the most goals they had allowed in their 13-year history -- just their second loss in three months. Toronto FC were back on the road after a 3-2 win against Colorado ended a three-game winless run -- all away from BMO Field.
• David Beckham took control of the match, and put the Galaxy into the lead in the ninth minute. Playing a one-two with Chris Birchall on the right, Beckham took the return pass at the top of the area and lashed home a low drive for his second MLS goal of 2009.
• Beckham's industry then created the second. In the 83rd minute, his pressure and hard work won the ball on the right flank. He sent in a cross to Landon Donovan, who continued it on to Edson Buddle, and he slotted home with ease for his second goal in as many games and fifth on the season.
• Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena made three changes to the team that lost 6-3 to FC Dallas. Sean Franklin came in at right back for the injured A.J. DeLaGarza, and Chris Birchall and Edson Buddle came into the team in place of Jovan Kirovski and Mike Magee.
• Here's Arena's team(4-1-3-2): Donovan Ricketts - Sean Franklin, Gregg Berhalter, Omar Gonzalez, Todd Dunivant - Stefani Miglioranzi - Chris Birchall, David Beckham (Jovan Kirovski 89), Eddie Lewis (Chris Klein 46) - Edson Buddle (Alan Gordon 86), Landon Donovan. Substitutes Not Used: Bryan Jordan, Mike Magee, Yohance Marshall, Josh Saunders
• "We beat a good team tonight. It was a great response from last week's fiasco. The effort by our guys, the concentration, the defending, was excellent. We created some opportunities as well in this game," Arena said. "This was one of those games that for 90 minutes we looked like a team as opposed to last week where there were very few minutes the entire match that we looked like a team."
TEAM NEWS
• David Beckham scored his second goal in three games. He has two goals and three assists on the season, now with seven goals and 15 assists in 38 appearances all told in his MLS league career.
• "He's a person with a lot of pride, along with that outstanding ability that he has. He did everything he could tonight to lead this team. I thought his performance was absolutely outstanding. You talk about a player that technically is quick, mentally is quick," Arena said. "He was fabulous tonight. He had a number of attacking opportunities, and he did the defending he needed to do. And the way he got out on the break in the second half was remarkable. David gave 100 percent tonight. No question about it, an excellent performance."
• Edson Buddle was able to make his first start since July 16, a span of seven games between starts (missing six entirely). Chris Birchall made just his second start since arriving with the Galaxy.
• "Certainly, the return of some of our players into our first 11 was great, notably Edson Buddle and Sean Franklin. I was surprised Sean was able to go 90 minutes. Chris Birchall played well. Beckham and Donovan were fabulous. It was a good effort," Arena said.
• For Franklin, it was his first start since May 17, when he was forced at halftime with a torn hamstring tendon that caused him to miss four full months. He came in for A.J. DeLaGarza, the rookie who had started 16 consecutive league games at right back before being forced from the FC Dallas game at halftime with a bruised knee.
• "Sean worked his tail off these past four months. He got himself into the physical condition. Tonight, he was remarkable. He looked like a lot more mature player than I saw last year, and again, I think he is the kind of kid that he observed and learned something over the past four months, and it was evident tonight that he is going to be a player that is going to help us," Arena said.
• The Toronto FC game concluded a three-game homestand where the Galaxy took six of a possible nine points, and they've now evenly split their last four games at The Home Depot Center. They return home to face Chicago next weekend trying to win back-to-back home games for just the second time this season (first: 6/28 v HOU; 7/4 v NE).
• "I think for the whole year we haven't been good at home. But for this game, we just wanted to make sure that we started off strong because we haven't done that, and we wanted to get the first goal, and not fall behind. And, I think we accomplished all of that today," said Omar Gonzalez.
