David Beckham moved to within three games of winning the
Spanish league title on Sunday night and after another
inspirational display for Real Madrid raised his hopes that he
could also be just one game from a dramatic England recall.
Beckham, who starred in Reals thrilling 3-2 victory against
Recreativo, is in action again next weekend as Real entertain
Deportivo La Coruna but the Spanish season stops the following
weekend for Spains internationals.
That leaves the former England captain free to join up with the
squad should Steve McClaren decide to pick him for their first
match at the new Wembley, against Brazil on Friday week, and the
Euro 2008 qualifier away to Estonia five days later. On this form
the England boss might find it hard to resist the calls to bring
Beckham back. The 32-year-old delivered a vintage first 45 minutes
of perfect passes and pinpoint crosses, supplying enough ammunition
for Madrids strikers to wrap up the game at Recreativo before
half-time.
Beckham delivered the cross for Reals opener on nine minutes. He
swapped passes with full back Miguel Torres and whipped in a centre
from the right which Robinho headed past Bertrand Laquait in the
home sides goal. It should have been the first of many as a
rampant Beckham carved Recreativo open. His cross on 17 minutes
found Fernando Gago in the same territory that Robinho had occupied
when he scored the first, but the Argentine midfielder miscued a
header wide.
Beckham then set up the same player again on 25 minutes but this
time the finish was even worse Gago barely making contact and
allowing the cross to flash across the face of goal. Raul and
Robinho also missed chances from Beckham passes as Real continued
to dominate but they went in just 1-0 up at the break and nearly
paid for poor finishing in the second half.
Then Uche swept in a corner to level with five minutes left.
Beckham was booked on the hour for tangling with Poli but he kept
his head as tempers flared and Madrid kept the faith to win the
game with their last attack. Gago set up Roberto Carlos and the
Brazilian full back converted to keep Real on top of the table,
level on points with Barcelona resounding 6-0 winners at Atletico
Madrid and two clear of Sevilla.
Victories in their last three matches will be enough to give
Beckham his first trophy in Spain before he leaves to join LA
Galaxy this summer. Relieved Madrid manager Fabio Capello admitted
his side had nearly paid for not capitalising on Beckhams superb
first half. He said: "We had the chances to win it easily. "But if
you relax then you can get punished. But I was delighted with our
response and Roberto Carlos ran so far to get on the end of that
move."