[MLS] Who needs David Beckham for long-range shooting when you have Alecko Eskandarian, Landon Donovan and Eddie Lewis? All three scored on volleys from distance in the first half to lead the Galaxy to 3-1 win over the New York Red Stars in Beckham's first game back with the Galaxy. All were given acres of space by the hapless Red Bulls, who have not won an MLS game in more than two months, a span of 11 games.


New York-Los Angeles Highlights:



While there was plenty of media interest in Beckham's return -- sparked by the release of the book "The Beckham Experiment" -- the game drew a crowd of only 23,238, less than half the crowd of 46,754 for the Red Bulls-Galaxy in 2008 and way down from the crowd of 66,237 for the memorable 5-4 New York win in 2007.

All three Galaxy goals were beauties:

-- Eskandarian lifted a loose ball over Luke Sassano outside the penalty area and beat goalie Danny Cepero with a looping shot for his second early goal in three games since joining the Galaxy.

-- Donovan's goal was similar to Eskandarian's except Lewis flicked a loose ball on to him to hit one-time and beat Cepero from distance.

-- On the third goal in the last minute of the first half, Donovan was given time and space on the right wing to lift a ball across the penalty area to Lewis, who hit it first straight at Cepero, who failed to stop the slow shot that rolled into the goal.

The Galaxy, which has had a propensity to give late leads, was in unchartered territory, having not scored as many as three goals this season, but it made the game interesting in the last five minutes, conceding two penalties.

Juan Pablo Angel converted the first but Jamaican keeper Donovan Ricketts, in his first game back from the Gold Cup, stopped the second shot and gathered the rebound off the post.

The win moved the Galaxy into a tie for third place with the archrival Chivas USA in the Western Conference and in the overall MLS standings, though it has played more games than any other team in MLS besides New York -- which has only 10 points in 20 games and is on course to finish with one of the worst records in MLS history.

July 16 in East Rutherford, N.J.
New York 1 Los Angeles 3. Goals: Eskandarian 3, Donovan (Lewis) 31, Lewis (Donovan) 45, Angel (pen.) 87.
Los Angeles -- Ricketts, Berhalter, Gonzalez, DeLaGarza, Dunivant, Lewis (Klein 85), Miglioranzi, Donovan, Beckham (Birchall 70), Buddle, Eskandarian (Magee 74)
New York -- Cepero, Petke, Sassano, Hall, Pacheco, Stammler, Celades (Richards 62), Zimmerman (Ubiparipovic 70), Rojas, Kandji (Wolyniec 79),  Pablo Angel.
Yellow Cards: New York -- Rojas 92+; Los Angeles -- Berhalter 10, Eskandarian 27.
Referee: Shane Moody.
Att.: 23,238.