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Beckham stars in New Zealand
WELLINGTON (AFP) - Superstar David Beckham thrilled a record New Zealand football crowd by scoring as the Los Angeles Galaxy beat the Wellington Phoenix 4-1 in a friendly match Saturday.
A penalty awarded when a Phoenix defender allegedly chopped down a Galaxy player in the box was questionable and a howl went up from the crowd when it was given.
But the jeers turned to cheers when Beckham stepped up and blasted the spot kick high into the net for the Galaxy's final goal.
"I was surprised. I'm not the penalty taker but (striker) Landon (Donovan) told me to have it and I was happy to," he said later. "I struck it pretty well."
Beckham said it was good for the Galaxy to end their two-match tour Down Under on a winning note, following a 5-3 loss to Sydney on Tuesday.
"We played the ball around well and enjoyed it," he said.
But the result did not mean much to the crowd, who just wanted to be able to say they saw their hero in the flesh.
The decibel level rose every time the 32-year-old England star touched the ball, even though the bulk of the 31,853 crowd -- a New Zealand record for a football match -- were nominally supporting the home team.
But the celebrity and fashion icon did not get the chance to launch one of his trademark "Bend it like Beckham" free kicks.
In the second half it was the Phoenix who had three free kicks just outside the box and, lacking the Beckham touch, they did not convert any of them.
Beckham remained on the field for the whole match and received the biggest ovation of the night when he removed his shirt and handed it to Phoenix skipper Ross Aloisi.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star showed his class with deft touches and pinpoint long balls, showing vision and composure others on the field could not match.
After a quiet start to the game, he became more involved.
The Phoenix were outclassed in the end, despite opening the scoring with a goal by Aloisi in the 12th minute.
The Galaxy hit back within five minutes thanks to Clint Mathis and Donovan ensured a 2-1 half-time advantage for the US team with a goal a minute from the break.
Carlos Pavon extended the lead seven minutes into the second spell, leaving Beckham to complete the scoring.
The home side faded late in the game after making the second appearance on their home ground in 24 hours after losing 2-1 to Adelaide United in a regular Australian A-League match Friday.
Beckham leaves New Zealand Sunday, having achieved his goal of lifting the profile of football in the rugby stronghold of New Zealand, home of the All Blacks.
He was greeted by around 1,000 fans at Wellington airport on Thursday and about 15,000 screaming school children -- and a large number of mothers and a few grandmothers -- turned up at the stadium the following day to watch him train.
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