Revolution, LA status conscious
FOXBOROUGH -- The biggest question leading up to tonight's Revolution-Los Angeles Galaxy game concerns the availability of David Beckham. But the Revolution's greater worry is the status of central defender Michael Parkhurst.
Beckham indicated that he is questionable after his left ankle swelled up following his 21-minute MLS debut Thursday in Washington, D.C.
"My ankle flared up after the game and it swelled up after flying," Beckham said after working out separately from his Galaxy teammates at Gillette Stadium yesterday. "It was fine running [yesterday] and I hope I can get some minutes, but it's not 100 percent."
A sellout crowd of more than 32,000 is expected for the match, sales sparked by the anticipated appearance of Beckham, who has not played a full match since May. The pop icon sustained an ankle injury performing for England's national team June 6, then aggravated the condition in his final match for Real Madrid June 17.
The Galaxy (3-6-5, 14 points), whose schedule was back-loaded to accommodate Beckham's arrival, are hoping to rally into playoff contention. They have a home SuperLiga match against D.C. United Wednesday and a game against the Red Bulls in New Jersey Saturday.
The Revolution (9-4-6, 33 points) lead the Eastern Conference but had an unbeaten streak of six games in all competitions snapped with a 3-0 loss to D.C. United last Sunday. Parkhurst hyperextended his knee in that match and missed the Revolution's 2-1 win over the Harrisburg City Islanders in a US Open Cup quarterfinal Wednesday.
"It felt good, it's made a lot of progress," Parkhurst said. "It will be a game-time decision."
Parkhurst is among those anticipating the largest crowd for an MLS regular-season game in Foxborough since May 19, 2002, when the Revolution lost to Chicago, 3-1, in the new stadium before 36,778 in the second game of a doubleheader following a friendly between the United States and the Netherlands.
"With the attention [Beckham] has been getting, it's exciting," Parkhurst said. "We grew up watching him play and, obviously, he's one of the best in the world. It's great exposure and it's going to be a packed house, so that gives us more to look forward to.
"But it's just one game and I want to be 100 percent and not jeopardize the rest of the season."
Beckham is reluctant to aggravate his injury and is being especially cautious because of the artificial surface.
"I've trained on it, and it's on my academy pitches in London, but I've never played on a synthetic pitch," Beckham said. "This one is better than Toronto's field. It's difficult but it's something we have to deal with. It's part of the MLS and we have to come to terms with it, and I'm sure it will be fine."
Beckham sparked the Galaxy in a 1-0 loss to D.C. United, orchestrating play in a withdrawn midfield role and nearly setting up Landon Donovan with a late through ball.
"I want him on the field all the time, personally," Donovan said of Beckham. "You know that if you make a run, he will put it where you need it. The other night, he helped us a lot.
"He makes us better, clearly. But we have played the whole year without him on the field. We have a better chance to win with him but we can't push him to play until he's ready."
The Revolution's Steve Nicol has played and coached against Beckham, failing to win in four games with Sheffield Wednesday against Beckham's Manchester United from 1995-97 and also losing to Beckham's Real Madrid while coaching an MLS All-Star team two years ago.
"There are very few players who can put a dead ball into the top corner," Nicol said of Beckham. "He makes a big difference with his passing and he has a great touch. If you lay off him, you are asking for trouble. We have to close him down early and stop him from making passes forward.
"But it's not just him, it's Landon Donovan -- whoever is close enough has to close them down."
More than 15,000 tickets were sold Friday for the Brazil-Mexico game, scheduled Sept. 12 at Gillette Stadium . . . Argentine midfielder Mario Sosa, who played for Newell's Old Boys last year, is training with the Revolution . . . Parking will open at 4 p.m. and gates at 5 p.m. today; there were 29,000 seats sold in the lower bowl and as many as 6,000 in club suites. 