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Despite Beckham goal, LA Galaxy loses

  -- The Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) David Beckham scored a late goal before the Los Angeles Galaxy lost in a penalty shootout Sunday to Hong Kong club South China in the final leg of its preseason Asian exhibition tour.

The matched ended 2-2, with South China prevailing 5-4 in the shootout.

Beckham played the entire game, with the 32-year-old midfielder trying to regain fitness and prove himself ready for a recall to national team duty with England and claim his 100th international cap.

Beckham said the Galaxy did not make the most of its chances.

"That's just football. Some days you score loads of goals, some days you can have many chances and not score any," Beckham said.

The former England captain was taking a "wait and see" approach to selections for England's friendly against France on March 26.

"At the moment, I'm just concentrating on playing with the Galaxy," he said. "I'm training with the Galaxy and playing in the games that I've got with the team here. That's how and where I got my fitness."

England manager Fabio Capello had said either he or his assistant will fly to Dallas for the Galaxy's March 14 match to assess Beckham's condition.

The first goal of the match was scored late in the first half by South China's Detinho, striking home from the left-hand corner of the penalty area.

The Galaxy, which is tuning up for the upcoming Major League Soccer season, tied it in the 61 minute through Alan Gordon.

South China captain Li Haiqiang looked to have secured the win with a 90th-minute penalty kick, but Beckham was quick to tie with a penalty of his own in the fourth minute of added time.

Beckham was the first player up in the penalty shootout and converted, but a miss by Greg Vanney gave South China claim victory.

The Galaxy lost to South Korea's FC Seoul in a shootout, and beat Shanghai-Hong Kong United 3-0 in its other exhibition games last week.