Beckham's bending free kick nudges England into quarterfinals
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-26 08:41 David Beckham was feeling nauseous. England's
offense was just as sickly, with nothing to show for an hour of aimless passing
against Ecuador in the 32-degree (90 Fahrenheit) heat.
Then Beckham's right foot lived up to its fame, squeezing England into the
World Cup quarterfinals.
England's David
Beckham celebrates his goal against Ecuador with Ashley Cole (R) during
their second round World Cup 2006 soccer match in Stuttgart June 25,
2006.[Reuters] |
Beckham curled a trademark 25-yard free kick just inside the post in the 60th
minute Sunday, his first goal for England in nearly 15 months _ and the lone
highlight in an otherwise ugly 1-0 victory over Ecuador.
A few minutes later, he vomited on the field because of dehydration, and left
the match in the 87th minute.
"The last two days I've been struggling, even in training," Beckham said.
Then he recounted what teammate Wayne Rooney had told him to give him a lift:
"Wazza said to me before the game, 'You've been terrible the last two days, so
you're going to get one tonight."'
Seeking its first World Cup title since 1966, England next plays Saturday
against Portugal, which beat the Netherlands 1-0, but will have two starters _
Deco and Costinha _ suspended for the match.
While Beckham is one of soccer's best-known players, he is far from the best,
a 31-year-old midfielder criticized for his lack of defense and inability to
score from the run of play.
But his status as a cultural icon has grown in his decade with England,
especially since his marriage to pop star Victoria Adams, formerly known as Posh
Spice.
His goal ended a 13-match scoreless streak dating to a World Cup qualifier
against Azerbaijan on March 30, 2005.
For England, the wait was worth it.
"Obviously, Becks is crucial," teammate Owen Hargreaves said.
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