Beckham may not play at all
The last time the Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls squared off, David Beckham created three goals for Los Angeles and Juan Pablo Angel scored two for New York as the Red Bulls escaped with a memorable 5-4 victory in front of 66,237 at Giants Stadium.
Don’t look for a repeat tonight.
The Galaxy comes into the game at the Home Depot Center needing at least a tie to keep its Major League Soccer playoff hopes alive, but Beckham will not be starting and might not play at all.
The 32-year-old midfielder’s left ankle again is causing him problems, and while he managed to last the entire training session Wednesday morning, he was nursing the ankle by the end.
His right knee, which has kept him sidelined for the last seven weeks because of a ligament sprain, appeared to be OK, but four or five times during training Beckham leaned down and massaged his ankle.
Later Wednesday afternoon, the Galaxy said Beckham would be available for selection, adding that it would be a game-day decision whether he would be on the bench.
“I’m not going to mess with the starting lineup,” Galaxy Coach Frank Yallop said. “If he’s available, he’ll be one of the subs.”
New York already has secured its playoff spot, but Coach Bruce Arena’s squad still has collective and individual incentive to perform tonight. A victory would set the team up for the playoffs, and Colombian striker Angel is in a race with Luciano Emilio, D.C. United’s Brazilian striker, for league scoring honors.
Emilio has an MLS-leading 20 goals. Angel has 19. “I think we’ve done a pretty good job of limiting the opposition’s chances,” Yallop said of the Galaxy’s defensive play during its five-game winning streak and six-game unbeaten run. “They’re not giving too much up at the back.”
Yallop said he expected Angel to start, even though there is no pressure on New York to win.
If the Galaxy loses tonight, it will not make the playoffs. If it wins or ties, it will close the regular season against the Fire in Chicago on Sunday with everything on the line.
Asked whether Beckham would travel to Chicago if the Galaxy no longer had a chance to make the playoffs, Alexi Lalas, the team’s president and general manager, said Wednesday that no decision would be made until after tonight’s game.
TONIGHT
vs. New York, 8, ESPN2
Site -- Home Depot Center.
Radio -- 1700, 830 (Spanish).
Records -- Galaxy 9-13-6; Red Bulls 12-11-6.
Record vs. Red Bulls -- 0-1-0.
Update -- Midfielder Cobi Jones, the last of the original Galaxy players and the U.S. record-holder in appearances for the national team, will be honored at tonight’s game, which will be his 350th in a Galaxy uniform and his final home game if Los Angeles does not make the playoffs.
