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Beckham gets first assist, Galaxy draw Wizards 1-1

Jul 26, 2009 - 5:20 AM By STEVE BRISENDINE STATS MLS Correspondent

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (STATS) - David Beckham to Landon Donovan to the back of the net.

The Los Angeles Galaxy hadn't put that combination together since last September - until Saturday night, when Beckham assisted on Donovan's first-half equalizer in a 1-1 draw with the Kansas City Wizards.

It was Beckham's first assist since returning from a loan to Italian Serie A champions AC Milan.

"When you've got players like Landon that can break so quickly, you just give them the ball and know he can do that," Beckham said. "It was nice to get my first assist, obviously, but it's just good to be out there with a bunch of guys working hard for each other."

The Galaxy (6-3-10) had a four-match winning streak snapped. Kansas City (5-6-6) is winless over its last three matches and 1-2-4 over the past seven.

"Earlier in the year, we would have been happy tying a game like this," Donovan said, "and tonight there was a sense of disappointment. We don't want to give away any points."

Beckham, who was fined $1,000 by Major League Soccer on Friday for a verbal altercation with a home fan at halftime of a friendly against AC Milan on July 19, heard a mix of boos and cheers from the standing room only crowd of 11,906 every time he took a corner kick. The mix was loudest, though, after his assist on Donovan's goal in the 33rd minute.

Beckham fed the ball through the middle to Donovan, who made a 10-yard run before launching a low shot past Kevin Hartman from just outside the penalty arc.

"We gave the ball up in a bad place, and they got the ball to a good player," Wizards striker Herculez Gomez said. "Landon does what Landon does."

Donovan's equalizer - and Beckham's star power - all but overshadowed what's likely to be a contender for MLS' Goal of the Year: Claudio Lopez's 51-yard shot in the 26th minute to put the Wizards up 1-0.

Lopez caught Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts off his line and launched a looping shot from a yard shy of midfield. Ricketts raced back and stretched for the ball, but it sailed over his fingertips and into the goal.

"This is the best goal of my career," Lopez said - and no one was arguing.

"That was a great goal," said Beckham, who has seen his share of spectacular scores with England and in Italy's Serie A, the English Premiere League and Spain's La Liga. "It doesn't matter what league you're in, what country in the world. That was a great goal."

The 51-yard shot was reminiscent of a 70-yarder Beckham hit near the end of a 3-1 victory over Kansas City on May 24, 2008, at the Home Depot Center. That goal, however, came with Hartman pushed up the field as Kansas City looked for a late goal.

Ricketts was injured on the play and had to be replaced by Josh Saunders. The Galaxy said Ricketts had back spasms from hitting the post.

Lopez just missed scoring again in the 77th minute. His bending free kick from 18 yards beat Saunders but hit the far post.

"A draw was a fair result," Wizards coach Curt Onalfo said. "We would have liked to get three points at home, but Saunders is a solid goalkeeper and it showed."