FemaleFootballFans.com

Beckham’s back, but L.A. in trouble after draw

Carson, CA (Sports Network) - David Beckham’s back, but Los Angeles’ winning streak is history and it no longer controls its own destiny for the playoffs.

Beckham missed the last 10 games with a knee injury but returned to the field on Thursday night as a substitute in Los Angeles’ 1-1 draw against New York.

Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak was snapped - it still hasn’t won in the four games Beckham has played in - but it’s unbeaten in seven straight to stay in contention for a playoff spot.

Los Angeles (9-13-7) trails three teams for the final two playoff berths going into the final weekend of the regular season and has to beat Chicago on Sunday to have any chance to qualify.

Troy Roberts scored and made three key defensive plays, two on New York’s Juan Pablo Angel, to keep the Galaxy’s hopes alive.

Jozy Altidore scored for New York (12-11-7), which already has the third seed in the Eastern Conference locked up.

Angel nearly matched D.C. United’s Luciano Emilio for the league scoring lead in the second minute but Galaxy goalie Joe Cannon raced off his line to knock the ball off his toes.

Angel, who has 19 goals in 24 games, missed another great chance in the third minute when he directed a header just wide of the right post.

L.A. didn’t get its first good chance until the 15th minute, and Roberts made it count with his second goal of the season.

Landon Donovan set up the goal by taking a pass from Peter Vagenas on the left side and getting enough space to make a pin-point cross. Roberts ran onto the ball at the right post and dove to head it into the empty net.

But the Galaxy were caught napping off the restart and New York equalized in less than a minute. Altidore finished a cross from Dave van den Bergh with a perfect header into the right corner of the goal for his ninth of the season.

The fast pace continued as L.A. threatened off the restart when veteran Cobi Jones passed to Donovan in the box but he didn’t get off a good shot and the ball rolled wide of the left post.

Donovan had another scoring chance in the 23rd minute when a defensive miscue gave L.A. a breakaway. But when Donovan tried to put the ball on goal, it was deflected just enough to send it over the end line.

Angel’s chances continued later in the half as he made a nice turn in the box but put a shot right at Cannon in the 28th minute and missed another shot in the 40th minute on an open chance in the box.

L.A. had one more good chance before halftime when Chris Klein got space on the end line and took a hard shot that deflected into space but was cleared out of danger by New York.

Angel had another great chance early in the second half but Roberts deflected the shot wide in the 48th minute. Dane Richards had another hard shot for N.Y. in the 54th minute, but Cannon knocked it wide of the post.

Angel’s next great chance was in the 62nd minute when he curled a free kick a hair wide of the upper left corner of the goal.

Donovan continued to create chances for L.A. in the second half, making a nice run down the left side in the 63rd minute to put a shot wide of the right post that Carlos Pavon was just steps away from tucking into an empty net.

Richards showcased his speed again in the 65th minute, racing into the box on a breakaway where he was tripped by Cannon. Although the play could have been a penalty kick, no call was made, which visibly upset Richards and Red Bull’s coach Bruce Arena.

L.A. had a solid chance off a counter but Vagenas had a hard shot at the right post knocked wide by Conway.

Beckham entered the match in the 68th minute, and he took a number of corners over the remainder of the match but L.A. couldn’t convert any of the chances. The best threat was on a short corner to Josh Tudela, but his hard shot was saved by Conway.

Altidore had two more scoring chances in the final 15 minutes, shooting just over the crossbar in the 81st minute and wide of the left post in the 92nd.

Cannon made just three saves and Conway had only four, but both goalies had great games.

If L.A. defeated New York, it could have clinched a playoff berth with a win over Chicago on Sunday. But now, L.A. has to beat the Fire and hope Colorado doesn’t beat Real Salt Lake or Kansas City loses to FC Dallas on Saturday.

New York will play New England in the first round of the playoffs. The Red Bulls host New England on Oct. 27 and visit the Revolution on Nov. 3 in the two-game, aggregate series.

10/19 01:53:14 ET

News from www.sportsnetwork.com