Beckham, Galaxy handle drama in Dallas

FRISCO, TX FC Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala finished with six saves and FC Dallas failed to have a shot on goal during the game.

Beckham also quieted rumors of his unhappiness about living in America since joining the club last summer.

"I heard that, one of the guys on the team texted me and said you're leaving and apparently you're not happy," Beckham said. "Nothing could be further from the truth. I've said from the moment I arrived everybody's been great, not just from the soccer side but from the family side. The children are happy in the school and Victoria (his wife) is happy living in LA."

Beckham picked up a yellow card in the 87th minute for dissent. After the caution, the Galaxy captain engaged in a shouting match with FC Dallas players Andre Rocha and Marcelo Saragosa that resulted in Beckham having to be separated from Rocha by his Galaxy teammates.

"Rocha doesn't know English and Beckham doesn't know Portuguese," Sala said of the confrontation.

Beckham also used the game to audition for a spot on the national team for England and earn his 100th cap for England. Franco Baldini, general manager for England coach Fabio Capello, was in attendance to watch Beckham and report back to Capello on whether the 32-year-old midfielder was fit to join the national team for England for its international friendly against France in Paris on March 26.

Beckham but was not recalled for Capello's first game as England's national coach against Switzerland last month.

"There was no pressure on my side, just go out there and perform and play the balls I could play," Beckham said. "Just like Premeriship games when he (Baldini) goes to games with Fabio, he's obviously coming to see how my form is."

The game was a makeup for Beckham's missed visit last year during SuperLiga 2007 when Beckham did not make the trip to Dallas because of an ankle injury.

Both last year's game on July 31 and Saturday's game were announced sellouts.

Although there were a few empty seats on Saturday among the announced crowd of 20,500, fans took full opportunity to capture Beckham this year. Flash bulbs popped throughout the game, particularly every time the English star lined up for a free or corner kick.

Los Angles' two best first half scoring opportunities were a result of Beckham passes. Beckham curled a corner kick from the left side in the 17th minute which resulted in an open shot for Alvaro Pires, but Pires angled his header wide right of the goal. In the 34th minute Beckham sent a free kick from 30 yards out to the baseline which Donovan headed back to Abel Xavier, but Xavier's shot from about five yards away was deflected by Sala.

"He had some killer passes that if we had been able to convert we would have won," Galaxy head coach Ruud Guilt said.

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