DAVID Beckham got his famous bend back on Saturday to give the England international his first two-goal game in Major League Soccer, denying former Gretna striker Kenny Deuchar a famous scalp.
Goals from Fabian Espindola and Deuchar had put Real Salt Lake 2-0 in front early in the first half against Los Angeles Galaxy, only for Beckham to thrill the crowds with two trademark efforts.
The former Manchester United midfielder's first goal
came on 36 minutes when he was afforded too much time and space and curled a shot around Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando from 25 yards.
The second goal, four minutes later, did not have quite the arc of the first, but enthralled fans just as much as they could see it coming. Galaxy got a free-kick from 30 yards out in the middle of the field, and Beckham bent it inside the left post and past Rimando.
"Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't," said Beckham. "Tonight it did."
The match brought out a crowd of 25,500, the third highest in Real Salt Lake history, although presumably that had more to do with Beckham's appearance than that of former Raydale Park forward Deuchar.
"It's disappointing to lose a two-goal lead," Deuchar said after a match in which he scored his second goal since moving to the United States from Gretna in February. "We've got to be more ruthless."
