David Beckham makes a token appearance for AC Milan in Germany
David Beckham, slowed by a couple of minor calf and hamstring injuries, came on as an 89th-minute substitute Wednesday as AC Milan earned a 1-1 tie against Werder Bremen in a UEFA Cup game in Germany.
The Italian side was little more than six minutes away from a potentially decisive victory after forward Filippo Inzaghi had scored off the rebound of his own shot in the 36th minute. But Diego tied the match for Bremen at its Weserstadion stadium in the 84th minute.
Beckham, who had not been expected to start, came on in place of Ronaldinho and played the last minute of regulation and the four minutes of extra time.
The away goal could still be decisive for Milan, which will play host to the second leg of the round-of-32 series on Feb. 26 in Italy.
The UEFA Cup, which lags behind the European Champions League but nonetheless has a long and illustrious history, is the only tournament that AC Milan has never won. With the Serie A club trailing Inter Milan by 11 points in league play, it is also the only bit of silverware the Rossoneri still has a chance to win this season.
-- Grahame L. Jones
Photo: David Beckham, right, substitutes for AC Milan's Ronaldinho during a UEFA Cup round-of-32 first-leg soccer match with Werder Bremen on Wednesday. Credit: Joerg Sarbach / Associated Press
The LA galaxy is makig a mistake, it wouldn't be right to force David Beckham into staying.
He played a season in the USA which is ok and he made a difference but he s not going to change Americas view on soccer. Let's face it ! Americans hate soccer! We find every excuse possible to put the sport down, let the guy go play for his national team while he still has a chance. This is Englands best chance to win the world cup and this is something america could care less about.
We still are not interested in international competition like the rest of the world. We are occupied with our own club teams and think of international sportng events as being the olympics.
We don't let our best basketball players compete in the basket ball world cup, because they are to expesive to let go.
Other countries negoitiate contracts around the national team's demands and have to let them go if they are chosen, and that is not so here, because there is not enough interest in national teams and world cup competition.
David Beckham did make a mistake by negiotiating a long contract, possibly because he couldn't predict how serious England is about taking home a world cup, but 2010
is the year for England. They chose Fabio Capello, whom is the most successfull soccer coach in the world, which means they are real serious. Capello stated that he can't let Beckham play on the English national team if he doesn't play real high level soccer.
If England happens to win the world cup in 2010 and Beckham just happens to be watching from his home in LA listening to how "soccer players are panzies, and cry like babies when they get hurt, and can't get up off the field, and its a boring sport,
not enough goals", and all the other american comments about soccer. Management on the LA galaxy will really whish they had negotiated differently.
Posted by: Vince Pantano | February 18, 2009 at 06:57 PM
look, let the man stay in italy, the MLS is making his career downhill, and i don't like the fact that Tom Cruise is around him neither. Beckham seems to be playing more competently in the Red Milan shirt. Let beckham stay because its getting his career back on track and for once in a long time, he is getting the right attention for his skills, rather than his looks and his wife. And he looks like he's enjoying the game again.
Posted by: hp | February 19, 2009 at 05:58 AM
Coming on in the final minutes of a tie game is not really a "token" appearance in my opinion.
Anything can happen in those final minutes and he wouldn't be on there if the coach thinks it might hurt the team. I didn't see the game but a late game appearance from Beckham isn't necessarily any more "token" than one of those last second playoff appearances Robert Horry would make for the Spurs in recent years.
Posted by: garbaggio | February 19, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Bec's needs to stay in Italy. He is an athlete at the height of his career. He is playing superb football (sorry soccer in american speak), and his desire is to be in Italy. Let the man stay in Italy. Anything else would be a disgrace, not only to football but how the rest of the world continues to view the US and the recreation league known as the MLS. if the MLS wants to be known as a top notch league, then giving one of the most recognized athlete's in the world his wish is a top priority.
Posted by: Hersh | February 20, 2009 at 12:07 AM
Beckham is a world-class player. He showed his class many times. Beckham is a great addition to Milan. I just hope he stays because he still has a lot to show.
Posted by: sorin | February 21, 2009 at 10:52 AM
David Beckham recently makes good job and good luck to him^_^
--from a football fan in China
Posted by: Meng Yang | February 22, 2009 at 09:01 AM