Beckham pleased to end wait

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The England midfielder made his first appearance in a competitive game as he came on as a 72nd-minute substitute in the 1-0 defeat to DC United.

"It was a good night, but it was also a bad night," Beckham said. "Obviously, there's been a certain amount of pressure because everyone is talking about how I've come to MLS and not played yet. But I don't feel pressure in that sense. I feel pressure in myself to get fit and to get back playing again."

He added: "It's not nice to disappoint people who have paid a lot of money to come and see you, so it was good to get on the pitch."

Although clearly a little ring-rusty, Beckham showed few ill effects of the ankle injury which has delayed this day for so long, and he went crunching into two tackles almost as soon as he came onto the field.

The injury has not gone away, however.

"It was tender," he said of the ankle. "I haven't played on it for eight weeks, I haven't trained on it for eight weeks and it was going to be tender because it was the first time I really got into anything competitive.

"But I was happy to be out there. I'm sure there will be (tenderness) for a while because it's not an injury that just heals up and is perfect right away. There will be some reaction on Friday, but this was a big, important step for me."

Beckham had hinted on Wednesday that he might be ready to play, but said the final decision only came Thursday.

"The manager made that decision," he said. "I told him how I felt. He said, 'If you are confident that you can get through the game without making it any worse, then go and do it', and that was decided."