Beckham Faces Fitness Battle

David Beckham faces a fitness test on Monday to determine whether the England midfielder flies with the Los Angeles Galaxy squad to Texas for their must-win SuperLiga clash with FC Dallas on Tuesday night.

Beckham has not played or even trained with his new team-mates since his brief debut for the Major League Soccer club against Chelsea nine days ago and has continued to struggle to overcome an injury to his left ankle first sustained on England duty against Estonia at the start of June.

Galaxy leave for California on Monday for Dallas, where they must win their final group game in the eight-team tournament if they are to progress to the knockout stage of the competition between MLS and Mexican clubs. With a return to the league campaign next Sunday in Toronto, however, Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop will not risk a seven-hour round trip to Texas if Beckham cannot prove his fitness and a decision will be made after training at the Home Depot Center.

The England star watched from the dugout on Saturday night as the Galaxy were beaten 2-1 by Chivas Guadalajara in front of 37,337 mostly Mexican fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum in a performance team captain Landon Donovan described as "awful." (Daily Express)