Beckham Injured

CARSON, Calif. – David Beckham limped onto the makeshift stage and had a second-place medal hung around his neck. The English star promptly took it off.“I hate losing,” he said after the Los Angeles Galaxy were beaten 4-3 on penalty kicks by Pachuca in the SuperLiga title match last night.The Galaxy’s latest defeat proved costly.Mr. Beckham sprained his right knee when he fell and left the game in the 33rd minute. He was scheduled to have it examined today.He winced in pain as he stood up after talking to reporters and needed help stepping down from a raised platform.“It’s just gone from one thing to another thing,” said Mr. Beckham, whose nagging left ankle injury has forced him to miss seven games since he joined the team July 13.“Maybe it’s time for me to just say, ‘I need the rest,’ and get it right and don’t come back until it’s right.”That would be a further jolt for the Galaxy, which expected to have Mr. Beckham play in Saturday’s Major League Soccer game against Real Salt Lake – a matchup of the Western Conference’s two worst teams.“We’re not as good when Beckham’s not on the field,” said Chris Klein, who tied the game at 1 on a brilliant bicycle kick in second-half stoppage time.And it would be a letdown for England’s national team. Mr. Beckham had planned to leave Sunday for 10 days with the team as it prepares to play Israel and Russia in two Euro 2008 qualifying games in London.Now those plans are in jeopardy.“I’m going to have a scan tomorrow and we’ll see the full extent of what it is and how long I’ll be out, but at the moment, it doesn’t feel great,” he said.Neither did the Galaxy’s loss after playing to a 1-1 tie through 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime.The SuperLiga championship was the only title match the Galaxy will likely play in this season. Its MLS record is 3-10-5 and its chances of making the playoffs are slim.Carlos Rodriguez’s kick into the right corner of the net past goalkeeper Joe Cannon gave Pachuca a 4-3 lead in the shootout. Abel Xavier then missed wide right for Los Angeles, ending the marathon match.“I felt real proud of every single one of our players. They kept going until the end,” Galaxy coach Frank Yallop said. “With all the crap we’ve had to put up with in the last 3-to-4 weeks, it was outstanding.”Mr. Beckham and Landon Donovan are among a glut of players whose injuries have decimated the Galaxy’s lineup.“It’s been difficult to (expletive) deal with,” Mr. Yallop said. “I’m sorry to swear, but it’s been hard.”Pachuca won the trophy and the $1 million prize in the inaugural tournament that involved four MLS teams and four teams from Mexico’s first division.The SuperLiga title is the fourth championship won by Pachuca in the last year. “Los Tuzos” also won the Mexican title, the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Copa Sudamericana title.Pachuca led 1-0 when Galaxy midfielder Peter Vagenas put the ball in his own net in the 28th minute. He collapsed in despair against the back of the net as the pro-Pachuca crowd roared.Pachuca goalkeeper Miguel Calero made several spectacular saves in the second half, when the Galaxy attacked aggressively.In the 86th minute, Mr. Donovan’s deflection was stopped by Mr. Calero, then the ball fell out of his clutches and narrowly missed rolling into the net. Mr. Donovan slapped his hands to his head in frustration.Mr. Donovan later missed a chance to win it when his penalty kick was saved by a diving Mr. Calero.During a scoreless first half, Mr. Beckham and Pachuca midfielder Fernando Salazar each went after the ball just outside the Mexican club’s penalty area. Mr. Beckham tripped over the ball and fell. He lay face down on the grass for a few seconds before getting up and hobbling off the field, signaling to the bench he needed to come out.“I’m devastated to have been taken out of the game when I was because I was looking forward to this game,” he said. “I’ve been given the rest to try and get my ankle feeling better and it felt better.”Mr. Beckham stayed inside for the second half before coming out to watch overtime dressed in a gray suit, white shirt and black tie. He sat on the bench with his right leg extended.At the end of the second overtime, Mr. Beckham limped onto the field to join his teammates as they regrouped for penalty kicks, clapping his hands in encouragement.“I needed to be out there and cheer on the lads,” he said.Initially, Mr. Beckham’s injury was announced as a strain. But after an examination at halftime, the team said he had a sprain.“At this stage, it’s hard to tell, but it doesn’t feel good,” he said. “With a ligament strain, it’s 4-to-6 weeks. We’ll have to wait and see.”

Beckham Injured

Beckham Injured

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