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SYDNEY - They came to see a David Beckham special and the world's most famous footballer didn't disappoint.
More than 80,000 fans filled Telstra Stadium to see Beckham play his first - and likely only - game on Australian soil last night.
And while his LA Galaxy lost
5-3 to Sydney FC in an entertaining - and at times spiteful - exhibition match, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star delivered the game's most memorable moment.
It was a trademark Beckham free kick, delivered from 25 metres in the shadows of halftime, which swerved perfectly into the top left corner of the net.
Sydney 'keeper Clint Bolton could only get fingertips to the ball, but will hardly be disappointed to tell his grandchildren one day of the night he was beaten by a Beckham special.
The crowd was in raptures.
Beckham too looked impressed and, as he revealed afterward, a little relieved.
"I think in that sort of situation there's always a certain amount of pressure on me to score, because I think people expect you to do it every time there's a free kick given in that position," Beckham said.
"I was really happy to score because of the amount of fans and the attention that there has been on myself and this game, so I was really pleased to score."
Despite battling fatigue and an early ankle knock, Beckham played the full match - no mean feat considering the intensity of what was supposed to be an exhibition.
Beckham silenced the crowd in the 26th minute when he stayed down on the turf after being collected by a slipping Brendon Santalab. He eventually got up, but was visibly limping for several minutes afterwards.
The game itself could hardly have been called friendly.
Galaxy defender Kevin Harmse was sent off after receiving a second yellow card in the 76th minute for stomping on the arm of Adam Biddle.
Beckham also had an entertaining running battle with Robbie Middleby - which ended with the Galaxy skipper embracing the Sydney midfielder.
Alex Brosque scored Sydney's opening two goals and picked up the man of the match award.
But the major prize - Beckham's shirt - went to Juninho after the Brazilian star produced one of his best 45 minutes in Sydney colours.
The World Cup winner set up Brosque for his first goal in the 20th minute and then did likewise for Ruben Zadkovich in the 29th as the home side opened a 3-0 lead.
Beckham's goal in the 44th reduced the deficit, before Edson Buddle made it 3-2 shortly after halftime.
It was 4-2 when Middleby scored in the 54th minute.
Iain Fyfe added a fifth in the 87th, before US international Landon Donovan added the final goal seconds before the whistle.
The last word, though, was left with Beckham.
"I'm happy to be here and I'm happy to be part of this game and I really enjoyed it," said Beckham, 32, who will fly with the rest of the Galaxy team to Wellington on Thursday for another friendly against the Phoenix on Saturday.
"I think it was an entertaining match for the 80,000 fans that turned out, I think that's what they probably wanted, they wanted to see some goals, they wanted to see obviously a bit of an exhibition and I think they got that."
- AAP