You can bank on sick David Beckham playing in MLS Cup final

When midfielder David Beckham was a no-show at the Galaxy's training session Thursday, it piqued the interest of more than one journalist. And Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena had a ready -- if typically acerbic -- answer for the question.

"He’s downtown today," Arena said "I think he’s protesting the banking system in this country."

That would be unlikely given that Beckham, the highest-paid player in MLS, was estimated by Forbes to have made $40 million last year, making him the wealthiest soccer player in the world.

Actually, Arena finally confessed, Beckham was given the morning off with a cold.

Asked by a British journalist whether Beckham would play in Sunday's MLS Cup final, Arena said: "I’d even let you answer that question. He played last year in the playoffs with an Achilles that was freshly operated on. David will be on the field Sunday."

The banks, after all, will be closed then.

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-- Kevin Baxter

Photo: David Beckham. Credit: Bret Hartman / Associated Press.

MLS Cup is sold out

Major League Soccer's Nov. 20 championship game between the Galaxy and Houston Dynamo at the Home Depot Center is sold out.

The league had held back nearly 1,000 tickets for season-ticket holders of the Houston team and those were scooped up just minutes after they went on sale Tuesday. A crowd of more than 27,000 is expected.

-- Kevin Baxter

Galaxy earns spot in MLS title game with 3-1 win

A first-half penalty-kick score from Landon Donovan and second-half goals by Mike Magee and Robbie Keane lifted the Galaxy to a 3-1 victory over Real Salt Lake at the Home Depot Center on Sunday, giving it Major League Soccer's Western Conference crown and earning a trip to the MLS title game in two weeks on its home field.

Real Salt Lake's goal came on a header by Alvaro Saborio midway through the first half.

The Galaxy will meet the Houston Dynamo in the championship game Nov. 20 Houston won the Eastern Conference final Sunday, upsetting Sporting Kansas City, 2-0, despite losing midfielder Brad Davis, a leading MVP candidate, to a strained right quadriceps late in the first half.

Houston’s goals, both in the second half, came from Andre Hainault and Carlos Costly.

The Galaxy and Real Salt Lake, meanwhile, were the most difficult teams to score against during the MLS regular season. And Sunday, playing in chilly weather before an announced crowd of 23,437, they showed why, bending but rarely breaking on the defensive end.

The Galaxy missed a chance to take a quick lead when Chad Barrett got loose behind the Real Salt Lake defense in the third minute and ran down a through ball. But his open left-footed shot from inside the 18-yard box was high.

Two minutes later Salt Lake missed a great chance of its own after Javier Morales' corner kick was volleyed in front of the Galaxy net where Robbie Russell got a foot on it. But his hard shot from short range went right into midsection of a surprised Josh Saunders, allowing the Galaxy keeper to make the save.

And that just the start of what would be an active and entertaining first half in which the teams combined for 11 shots and 17 fouls, with the Galaxy leading by one in both categories.

The Galaxy finally broke on top in the 23rd minute after Real Salt Lake's Andy Williams chested Omar Gonzalez in the penalty area as the Galaxy defender tried to get his head on a cross in front of the goal. Williams was whistled for the foul and Donovan converted the penalty shot cleanly, driving a right-footed shot into the right corner for his second penalty-shot goal in as many games.

The lead lasted just two minutes, though, before defender Jamison Olave redirected Javier Morales' corner kick from the left side of the goal back in front, where Saborio drove a hard header by Saunders.

The Galaxy had a chance to get the lead back in the 33rd minute but Keane's open right-footer struck the post. Nine minutes later it was Keane again, taking a feed from Barrett, slipping Olave with a beautiful move, then firing a low, bending shot that just missed to the far side.

The last shot of the half came from Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman, whose right-footed blast from the top of the box struck the post with seconds left in stoppage time.

Both teams picked up right where they left off after the intermission and less than six minutes in, the Galaxy raced nearly the length of the field with David Beckham feeding Keane, whose cross gave Barrett a great chance in front of the goal. But the header from about five yards hit Will Johnson directly in the face, sending the midfielder to the turf as the ball caromed harmlessly over the goal.

Less than five minutes later it was Magee missing high with a header off another beautiful cross from Beckham. He didn't miss on his next chance, though, scoring on a diving header off another perfect Beckham pass in the 58th minute.

Keane finished the scoring in the 68th minute, taking a pass from Donovan and racing up the left wing, deking Olave again with another deft move, then sending a low shot into the far corner.

Salt Lake didn't quit, so it fell to Saunders to keep the lead at two goals with a diving right-handed save on Morales in the 84th minute. Seconds into stoppage time, RSL came up short again when Fabian Espindola missed just wide of the right post.

