minutes, but the Galaxy had chances to score twice in back-to-back minutes. First, in the 72nd, Beckham's straight away free kick from 35 yards away ricocheted off the Chivas USA wall. Then in the 73rd, midfielder Landon Donovan, who had been quiet most of the game, dribbled beautifully into an open area from just outside the box and fired a grounder with his left foot that was saved by a diving Parker.

Beckham's goal finally came in the 80th minute. Frustration clearly set in for Chivas USA, as Maykel Galindo received a straight red card for an elbow to Gregg Berhalter in the 82nd minute. Paulo Nagamura received a yellow in stoppage time for a hard tackle, which riled up the Galaxy, including Beckham who had to be restrained.

Both teams have next weekend's international date off, returning to action the following weekend, both at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy play host to FC Dallas on Saturday, Sept. 12, and Chivas USA entertain the New England Revolution the following afternoon.

Simon Jude Samano is a contributor to MLSnet.com

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