Beckham plays to win in Auckland
08 Dec 2008
Football megastar David Beckham and the LA Galaxy had a decisive 3-0 win against the Oceania All Stars team in Auckland on Saturday night (6.12.08).
It was only a one-off friendly match but someone had to win, and Beckham's team was too good for the 'local' team made up of international players from around the Pacific region, and captained by French international Christian Karembeu.
More than 16,000 soccer fans were at the Mt Smart Stadium for the match.
Enthusiastic school children
Thousands of enthusiastic school children, from 130 Auckland schools, also experienced the Beckham phenomenon when they watched the teams training in the stadium on Friday.
Six children were selected to take part in a training session with LA Galaxy. Seven-year-old Jemma Pickstock, the smallest of the group, got some personal advice from Beckham who told her to keep her eye on the ball.
Beckham also took time out to attend a charity event at the Alinghi yachting base on Auckland's Viaduct Harbour on Thursday night. The runway fashion show, dinner and auction raised money for New Zealand children's charity KidsCan.
Giant leap
Beckham celebrated his team's win with a giant leap from the Auckland Harbour Bridge bungy, taking in panoramic views of the 'city of sails' before plunging 40m (130ft) into the waters below.
On his second visit to New Zealand, and his first to Auckland, Beckham described New Zealand as "an amazing and beautiful country".
"I can't believe it's been a year since I was last here already. The people are so friendly and welcoming that it makes everyone feel at home and adds to the enjoyment of being here."
Beckham said he would look back on his visits to New Zealand at the end of his career and think "this is one of the nicest places I've been."
The exhibition match was broadcast across the Pacific and to tens of millions of people on the west coast of the United States.
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