The win left the Galaxy unbeaten in 23 matches this season at the Home Depot Center, where the MLS Cup will be contested in two weeks. The Galaxy will be playing in the league championship for the second time in three seasons. In its last final, in 2009, Los Angeles lost to Real Salt Lake on penalty kicks.

-- Kevin Baxter

Photo: Galaxy midfielder Landon Donovan celebrates with teammate Todd Dunivant after scoring on a penalty kick against Real Salt Lake in the first half Sunday at Home Depot Center. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

Landon Donovan joins U.S. team that has games during MLS playoffs

The Galaxy's push for the Major League Soccer Cup might have hit a small bump in the road Thursday when U.S. national team Coach Jurgen Klinsmann named Landon Donovan to his 22-man team for a pair of friendlies in Europe beginning next week.

For Donovan, who is coming off a leg injury, that will make for a challenging schedule beginning with Thursday night's playoff match with the New York Red Bulls at the Home Depot Center. If the Galaxy win the two-leg playoff series with New York -- and since they lead 1-0 after Sunday's win, to advance the Galaxy must simply avoid losing by two or more goals -- Donovan will play Sunday in the conference final.

[Updated 1:45 p.m.:]

The U.S. team is scheduled to gather in Paris on Monday, ahead of matches with France on Nov. 11 and Slovenia Nov. 15. The MLS Cup final will be played at the Home Depot Center on Nov. 20.
 
Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena was hoping that Klinsmann would avoid calling up players involved in the MLS playoffs -- and he largely did, selecting only Donovan and Real Salt Lake defender Kyle Beckerman on MLS teams that are still playing. And Klinsman said that whichever player's team makes the MLS Cup final will be allowed to leave the national team after the France friendly to return to his MLS team a week before the final.
 
"We have a very positive line of communication with MLS," Klinsman said. "We agreed that whoever will be involved in the final will be released after the game against France, which gives them more than a week to prepare.”

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION

GOALKEEPERS (2): Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Tim Howard (Everton)

DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting Lisbon)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Edson Buddle (Ingolstadt), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)

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-- Kevin Baxter

Photo: Landon Donovan. Credit: Joe Nicholson / US Presswire

David Beckham shows Manchester United he can still kick it

David Beckham is 36, he seemingly spends half his life at 36,000 feet jetting from football match to personal appearance to royal wedding, yet as he showed against Manchester United in New Jersey on Wednesday, Goldenballs can still kick it.

Ji-sung Park may have walked away with the Most Valuable Player award at the end of the game, but there must have been a block vote from the South Korean fan club to swing that one as Beckham once again stole the show, even in a 4-0 defeat.

Two things were eminently predictable prior to Beckham’s outing for the MLS All-Stars against United.

Firstly, that he would speak of the ‘emotional’ experience of playing against the ‘greatest club in the world’ – Beckham has always been in the king of PR – and secondly, that the former England captain would play every minute as though it were his last.

Barring an unlikely return to the Premier League when his LA Galaxy contract expires later this year, Wednesday’s friendly in the Red Bull Arena is likely to be the last time Beckham shares a field with his former club.

He has already seen off his Class of ’92 contemporaries at United by watching the likes of Nicky Butt, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes all announce their retirement over the past 12 months.

But there is no dimming of the light when it comes to Beckham. His dazzling golden boots during the All-Stars game were only matched by the glitter of his performance.

Let’s not kid anyone, though. Unless his continued stay in California is merely to secure the world’s first leg transplant in the global capital of nip and tuck, Beckham will run out of steam sooner rather than later.

The qualities that propelled him onto centre stage at United in the mid-1990s are still visible, however.

Beckham can still pick a pass, his crossing remains unmatched and the tenacity that once saw him dominate Paul Ince on his return to Old Trafford in a friendly with Inter Milan shortly after his controversial move to San Siro all remain part of the package.

And the radar is still fully functioning when it comes to shooting at goal from anywhere within 30 yards of the net.

United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard was forced to make two impressive saves in the first-half of Wednesday’s game to deny Beckham the goal celebration that would have instantly flashed around the globe and given the old man the headlines once again.

The irony of Beckham’s performance, with Scholes no longer around to dictate play for United, was that his experience, quality and calming authority is precisely what Sir Alex Ferguson’s team need at the heart of their midfield.

That ship has sailed, though, and there will be no emotional return to Old Trafford for the prodigal son.

Beckham did pay a visit to the United changing room after the game, greeting former team-mates and bear-hugging Ferguson as he left, but although he joked to waiting reporters that ‘He wants to sign me,’ when asked about his discussion with Ferguson, it was wishful thinking.

Isn’t it?