Beckham finally makes Galaxy debut

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

CARSON, California (Reuters) - David Beckham made his long-awaited debut for Los Angeles Galaxy in front of a capacity crowd when he came on as a substitute in the 78th minute of Saturday's exhibition match against Chelsea.

The England midfielder, who has been struggling to recover from an injury to his left ankle, was cheered loudly by the 27,000 fans at the Home Depot Center as he ran on to the pitch in place of striker Alan Gordon.

Although his new team were beaten 1-0 by the FA Cup holders, Beckham was delighted to launch his much-trumpeted American adventure by playing a late cameo role in front of a packed stadium that included several Hollywood stars.

"It was very emotional," the former England captain told reporters after 12 minutes of action that featured a few deft touches, a tumble as he tried to evade a tackle by Chelsea's Steve Sidwell and a late corner kick.

"The reaction to me if I even take off my top or kick the ball has been incredible, it made me feel a bit embarrassed at times. I really wanted to be out there tonight with all the attention. It is a great day for the club."

His problem ankle was another matter, though.

"I'm not fit and I haven't trained since I have been out here," Beckham said. "The ankle is swollen and we'll see how it is tomorrow. It is not going to go away for a week or so but it's making progress, it's not a serious injury."

Galaxy president and general manager Alexi Lalas told ESPN television: "It is a long-term process and we want to make sure David is 100 percent.