Becks Sidelined, Ignored in MLS Debut

Toronto, LA achieve 0-0 draw in front of rabid Canadian crowd

By Jesse Andrews, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 6, 2007 6:29 AM CDT

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Becks Sidelined, Ignored in MLS Debut — Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham sits on the bench before their soccer game against the Toronto FC in Toronto, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007. Beckham, still bothered by a sore left ankle, wasn't among the starting 11 or seven substitutes for the game, played before a sellout crowd of 20,500. (AP PHOTO/CP,... (Associated Press)

A raucous Toronto FC crowd of over 20,000 jeered the Galaxy's best player on the field in their season opener yesterday—but it was the home-grown Landon Donovan and not costly English import David Beckham, who is still nursing a balky ankle. Toronto outshot the underwhelming Galaxy 14-2, and both Galaxy shots came after the half; neither squad wound up scoring.

A Donovan free kick in the 49th minute was held up for a minute by Toronto fans screaming abuse and throwing streamers; LA keeper Joe Cannon was continually submerged in debris. In attendance was MLS commish Don Garber, who remarked, "If you could bottle this (atmosphere) up and send it around North America, we would be a pretty powerful league." (More soccer stories.)

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