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By Ed Osmond
SYDNEY, Nov 27 (Reuters) - David Beckham lit up the Olympic Stadium with a stunning free kick but failed to inspire his LA Galaxy team mates in a 5-3 friendly loss to Sydney FC on Tuesday.
The former England captain brought a crowd of over 80,000 to their feet when he curled in a trademark strike from 25 metres but it was a rare moment of joy for Galaxy who struggled in coach Ruud Gullit's first game in charge.
"I was really happy to score in this game after all the build-up," Beckham told a news conference. "It was an entertaining match with a few goals and that's what the fans wanted."
The 32-year-old Beckham suffered an ankle injury early in the match and watched helplessly as his team gave away three early goals to hand their hosts a 3-0 lead.
Beckham, playing in a deep-lying midfield role, hobbled on in obvious discomfort but he took his chance of glory two minutes before halftime.
Galaxy were awarded a free kick in a central position and, as he has so many times before, Beckham carefully placed the ball on the turf.
He stepped up to whip the ball over the Sydney wall and it fizzed into the top corner of the net beyond the despairing dive of goalkeeper Clint Bolton.
"In that sort of situation there is always a certain amount of pressure but it's something I have always practised," said the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder.
"That always gives me a chance to score from positions like that."
Galaxy pulled another goal back soon after the interval through striker Edson Buddle but Sydney, inspired by Brazilian Juninho, restored their two-goal cushion when Robbie Middleby tapped into an empty net.
Beckham was the victim of two strong challenges and he was booked in the 64th minute for retaliating with a late tackle on Middleby before Galaxy defender Kevin Harmse was sent off as tempers flared.
"It got heated but there are not many games these days that are friendlies," Beckham said. "It was all good fun and we had a laugh about it at the end."
Sydney defender Iain Fyfe bundled the ball home from close range five minutes from time and U.S. international Landon Donovan completed the scoring in the dying seconds.
The Galaxy squad fly to New Zealand on Thursday for a friendly against Wellington Phoenix on Saturday. (Editing by Miles Evans)
