David Beckham was named in AC Milan's starting line-up for his Serie A debut against AS Roma at the Olympic Stadium here on Sunday but he couldn't help his side to victory in a game which ended in a 2-2 draw.
ROME (AFP) -
David Beckham was named in AC Milan's starting line-up for his Serie A debut against AS Roma at the Olympic Stadium here on Sunday but he couldn't help his side to victory in a game which ended in a 2-2 draw.
The former England skipper, on loan at the Italian giants from LA Galaxy, had been expected to be on the bench.
However, he was named by coach Carlo Ancelotti in the starting eleven in place of France midfielder Mathieu Flamini and played virtually all of the game, only being replaced by the Frenchman as he ran out of steam in the dying moments.
Brazilian teenager Pato and Montenegro forward Mirko Vucinic stole the limelight from the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man with two goals each as Milan stay third, nine points off top spot where city rivals Inter stand.
Beckham took a little time to settle before gradually becoming increasingly involved.
His first opportunity to shine could have come on five minutes after Milan won a free-kick in a dangerous position but Ronaldinho pulled rank and crashed his effort into the wall.
Thereafter Beckham showed his full range of abilities, playing one raking ball down the line to Kaka while showing his defensive skills in making a brilliant sprawling block on a John Arne Riise shot.
He also sent many dangerous crosses in from the right.
Beckham's two-month loan stint at Milan has often dominated the sports news since it was first announced back in late October.
He agreed the deal in order to keep up his match fitness during the long Major League Soccer off-season in the US in a bid to remain in England coach Fabio Capello's plans.
Having only played once since October - as a substitute against Hamburg in a friendly in Dubai a week ago - Beckham was not expected to be selected in the starting line-up.
He played only 45 minutes in Dubai and earlier this week Ancelotti gave a strong hint that he would need to be eased in gradually.
"Beckham is ready to play, but he's coming out of two months of inactivity, so it's difficult to name him as a starter (Sunday) for the match against Roma," said Ancelotti.
"He is ready to help out and at Milan we are happy he's with us even if he'll only be staying two months.
"If he then wants to stay (longer) with us, that would suit us very nicely, but his contract with the club is clear and I think he'll respect that."
The Stadio Olimpico was a near sell-out for the first match of 2009 here as fans jumped at the opportunity to see the world's most marketable football star in the flesh.
Beckham was named on the right side of a three-man midfield with playmaker Andrea Pirlo starting from deep in the centre and Dutch veteran Clarence Seedorf on the left with the much-feted Brazilian Ka-Pa-Ro triumvirate combination of Kaka, Pato and Ronaldinho up front.
Games in Italy rarely sell-out and Roma are usually lucky to half fill their stadium which seats more than 80,000 people.
Before the match started as the teams were announced over the stadium loud-speaker, Beckham's name was the one cheered the loudest by a healthy Milan travelling contingent -- even more so that that of legend Paolo Maldini -- and likewise the most vociferously jeered by the home fans.
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